STARRY SCENE COMES
GOOD AT LAST

Trainer Robert Foley leads in Starry Scene (Prakash up) who upset favourite Adamile in the Mysore 1000 Guineas

Secretary of the Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association Siganporia presents the 1000 Guineas Cup to trainer Robert Foley whose ward Starry Scene won the event

Trainer Arif Batliwala leads in Emerald Forest (Prithviraj up), winner of Squander Plate (Div II)

Trainer Dominic leads in Niveditha (Md Hesnain up), winner of Gokarna Plate

ROBERT FOLEY trained Starry Scene brought off an upset in the Karnataka Racehorse owners Association Measure 1000 Guineas, the first classic of the season, held on Friday (September 8). Though Starry Scene won at fancy odds at the expense of  on-money favourite Adamile, the win was not exactly out of turn. Starry Scene had the credentials but the got-abroad filly was running below par races. On this occasion, she ran true to her potential and also  showed a vast improvement vis-a-vis Bangalore Summer Season form.

The decisive manner in which the Razeen-Climbing High filly Adamile had smashed the opposition in the Nanoli Stud Million in her last run, ensured that she went into the race at unbackable odds of 25/100. Adamile had beaten Starry Scene conceding weight and now at level weights, the latter was not expected to pose any threat but in the event, the extended trip may have taken its toll on Adamile who was under pressure rounding the final bend itself. The striking acceleration was missing and despite being put under tremendous pressure, Adamile could only come as close as a ``neck''.

Though Adamile was hampered by Symphony of Fire who under pressure took the favourite out, the fact remains that Adamile was beaten fair and square. While Starry Scene showed vast improvement over her previous run, Adamile failed on this count. The improvement in Starry Scene becomes clear when one takes into account the result of the Fillies Trial Stakesat Bangalore  when Bountiful Gesture had edged out Starry Scene for minor placing and on this occasion, the latter beat the former by as many as eight lengths! Jockey Prakash whose fortunes are on the up, rode a neat race on the winner.

Jockey Aslam Kader was of the opinion that Adamile was unbeatable upto a mile. ``I am no pedigree pundit but from the feel that I have had of the horse, I can say with conviction that Adamile will not stay beyond a mile while stablemate Arrakis whom everyone thinks will not stay, will stay still cows come home!'[

For the Dr Ramaswamy brigade which has been starved of success in classics this season, the victory of Starry Scene came as a major boost to their sagging morale. Incidentally, the win also provided Chettinand Stud Farm, owned by the turf baron, its major success in a classic.

Symphony of Fire who was ridden well off the pace this time by jockey Appu but the Bold Russian-Something Fabulous filly was not upto getting the extended trip of a mile. Her forte is sprint and it would be wise to exploit her over her pet distance. Sea Farer who won a race at Pune in impressive fashion,  was entered into the fray and considering her credentials, it was not a surprise that she finished last.

Dominic's ward Niveditha had not run or allowed to run to her potential during the Summer Season and now with right money coming on her, she left the field for ``dead'' with an easy win over Royal Satsuma and Dunhill Star.  The less heralded Md Hasnain has been riding with some success at Mysore.

Arif Batliwala's Emerald Forest who was given her reins, won the lower division of the Squander Plate quite easily from Lake Baikal and  Lucerne. The upper division of the race too went the way of Plain Truth who had the credentials to win in the manner he did. Veteran Md Shafiq rode the winner. As has already been highlighted in these columns, jockey Shafiq did not complete 1000 winners  as announced by the BTC commentator during the Summer Season. Shafiq is more than 250 short of the mark!

Satish Narredu's Royal Garter was winning after exactly one year and in identical fashion. Last year, Royal Garter had won at fancy odds and after a lapse of time and a comfortable drop in scale, the Argyle Lake progeny won at the expense of favourite Athabasca and Gypsie's Wish. Athabasca who is a full sister to the celebrated Running Flame is run-of-the-mill.

Dhariwal trained Soviet Fire who had a forward run during the Bangalore Summer Season, won the upper division of the Huntsey Stud Trophy, by a comfortable margin over Radical and Gold Crest. The lower division of the race saw a flood of money going down the drain. Dominic's Rizer who was backed down to favouritism at nourishing odds, went down by a whisker to Ispahan. Rizer could have landed the coup but for the interference caused by Saffron Finch to Clevland who in turn passed it onto Rizer.

Veteran trainer Madhu Mangalorkar and his owner Savi Jain having been having a dream run. All their well-backed horses have won emphatically and Pride Estates who was backed down heavily was no exception. The Pearl of Life progeny spared a widening margin of seven lengths to Great Estate who moved from the rear to take a suggestive second berth.

Queen's Ransom had not been ridden to advantage in Bangalore. The got-abroad filly was seen in different light as she romped home in style in the Rock Haven Plate, a race for horses rated 10 to 25. Royal Debut pushed favourite Appeaer to the third spot.

INAYAHTULLA trained Admiral has always been a moody customer and when in a mood, he has floored even the most reputed rivals. Thursday was no exception  as the Don't Forget Me-Adjaiyba five-year old gelding came up with a flourishing run from behind to win the H H Sri Chamaraja Wadiyar Memorial Gold Cup, the feature event of the day. Apprentice jockey Harish, nephew of the Narredu brothers, who has been riding with great success and confidence as well, steered the winner. Own Legacy who had stolen a march inside the final 250 metres, was found wanting at the all important end. Holy Heights showed some old sparkle to take the third spot ahead of Little Pleasure who is slowly being brought back to winning mark.

The day's races did not run too kindly for punters as many upsets spoiled their happiness. Harish Puri trained Carnival Craze was one such horse. The International-Cinch three-year old colt Carnival Craze who had lost in a photo to the much-hyped Sans Egale in of his runs as a juvenile,  had the credentials but she was ignored in the betting ring as all money came pouring in on Set Aside which had Pesi Shroff to guide her. In the event, Carnival Craze won quite easily from Set Aside who barely managed to take the runner-up spot ahead of Resplendent Star. The lower division of the same i.e., the Thundering Plate for horses in 20 to 35 category, was won by on money favourite Soviet Song who had it easy. Psychedelic was second ahead of Whitehall.

Questionable had failed to show out in the Byramji stable but after reaching the Pillay stable, the got-abroad gelding showed amazing improvement and won as a well-backed horse in the Hemavathi Plate, a race for horses rated 0 to 15. Daiimio who has been pretty consistent, was second ahead of Expensive Search. London Beauty was off-colour.

Satish Narredu's Resist The Force who had run behind Native Tactics, was not hard-pressed to win from Annatto in the Balagunda Estate Gold Cup. Al Habib who seems to have reached his mark, finished in the frame to be a fair third.

Robert Foley's Accelerating Star who had let down his supporters innumerable times, came good with a resolute win over the unsound One So Wonderful who ran a game race when fiishing a close second. Ronson came in for spirited betting but found the company tough while fiishing fourth behind Burning Bright. If One So Wonderful takes this race well and stays sound, he turn will come in his next essay.

Own Evita was yet another of those Mangalokar's gambles to bear fruit. Backed to the exclusion of her rivals, Own Evita won as she liked from the late-finishing Winning Charm and Speedy Simon.

Zareer Darashah trained Glass Slipper who had run   suggestively last time out, profitted on that forward run, to win the Palace Plate in a close finish from Laugh It Off and Polish Power. Had Laugh It Off not gone to the edge of the grass track, the Subject To Raise progeny could well have been the winner. While Glass Slipper sealed his win by a neck margin, Laugh It Off and Polish Power dead-headed for the second place.

 

 

 

RECORDS GALORE
AT MYSORE

Race-goers all over the country may have been puzzled by the spate of course records being set day after day at Mysore during the on-going season. The reason for this intriguing happening is that the track has been re-measured and distances have been brought down considerably which has not been widely announced by the Mysore Race Club.

It may be recalled that last November, Bangalore Turf Club re-measured the distances, using a rodo-metre, two metres away from the running rails and all the starting points were moved by 25 to 50 metres which resulted in the record timings clocked in the past loosing their meaning. The timings in Bangalore have become relatively slower since then.

At the beginning of the season, the starting points were re-adjusted by the Mysore Race Club too. Much to the surprise of everyone, the distances covered were much more than advertised. The reduced distances varied from 25 to 60 metres, with the mile starting point being the most reduced of the lot.

It is a surprise that no one had taken notice of the disparity in timings recorded here as compared to the ones at Bangalore Turf Club. For one, the BTC race course has a gradient of 38 feet from the 700 metre marker to the winning post while Mysore is a downhill course. The BTC track is well maintained, with there being sufficient cushioning due to use of tan bark and thick growth of grass. The Mysore track is not watered regularly and is at the mercy of rain gods! Despite the going being hard, the timings were poor.

Now with the re-measuring of the track, all the exisiting records are bound to fall by the wayside. During the times when the track gets bone-dry due to insufficient rains, one may well seen a sprint timing for 1200 metres coming well under one minute 10 seconds! All these days, a timing of one minute 15 seconds was considered as being top class!

Trainer Zareer Darashah leads in Ispahan (Appu astride) who edged out Rizer in an exciting finish in the Hutsey Stud Trophy (Div II)

Trainer Md Khan leads in Plain Truth (veteran Shafiq up), winner of  Squanderer Plate  (Div I)

Own Evita (Shakti Singh up) being led by trainer Ranjit Shinde who deputised for trainer Madhu Mangalorkar and owner Savi Jain.

Questionable (Arun Rao up), winner of Hemavathi Plate, being led by trainer S S Pillay (left).

Satish Narredu leads in Royal Garter (Abraham up), winner of Air Force Gold Cup

Soviet Fire (Ruzzan up), winner of Huntsey Stud Trophy (Div I) being led in by trainer Dhariwal.