Star
Fortune delivers the goods
after a long wait
By
Usman Rangila
It took precisely
four runs for the five-year-old mare Star Fortune to prove
that the decision made to purchase her by the Poonawalla brothers
made sense after all. The daughter of Steinbeck out of Star
of Fashion had never been off the frame in any of her four
runs and the idea to make use of blinkers on her clicked for
trainer Hosidar Daji. Star Fortune, ridden by Niall McCullagh,
proved her mettle as she went on to claim the C. N. Wadia
Gold Cup (Grade 2) in great style from Top Mover.
Keeping in tune
with the results thrown up in all the terms races for Class
I horses, Star Fortune turned the tables on her fancied rivals
which included Alchemy, Al Dente and Zephyr Bay. Setting a
fast pace, Audible led the field on eleven into the home straight.
Lying in wait close to the inner rails, Star Fortune slipped
into the lead and kept going for a convincing victory. Al
Dente made rapid progress at the turn and while doing so gave
a slight check to Zephyr Bay. Top Mover landed himself in
the second berth ahead of Golden Goal and Zephyr Bay.
Punters had to
pay dearly for the folly of both Dallas Todywalla and Altaf
Hussain in trying to capitalise on the advance publication
of weights of Shanillo and Special Selection. These two horses
had returned emphatic winners just a couple of days earlier
on the all-weather track and it meant that they would now
have to carry only the statutory penalty of 6kg. Dallas declared
apprentice Satish Nayak, a 5kg claimer, atop Shanillo while
Altaf had 2.5kg claimer Aadesh Kumar ride Special Selection.
The truth, that
the grass track could be a different proposition for both
Shanillo and Special Selection, escaped the punters who expected
them to give a repeat performance. In the end, they were left
to rue their decision. In his customary fashion, Shanillo
took over the running at the start but packed up after leading
till the final 200m. In another of the series of improved
performances witnessed this season, Boldwin from trainer Raza
Ali’s yard showed unexpected zest for racing and landing the
spoils for his connections in the process. Vijay Kasbekar,
who saddled Super Opera in this race, reported to the stipes
that he was unhappy with the riding of Dilip Singh who he
alleged had not carried out his instructions. The Stewards
let off the errant jockey which was quite surprising.
Special Selection
too was in command till about 300m from home where Imtiaz
Sait-groomed Castle Grey stormed into the lead and went on
to make a winning debut. The grey son of Dauphine and who
is by Rebounding Thrill was travelling so well in the end
that he could spare six lengths to White Lie, his nearest
rival at the post.
The 10 to 6 on
favourite Reconquista (Tecorno-Loire Princess) with jockey
M. Narredu astride gave no anxious moments to her followers
once she took over the running from Jayashree about a furlong
away from the gates. Track Emotions, who was next in demand,
lacked the initial speed and loitered at the tail end and
managed to finish a poor fifth.
Punters here didn’t
take kindly to the decision of India’s ace professional jockey
Pesi Shroff in hitting the front with Crepusculaire in the
R. J. Kolah Trophy run over seven furlongs. The punters cribbed
that Crepusculaire, who was the ante post favourite, was run
into the ground. Name of Love with Mark Gallagher in saddle
ended up carrying the purse of those who saw a definite betting
pattern on the Shiraz Sunderji-saddled filly. The daughter
of Placerville out of Million Girl assumed command after Crepusculaire
flopped at the turn and stayed on course to win from the late
finishing Hi Fidelity. The runner-up yet again ran green but
was surely moving the best of lot towards the end.
After notching
her maiden success in the first week of February, the five-year-old
mare Eka improved further to demolish the opposition in the
J. Jayramdas Patel Trophy. The mare took a couple of cracks
from Pesi Shroff before unleashing a stupendous run. Ever
So Loyal, Thanks A Lot and Quick Decision followed in close
order behind the winner.
National Velvet
had been knocking at the doors of success for long and her
call was finally answered when Mark Gallagher kept her going
in the straight Lion of Judah has shot his bolt in the straight.
Gorgeous Princess ended a tame second with Foretell languishing
in fourth spot behind Lion of Judah. The last named should
be in the news in near future.
Temple Quest and
Scandalise were the two long shot winners in the day. The
former got the better of Money Madness and Millennium King
in a near blanket finish. Favourite Pecan Pie’s pillar to
post mission came to a naught in the last furlong.
On the other hand,
Scandalise devoured much ground when jockey P. Kamlesh gave
him a tap or two opposite the grand stands. This sustained
run of Scandalise spoiled the party of Thunder Clap who was
being hailed as a winner close home. Discover whom F. Irani
rode on this debut run also finished with a flourish to peg
back Thunder Clap. Gasconade, Flossy and Zosyn who finished
fourth, sixth and ninth respectively are capable of earning
their corn bill before the season ends.