The kind of fare that went through in the eight event-card did irk the RCTC stewards too. They, however, hit the wrong nail ordering an enquiry into the running and riding of the 3-10 hot-favourite Accrete who was no match for Discmatic, a Daniel David ward sporting the secondary colours of the southern baron. Opinions expressed by those who mattered was that there was no logic of going into the exercise of all this as Cristopher Alford had ridden a perfect race. The jockey could not have helped if Giorgio decided to hit the front. Comfortable to win from the front, Cristopher held Accrete back until the leader served distress signal. Shooting into the lead 600 metres from home, Accrete never looked to be comfortable out in front and submitted meekely as J. Abraham brought Discomatic with a smooth run to do the damage.
In fact, if the stewards were keen on cleansing the sport, they had a ready case made out against Rich Dominion’s improved performance in the Sheridan Handicap. Ridden by Abraham in his previous start, the Szzling Melody-Loch Spey colt had finished fifth, way behind the winner on that day. Abraham’s option, Grecian Prince, on this day had a big following at 8-10 but the visiting jockey just about did the policing job for the stable-mate who had gone in to the lead from the start. Abraham’s assigned job ended into the final stretch as he eased out of the fray once the 5-1 quiet fancy of the stable looked assured of the winning lead.
The stable’s mode of operation is notoriously smart. In his next start it will be some Yasin or a lesser name guiding Grecian Prince, leaving a Prakash or the kind to channell the public-money to the drain.
However, give the credit to the stable for stealing the HSBC Cup from under the noses of all those who mattered. With terms of the race heavily against him, it was MAM’s topweight Bold Chieftan who landed a solid gamble at odds of 3’s. An easy winner of the Gold Cup, the Placerville-Shamirana son’s class was never in double but returning from a mile trip to the sprint does take the edge out of a horse. The heavy wagering on him was, therefore, appeared to be over estimatation about the class of the five-year-old. The horse, however, complemented his trainer with a fine victory, though efforts of his stable-mate Beneficent — despite bolting and going round the course before the race — also need to be appreciated. He cut a smart pace that upset the rhythm of Khatain’s Ancheta. In fact, Beneficent, with his cracking pace, caused cramps in many a legs in the rival camps. The likes of Soviet Songs, Alcaldes and Annatto even failed to overtake the tiring leader to settle for defeat long way from home.
The easy victory of Odyssey, in the show opener, the First Flier Handicap, raised vision of good day ahead for punters who had burnt their fingers in the last meeting. The defeat of clear favouritesAccrete, Alegria and Musician, in their respective event, however, soon cleared the misgivings.
Alegria seems be one those first season brilliant preformers. The Serious Spender-Arctic Theme filly had two let downs to her credit this season and the Vijay Singh-trainee completed a hat-trick of the dubious distinction in the upper division of the In Excelsis Handicap. Basically a front-runner, her weakness being unable to do the best when in chase and Abraham on Crimson King exploited the drawback of the 12-10 favourite to the hilt, though, in the bargian, he also ruined his own chances. It was Sadaf who relished the strategy most and lying third the Bharath Singh-trainee with Rabani in the saddle came with pouncing run past the distance post to retire as the most comfortable winner on the day.
In the baby race, the Voluntary Plate, the 7-10 favourite Musician sporting Khaitan’s colours, was left much to do much by the champion jockey Cristopher. The setting in the race, in fact, bore some resemblence to the Rich Dominion-Grecian Prince architecture. It was because, Ardency, the owner-mate found himself out in front once the leader Star of Ring shot his bolt passing the distance-post, while the favourite was nowhere in the sight. The Argyle Lake-Basically Bright colt got going only after virdict for the second favourite looked secured.
Calamint was the only other favourite to have delivered the goods in the lower division of the In Excelsis Handicap. It was despite apprentice Gajender Singh galloping six wide all through the 1,200-metre trip as Abraham on Lively Project decided to keep to the front and in the close proximity of the 8-10 favourite. However, the better class prevailed and the Gold Discovery-Tamarisca filly who goes well under the apprentice may be heard of again.
A neglected Storm Centre in the concluding event drove the last nail in the punters’ coffin in the Theogundy Handicap. Incidentally, the day had started with a minutes silence in the memory of jockey S. S. Bhati who died last Wednesday owing to a fall from a horse during the track work.
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