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Kansas City Mac A Runaway Winner

By Mirror Image | 24 Aug 2011 | HYDERABAD


Trainer Ananta Vatsalya leading Kansas City Mac (P S Chouhan Up), winner of The Nelston Trophy

Kansas City Mac (Young Senor-Cherokee Dazzler) was ridden to a runaway victory in the Nelston Trophy, the feature event of mid-week’s racing at Hyderabad. P.S. Chouhan, who had partnered Kansas City Mac in the five-year-old’s last essay, where he had finished second to Spectacular Falcon, had reported that his mount was hanging in throughout the race. Trainer Ananth Vatsalya was advised to take remedial measures and he has worked well to solve that problem in a short time. Kansas City Mac was settled well behind the front-running Al Malawi till rounding the final bend and stretched away from the rest, to be sighted a winner long way from home. The task of Kansas City Mac was made easier by Jingles, who showed no interest in the race towards the early part of the race, making progress only after the race was in the safe keeping of the winner. Jingles opened as ‘odds-on’ favourite at 10 to 8 but the price drifted steadily to close at 9 to 4. The upward trend in the odds and the way jockey Vivek positioned Jingles at the wrong end, for no apparent reason, could not be digested easily by many a knowledgeable race goer. Nandanvanaa, as is her style, moved late to take the second spot, while Jingles was full of running in the final two furlongs, as she took the third place.

A downpour which started during the fifth race intensified by the time the sixth race got over, and with the light also fading, the stewards of the Hyderabad Race Club decided to cancel the last two races of the day. Jockeys Imran Khan and P.S. Chouhan stepped up their fight for supremacy, both booting home a brace each. Imran rode siblings, Bound for Glory and Aneres, to victory while Chouhan had his share through Kansas City Mac and The Kohinoor. Imran started off the day with long shot, Bound For Glory (Kly Green-Music in Motion), claiming the lower division of The Kristal Rock Plate beating Celtic Rose, close home. Second favourite, Celtic Rose, ridden by N. Rawal, had a slight edge over Gossip Girl inside the last 1½ furlongs as Bound For Glory was moving through the shortest course, along the inner rails. The favourite Gossip Girl lost steam soon and the other two were engaged in a fight to the finish, with Imran having the final say, close to the winning post.

Imran earned his double through Aneres (Kly Green-Music in Motion), in the higher division of The California Plate. King In The Sky led the field with Cool Spice and Classic Crown close behind and Aneres racing in fourth ahead of First Spot. The leader held the forward position till he was passed by First Spot and Aneres in the last 100 metres. The two fought a fierce battle and it was Imran once again who prevailed over N. Rawal at the finish, pulling off a thrilling victory by the shortest margin. Bugatti Gabriella was permitted to be withdrawn before the race.

P.S. Chouhan’s second winner was M.R. Chouhan-trained The Kohinoor (Epicentre-Okati Okati Okati), in the higher division of The Try My Best Plate. Tillcowscomehome led the field all the way into the home stretch and she was joined by English Indian, The Kohinoor and Sun Strikes near the distance post. English Indian and Sun Strikes faded out quickly while The Kohinoor galloped resolutely under P.S. Chouhan to win by a clear three lengths. Tillcowscomehome stayed on in second while Cascading Glory made a late bid to take the third spot.

Faiyaz Shaikh’s Grey Shot (Ontario-Arctic Gale) won the lower division of The California Plate in a three-way finish with Cannon Gem and Green Thumb. Cannon Gem ran prominently till the last few yards while Grey Shot was being ridden out by Shobhan Babu on the outside and Green Thumb trying to poke through in-between the two. Grey Shot surged ahead of Cannon Gem by half a length at the finish and Green Thumb finishing third a ‘neck’ behind.

M.V. Narayana Rao’s Queen Of Court (Ontario-Secret Path) won The Cherokee Rose Plate very impressively. Almost half a dozen runners rushed to the front as the field was dispatched and apprentice Sai Vamshi settled Queen Of Court well behind the front-runners. Overtaker had a sizable lead mid-way up the straight but once Queen Of Court started to raise a gallop on the extreme outside, the winner was spotted a long way from home. Flashy Conquest finished third ahead of Aficionado.