Abraham was, however, lucky to have hoodwinked the stipendiary stewards to escape the wrath of the stewards. The case in question was in the 1,100-metre Philantropist Cup that he could have made his own had the visiting jockey not been unenterprising on the 7-10 favourite Pearl Dragon and also charitable towards his stable-junior Md. Yasin doing duty on a quietly fancied Scarlet Raider.
In the race, Abraham had settled right behind the leader Alsheim and could have made his winning move on the outside of the leader but he decided to do otherwise. He let the hot-favourite continued to sniff the tail of the weakening leader and also tried to take refuge into the non-existing passage between Alsheim and the rails. The result was apparent as Pearl Dragon lost heart and fell back thus allowing Scarlet Raider jumped on to the scene.
Abraham's earlier effort on Anokato in the 1,200-metre Quincy Handicap was, however, a rewarding one. He had the Ajaad-Ann Arbour colt in fifth till the turn and improved as the situation demanded to post a fluent winner over the half-money favourite Abridge who may, perhpas, do better over a mile circuit as the Cristofori-Guest For The Night seems to be plodder. Always up with front runners, Affliction in the hands of apprentice Surender, was a good third, despite his long lay off from the field.
If Abraham faulted in the Philanthropist Cup, his efforts bore no fruits in the rest of the three trophy events spread over the card. In the Bahrain Trophy, it was Bharath Singh's failed favourite Allaying who foiled Abraham's determind bid on Peace Envoy. The Envoy a five-year-old was brought into the contention from way back in the stretch run. Allaying, however, could have retired a a more comfortable winner than her short-head victory had the Excalibur's Lake-Amalita mare not lost six lengths at the start. Jockey Shanker was, nevertheless, quick to recover as he pushed the 6-1 fancy back into the contention within the next furlong. Under the given circumstance, Soviet Port, too , could have put his neck in front of the fighting duo but again it was a case of leaving the Bold Russian-Raging Lady horse to do much in the short home straight.
The Amrit Bhushan Gujral Memorial Cup proved to be fruitless effort for the champion South India jockey on simply Monarch, though the superior class of the half-money favourite winner Calabash was quite evident. Abraham tried to make his own running, though he was continued to be disturbed by the presence of Star Wings alongside. However, a free run in the home straight was hardly enjoyed by the Monarch as Cristopher Aford was quick to pounce on to the second favourite nearing the distance-post.
Soviet Ride's discomfiture over a sprint beyond six furlong and equally stressful being the trip under a mile for Acceptor helped the two strongly fancied horses in the day's feature event, the 1,400-metre Police Commissioner's Cup, maintain the balance in the betting ring. However, Soviet Ride was expected to steal a march in the home-run to make it a catch-me-if-you-can issue for the 11-10 favourite. The story went the other way round because it was Acceptor who hit the front in the straight leaving Abraham to come alongside and that was the best the 2-1 second favourite could do until the distance-post. A close duel from that point of time was expected to work against the chances of Soviet Ride and a tiring effect in the last 150-metre sealed his fate.
The opening and the closing events were equally interesting though favourite bit the dust in each case. Don Vittorio, in the curtain-raiser burst a blood vessel and performed poorly, though the 16-10 favourite looked all posed for a kill into the home-run. It was left to Blushing Brave, Deepak Karki's new possession -- an eight-year-old from Mumbai -- to hold on to the advantage after joined the issue with the leader, Kyalami at the top of the straight. Kyalami was, however, a good thing lost with jockey Brij Shaw taking the start-to-finishing five-year-old all over the field in the straight before settling for a neck defeat. Ridden in a check, the speedy Lady Shirley made the finish interesting when she came with long strides on the wide out to end only a short-head behind the fighting duo.
Karki's effort to pull of a double in the concluding event, the Pilot Handicap, Division II, through Revolution came to a naught as another of his Mumbai-purchase, Revilution, in the hands of jockey Paul Jujur, just knuckled under the superior handling of Naresh Engineer atop Raaz.
The upper division of the race was claimed by Abashed, ridden by Cristopher, who incidentally, notched up a trble. The jockey let the Vijay Singh-trainee get settled in-fourth and shot into the lead to hold a late finishing Kargil Soldier by a length at the wire.
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