NOT SO LUCKY ALCHEMY LOSES TO ALAMEDA IN A THRILLING FINISH FOR THE IDAR GOLD TROPHY

It was a finish worth going miles to witness. Alameda and Alchemy were involved in a one of those rare, breath-taking finish witnessed on the turf here this season and the two steeds were fighting for honours in the Idar Gold Trophy (Grade 3) on Sunday. Deriving the best from the talent-reserves of jockey Aslam Kader, the 5 to 4 against favourite Alameda prevailed by a head over Pesi Shroff-piloted Alchemy and also posted the best timing ever for the derby trip.

The battle for supremacy lasted no more than thirty seconds; but it was won and lost over a number for times by both these horses after Alameda assumed control of the running at the top of the homestretch. Although Aslam Kader and Alameda won them the booty, the hearts of the racing buffs went out for Pesi Shroff and Alchemy.

Asked to concede 11kg to his rivals this got-abroad offspring of Rare Brick was expected to crumble under the weight on his back but to the discomfort of Aslam Kader, Alchemy showed no signs of bother. Jockey Pesi Shroff sent Alchemy in chase of Alameda even as the bay son of Steinbeck out of Parfait Amour was taking charge from Super Sunrise. Sensing that trouble was looming large nearby, Aslam Kader applied pressure on Alameda and curiously, the favourite started veering towards the left. Anticipating Alameda’s drift and in his attempt to stay clear of the possible interference, Pesi Shroff too went astray. Alchemy, however, had the upper hand for a fleeting moment but a gutsy performance from Alameda brought dismay to the Imtiaz Sait camp. Pesi Shroff tried to get the placing reversed by seeking the intervention of the Stewards’ who were not in an obliging mood.

Aslam Kader was earlier associated with the victory of the Imtiaz Sait-trained Accentuate in the Star of Gwalior Trophy. Success certainly did not come out of turn for this Placerville out of Feelings filly; however racegoers were not amused by the pathetic performance of Great Emperor, who carried the hopes of a large section of punters. The gelding retreated from the fray much before the real contest could begin and stopped galloping in the straight. Imtiaz was to have another winner in the Sedona (Don’t Forget Me-Stop It Dear) who won easier than expected in the September Handicap. Tout De Suite played truant in not raising a fluent gallop and it was outsider Consortium who followed the winner home.

Taking the previous defeat at the hands of Yukon in his strides, Narendra Lagad-saddled and Mark Gallagher-ridden Crowning Moment (Tecorno-Save The Future) decimated his meek rivals with utmost ease in the Solitary Splendour Plate. Not wanting to oblige the students of form in the Tiger Lily Plate, Phalaenopsis, the stablemate of Crowning Moment, ran without interest, which allowed heavily backed Supreme Excellence to claim the honours.

An inspired piece of work from Mallesh Narredu aboard Anna Pavlova enabled the Arti Doctor-trained filly get the better of Fantasy and Cloud Nine. The three-year-old chestnut daughter of Binkhaldoun out of Born To Dance was sluggish when the gates opened forcing Mallesh to get down to work immediately. It took some sharp cracks from Mallesh’s whip for the filly to realise her task ahead and as the destination approached, Anna Pavlova swept past Fantasy and Cloud Nine for an impressive return to form.

Trainer Jaggy Dhariwal was a delighted man and so he should be. He saddled four runners at the weekend of which three returned home winners. Current Bay, the speedy daughter of Placerville out of Night of Gaiety, had the distinction of being the first horse this season to have been successful in achieving a hat trick of wins. Settled close on the heels of leader Tio Pepe, the Vijay Mallya property with Pesi Shroff in saddle went storming into the lead soon after Tio Pepe had shot his bolts. Current Bay then successfully repulsed the late assault of Star Music. Though the margin of victory flatters the runner-up, the winner should defy the handicapper again.

Later, C. Ruzaan guided Soviet Ride to his maiden victory in the Dedication Plate. The bay son of Bold Russian out of Summer Love took off smartly from the number fifteen draw to be in close attendance of Sancti Spiritus till the bend and the moment Ruzaan gave Soviet Ride his head the race was all over bar the shouting. Fiercly Loyal was a fair second ahead of Aylesfield who is slowly inching forward towards a winning form.

On Sunday, Storm Again galloped away for his second victory with Pesi Shroff in saddle this season. The bay colt by Alnasr Alwasheek out of Perchance to Dreams treated his rivals with sheer disdain and the best is yet to come.

Three fillies from lady trainer Arti Doctor’s yard — Ally Mcbeal, Polish Nobility, and Anna Pavlova won their respective events. The first named, a well-bred daughter of Placerville out of Ablaze faced no real challenge from the Class IV field and won as she liked. After a disappointing performance in the upper class, Polish Nobility was asked to taken on the less illustrious ones and entrusted to apprentice V. Kadam claiming 5kg allowance. Polish Nobility fully exploited the allowance and came with a big run towards the end to spoil the party of Tasha Beat.

Rock Sword, Sariano, Park Royal and Secret Blessing’s gave shock treatment to the punters. The last two named in particular showed reversal of form, which put the followers of form off their trail. These incidents have continued unabated this season and barring the ineffective conduction of a formal inquiry into the improved performance, the RWITC authorities have done very little to show that they are seriously concerned about this issue.

More disturbing was their decision to let off Rajeev Pandey lightly for the misdemeanour on his part astride even-money favourite Asprilla. The Dallas Todywalla-trained property of Dr M. A. M. Ramaswamy lost narrowly to Forever Sparky and prima facie it appeared that Asprilla was not allowed to run on his merit. The stipes and the stewards of the meeting showed undue magnanimity in accepting trainer Dallas Todywalla’s explanation that he had instructed the jockey to bring Asprilla from the wide outside.

Just compare the punishment meted out to both Pesi Shroff and Aslam Kader in the earlier incidents involving Among Men and Accentuate respectively and the RWITC authorities’ bloomer is exposed. Probably the RWITC stipes are too naïve not to spot these acts of deception, if not, then, does it imply that their decisions are being influenced by extraneous elements?

All this humbug notwithstanding, Clever Talk’s victory proved to be the saving grace of the week. Clever Talk thus provided rookie trainer Ms. Nina Lalwani with her first career win. The demure gal, who has a none-too-flashy string of horses in her care, believed in herself and her labour of love did not go waste. What makes the achievement sweeter for Nina and the owners, is the fact that Clever Talk’s career was about to be cut short because of a nagging back problem. The got-abroad was all but given away as a hack to Darius Byramji’s fiancée Parvathi. But after looking into the risks involved in transporting the unsound horse to Bangalore, she backed away at the last moment.