Rapallo fails to collar L. A. Woman after his bit slips
By Usman Rangila
After leading four winners in a row on Sunday, the party had not yet ended for trainer C. D.
Katrak. Cooji led in another winner — aptly named Dressed For Dinner — to cap his winning spree. This five-year-old got-abroad son of Formal Dinner out of Sprucing Up had started his Pune campaign in Class III and ten runs later, he had shed 20kg on the handicapper’s scale.
Shrewd as he is, Cooji placed his ward in company of Class V horses for the Upwards Plate. The mere presence of Dressed For Dinner in this race led to fifteen horses developing cold feet at the acceptance stage. With hardly any worthwhile opposition it was but natural that the major flow of money was directed towards Dressed For Dinner. Though it was no cake-walk for the favourite as jockey S. M. Johnson was made to sweat while spurning the spirited challenge thrown by Adam’s Delight towards the end. A head separated both the horses at the wire.
Having drawn a blank in his last 39 visits to the tracks, C. Rajendra finally found the winning touch he was desperately searching for when he rode Al Humair to victory in the Priorate Plate for maiden horses. Mark Gallagher took favourite Taipan on a start to finish mission but the seven-furlong journey was a bit too much for the liking of the Shiraz Sunderji-saddled bay. Taipan shortened his strides in the final furlong allowing Al Humair to catch him near the post. The winner had drifted out when Rajendra applied the pressure and though the jockey was unable to check the waywardness, the final burst produced by Al Humair was enough to take the toll of Taipan.
There was a quick reversal of roles in the Charon Trophy as Rajendra atop L. A. Woman was made to fend the onslaught of Gallagher astride Rapallo. On this occasion, Rajendra had the upper hand close home even as Gallagher was seen working hard to get Rapallo going. Lady-luck favoured Rajendra as Rapallo started hanging out and the bit slipped inside when Gallagher tried to keep his mount steady. L. A. Woman saddled by Sanjay Kolse finally had the sweet taste of success. Jockey Mark Gallagher and trainer Shiraz Sunderji missed out narrowly for the second time in the day.
Jockey B. Prakash continued his winning form and logged in another treble. Blazing Flame’s consistency was finally rewarded when Prakash partnered the filly from Dallas Todywalla’s yard to a comfortable win over Champion Reef. Ridden by P. Kamlesh, the runner-up nearly achieved a hat-trick but Blazing Flame’s resolute run foiled his aspirations.
Treated leniently by the handicapper after his narrow victory over Nothing Better, Bachelor simply trounced his opposition in the hands of B. Prakash to register an encore. The raced ceased to be contest after Bachelor assumed control of the running from Rumaan in the home stretch. Style Counsel, who was second in demand, gave a doleful show in finishing bad last. Prakash’s third winner came when he steered Rehanullah Khan-trained Loyal Rebel to a fine victory in the last race of the day.
Bangalore-based jockey Warren Singh’s visit to this centre did not bear any fruit. He first rode Royal Standard, who lost considerable ground at the start and figured nowhere in the finish. Warren’s second engagement was atop Hormuz Antia-groomed debutant filly Inspire. The filly had impressed in her trial runs but could not produce the same brilliance during the race and ended a tame third. Another debutant Killarney unleashed a powerful run to breeze past Inspire and Touch Wood in the last furlong of the 1100m race. Star Alone warmed up late to finish a noteworthy second behind the winner. Touch Wood ran fourth.