Aquilo (Storm Trooper-Ravij),
who went without a victory in all his four outings at Mumbai, took on
mediocre opposition in the Royal Western India Turf Club Trophy on
Monday to graduate from the maiden ranks. Mallesh Narredu kept the C.D.
Katrak trainee third as Zroom set a fast pace with Angel Star in tow.
Passing the final turn, Aquilo fired all cylinders and went sailing past
both Angel Star and Zroom for an authoritative win.
Some punters were seen scurrying in the bookies’ ring to lay bets on
Angel Star, which led to her price coming down and adding some digits to
Aquilo’s odds at the same time. These punters were angry with themselves
not for losing money but for being foolish in betting on the wrong
horse. Angel Star beat only one home in the five-horse field. They had,
however, a good punt on debutant Empire Star, a virtual coup pulled off
by Dallas Todywalla in the presence of the racing baron from down south.
The fact that Rajeev Pandey was entrusted with debutant Empire Star (Greensmith-Star
Role) led many off the trail. Asiatique, Don Gama and Red Amytheist
grabbed all the attention of the followers of form before money started
pouring on Empire Star. Red Amytheist’s pillar to post bid was foiled by
Empire Star in the last few strides. Asiatique was thereabouts in the
vanguard but couldn’t improve and made way for Taanush to come in place
money. Don Gama like almost all Narendra Lagad saddled favourites till
now, refused to carry the burden of the public’s trust and finished
nowhere.
‘Take a good jump, hit the front if possible or ensure that you sit well
up with the pace’, were the instructions that many jockeys got from the
trainers while getting a leg-up. This magic mantra worked wonders for
those who chose to race in this pattern. Hanut Singh trained Mint Master
(Duja-Mariana) was kept in close attendance of Crown Affair till the
bend and driven past the leaders by Neeraj Rawal to log his maiden
success. Favourite Win For Me was not sighted.
High Rising (Placerville-Quickshine) gave Mallesh the first of his four
successes during the day. Mallesh took the Altaf Hussain ward to the
front and stayed there till the final post. See The Truth finished a
faraway second followed by West Coast Eagle and Silken Sunrise. The
price of ante post favourite Ocean Avenue drifted to the extent she was
considered as a no-hoper and Dallas’ protégé ran thus.
Bezan Chenoy’s labour of love found a voice in the performance of
Oriental Express (Razeen-Perpetual), who was away from the tracks for
more than six months. The bay gelding made every furlong of the mile
journey for the Independence Day Trophy a winning one and Mallesh was
once again the beneficiary of C. Rajendra’s absence due to Sunday’s
fall.
Striking Beauty (Batzushka-Timeless Beauty) won the Nanda Deep Trophy
going start to finish. But whether the members of Our Stable Racing
Syndicate, who own Striking Beauty, were really expecting her success is
hard to guess. Confident belonging to the same connections and also
saddled by Lagad was the first favourite and he ran a tame second ahead
of Habit and Secret Path.
Ashbourne (Don’t Forget Me-Dizzy Heights) fought a bitter duel with
Dancing Mystery right from the start and it was Zameer Sayyed’s strong
finish that helped the grey mare to prevail over her rival. Favourite
Light of Justice, another product from Lagad’s stable, ran a pathetic
race and that too without any mitigating cause.
Imtiaz Sait schooled Sizzler (Tirol-Shimmering) shrugged off the
resistance given by Queen of Palms to provide the icing on the cake for
both the punters and Mallesh, who rode his fourth winner of the day.
