Striesand has it easy
By Sharan Kumar

Mysore
August 21, 2003

The colours of Dr Vijay Mallya were prominent during Thursday’s action, with Striesand, Cybergenic and Conqueress winning their assignments with great deal of ease. Both the divisions of the Delhi Race Club Trophy, which featured the day’s action, was claimed by trainer Jaggy Dhariwal through Striesand and Conqueress. Though the trip appeared to be sharp for Striesand, she was a cut above the opposition and the daughter of Tejano had the measure of Supreme Treasure and Almonar with a fair degree of ease to win the upper division while Conqueress took charge from the word `go’ and won without being extended at any stage of the race. 

Though racing on the whole was lackluster, it was without its share of drama. M P Mahaesh trained Most Convincing was backed as if his defeat was out of question. The son of Steinbeck was no doubt blazing the track but had no proven credentials to deserve such a support. As the start was about to be given, Black Cat who was drawn by the side of Most Convincing reared up causing the latter to do likewise. Most Convincing did not just rear up but was in danger of toppling over, as he was almost 90 degrees from the ground. Jockey Rajesh Singh who till then had firm control of the gelding, slipped from the saddle and one of his legs too came off the stirrup. As he leaned to the left, his leg was on the platform and the gates banged open when he was still to regain his posture and the horse took off. Rajesh clung on to the safety of the gate and the horse took off without the jockey. Lady’s Currency won at the expense of Shubhashaya and Black Cat. 

The public sensed that something was amiss, raised a considerable noise. Their anger was directed towards the jockey who they thought had willfully done the act because the jockey appeared to be safely standing on the walls of the gate when the horse took off. Had the jockey fallen on the ground when the horse took off the public would have reconciled to the defeat of the favourite. But they did not realize that the gap between the horse and the walls of the gate is not more than a few inches on either side and one has seen consistently horses rearing up and sitting on the ground and the jockey safely on the wall of the gate. Unfortunately, the TV cameras aren’t of much help because they cannot help give a clearer picture of the accident. As such, doubts will always linger in many a mind. There was a Stewards enquiry immediately after the race but there was no change in the order. Cybergenic won with ridiculously ease, the upper division of the race.

Darashah trained Persian Goddess bolted to the front at the start of the 1400 metres Belur Plate and stayed put there and then went away from the opposition inside the final furlong to win in great style. There was inspired support for Win Ameen but the favourite failed to measure up despite getting off to a fair start. Indigenous flashed home late to finish second ahead of River Bed. Failed favourite, Maurya put daylight between himself and the rest when swamping the opposition. Maurya drifted out of a straight course and practically ended the race on the edge of the grass track but that made no difference to the emphatic manner in which he won. Cool Blue who has always been fancied whenever he has raced, finished at the rear of the field. 

Apprentice Shahbuddin brought Blazing Rock with a well-timed run to contain the challenge of favourite Shattered Shield inside the final 100 metres to win the R R Komandur Memorial Cup. The well-backed Fantastic Fortune won the day’s opener at the expense of Odysseus who flattered to deceive.