ELUSIVE EMPEROR SMASHES THE OPPOSITION

Winner number one...Pride of King (B Prakash up), winner of Kolar Gold Fields Plate, being led in by trainer Robert Foley

Winner number two...Snow Top (B Prakash up), smashing winner of Kemmannu Gundi Plate, being led in by trainer Robert Foley

The coveted hat-trick...Trainer Robert Foley leads in Star Prospect (B Prakash up), winner of Balchand Plate which enabled the duo to complete a hat-trick

True Predicament indeed! Trainer Sydney Moses leads in Predicament (I Chisty up) which won the Russa N Patel Memorial Gold Cup much against the expectation of everybody which included the connections of the horse as well

Elusive Emperor (Rajesh up) which smashed the opposition in the Chief Minister's Cup, being led in by trainer C A Kuts who deputised for S Padmanabhan

Trainer Sardar Singh leads in Weapon Alpha (Rakesh up) who was a gutsy winner of the October Plate

Brave Bull (Rakesh up) which was the biggest surprise winner of the day, being led in by stand-in trainer Ranjeet Shinde who deputised for the indisposed Madhu Mangalorkar

 

PADMANABHAN trained Elusive Emperor who seems to have struck a purple patch, spread-eagled the opposition in the 1600 metres Chief Minister's Gold Cup, the feature event of races held on Wednesday (October 11) at the expense of favourite and owner-mate Acrosto. Times without number jockey Aslam Kader has found himself riding the favourite which has lost to a owner-mate, more often to the stablemate. This is being increasingly resented by race-goers who see smothing more than what meets the eye.

Acrosto who is by  Steinbeck out of Gourgandine has had the measure of Al Dente in his last outing. The form of Acrosto was further enhanced by Al Dente's impressive win at Pune and subsequent second in a good set, despite a severe interference. Acrosto was the on-money favourite but the favourite failed to live upto expectations, running like a dud, to finish a farway fourth. Elusive Emperor who was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Rajesh, went on increasing the lead to finally win by over eight lengths from Royal Triumph who warmed up rather late. La Unique was third ahead of Acrosto whose run indeed was mystifying.

The highlight of the day was the fine hat-trick by the trainer-jockey combination of Robert Foley and B Prakash won won the first three races of the day at nourishing odds. Pride of Kings proved too good for the opposition in the Kolar Gold Fields Plate in the race for the lowest rated horses, with Innerleithen in hopeless chase. To make matters worse for the connections of In A Flash who put great faith in their ward, Snow Top gave no chance whatsoever to the public fancy, winning by a widening margin of over 10 lengths. Prakash yet again was on a winning horse to complete a hat-trick but Star Prospect had to be ridden out unlike his two wins earlier, to stave off the challenge of Spectacular Style who had the services of Aslam Kader in the saddle. It indeed was a miserable day for the connections of the runner-up who had as many as three fancied failures which resulted in the horses given to trainer Santosh Rao (about nine) being shifted out to other stables by its owner.

Winning Glory who had lost in a thriller to La Unique and Master Weaver who had run a forward race, were the market fancies in the 1400 metres Russa N Patel Memorial Gold Cup, a race for horses rated 30 to 45 but both of them were never in the hunt, with Syney Moses trained Predicament sprouting wings as it were after a slow getaway to win in a smashing manner. It was not the first time that a horse from Moses stable was winning out of turn in this manner. Solo Act who has been running consistently, was second.

Weapon Alpha looked a cut above the rest in the October Plate for horses rated 20 to 35 as the Twist And Turn progeny had run in superior company. As the progress of Weapon Alpha was affected by the horse bleeding during races, not many reckoned the Sardar Singh ward to have the best chance in the race. As such, it was Comet Star and Red Cordon who were the market fancies. Rakesh timed his challenge to a nicety to get the measure of Comet Star in a close finish.

Brave Bull completed the misery of the punters who had been hit by the outsiders winning day's most races. Brave Bull who returned a dividend in excess of Rs 1,000 on a tenner on the tote, came through the middle to get the measure of Inxss who ran a suggestive second. Indian flattered to deceive and this six-year old who had helped in landing one of the biggest gambles in recent history, has now got the form for an early win.

M P MAHESH trained Butter Sponge recorded the most impressive win of Thursday's races. The Portroe-Wurud three-year old gelding who had recovered well from a hoof injury, made mincemeat of the opposition, taking over the running soon after the start of the 1400 mtres Belgaum Plate, to win by over 15 lengths, in a good timing of minute 28.2 seconds over Calculus. Butter Sponge indeed belongs to the highest class and considering the fact that Compliance  who is rated as a horse with classic potential, clocked only one minute 31.33 seconds , the timing clocked by Butter Sponge assumes greater significance. Apprentice jockey Rajesh Singh had nothing much to do on the favourite which incidentally is owned by his brother Ravinder Singh.

J S Pillay trained Lightning Reef won the day's opener at the expense of favourite Clipper Royale who ran like a dud as the unreliable Formal Gold took the second spot. However, Ponnappa who trains Formal Gold, had reward coming his way in the very next race as Kylin staved off the challenge of Dynamic Gamble in a close finish.

Acceptor had been a let down as a favourite but this time out, in the hands of Ryan Marshall and at nourishing odds, Acceptor easily thwarted the challenge of Splendid View. Yet another of Darius Byramji ward Compliance who is a good type of a youngster, won the H H Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar Gold Trophy quite easily from Splendid Chance and in the upper division of the same race, Arjun Mangalorkar's Royal Steps won from end to end, in a timing of one minute 30.72 seconds, with Alassio chasing the winner without hope.

Darius Byramji's Belief had the credentials to run as a favourite in the Badami Plate (Div I) but the favourite nearly came to grief as a quite gamble on Dancer's Dream just about failed to materialise. Dancer's Dream had all but sewn up the race but the finishing burst of Belief saw the former being pipped by a whisker.

Mahinder Singh trained Skipping Away who had served notice of an early win, lived upto that promise albeit as an unfancied runner when staving off the challenge of Rosalie and Like A Princess, with a measure of comfort in the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup. Surge of  Power who was the public fancy, once again let down his supporters, finishing down the field.

Triumph for the brothers...Proud owner Ravinder Singh leads in Butter Sponge (Rajesh Singh) along with trainer M P Maesh. Incidentally, Butter Sponge was steered to a smashing win by Ravinder's brother Rajesh, thus fulfilling the former's long-standing dream.

Lightning Reef (A Mansoor up), winner of Raichur Plate, being led in by trainer J S Pillay (left) and owner H R Ravikumar

Kylin (Rajesh up), winner of Dupont Plate, being led in by trainer N A Ponnappa and part owner Aditya P Thackersey

Stand in trainer Rashid Byramji leads in Acceptor (Ryan Marshall up), winner of Badami Plate (Div II)

Compliance (Ruzzan up), winner of H H Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar Memorial Gold Trophy (Div II), being led in by trainer Rashid Byramji who deputised for his son Darius

Mrs Indrakashi Devi presenting the H H Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar Memorial Gold Trophy (Div I) to trainer Arjun Mangalorkar whose ward Royal Steps won this event

Belief (Ryan Marshall up), winner of Badami Plate (Div I) being led in by joint owners Marthand Singh Mahindra and Aditya P Thackersey

Skiping Away (Gopal Rao up) being led in by trainer Mahinder Singh and owner Prakash Raje Urs (left)

Trainer Arjun Mangalokar leads in Royal Steps (I Chisty up).