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Caribbean Queen wins a thriller

By Epsom Ace | 03 Dec 2011 | KOLKATA


Trainer Shyam S Habbu Leading Caribbean Queen (P Trevor Up), Winner of The Romantic Liaison Trophy

It was a Saturday afternoon at the Calcutta racecourse that belonged entirely to Trevor Patel – not because he notched up four winners, but rather, the manner in which he did it. The lad seems to have found his footing at this centre and has got the measure of the short straight after the hometurn-hairpin. It was a superb exhibition of supremely confident horsemanship which fetched Trevor his four wins – that too after his first mount Glynneath went down narrowly to Gorgeous. The day commenced on a thrilling note and gave an indication of what was to follow as Gorgeous (Mr Mellon-Drop Dead Gorgeous) was hard ridden by Neeraj Rawal to edge past the favourite Glynneath close home.

The Romantic Liaison Trophy saw Trevor ride an absolute gem of a race on Pesi Shroff-trained Caribbean Queen (Steinbeck-Dazzlng Queen) to peg back the course favourite El Tropico near the winning post. The property of Dr Vjay Mallya was looking a picture in the paddock and was piloted to a ‘t’ by Trevor who dropped her off to a close last while owner-mate Clear Mandate set a scorching pace. It was only after El Tropico tried to steal a march over his rivals after collaring the front-runner that Trevor and the ‘Queen’ went into top gear. It was evident long before the finishing line who the winner of the race was going to be.

Bharath Singh-trained Silverina made the prestigious Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy a one horse affair. The fashionably bred filly by China Visit out of Silver Print gave Trevor an armchair ride and has a long and bright future ahead. The dam Silver Print was a Queen’s Cup winner at this centre and placed in the Derby. Thus, if her daughter has even a part of that staying ability, she will make the best of colts ‘run after her’ in the future – pun intended. Owner Mr Joydeep Datta Gupta must indeed be a happy man. The best of the rest in the field of seven was Coppelia who was a faraway second after following the winner all the way.

Bharath and Trevor bagged both divisions of the Bid For Gold Handicap. Their first winner of the afternoon was Ocean Myth (Warrshan-Starry). He was tucked in along the rails before sailing past Mrs Jones opposite the grandstand. Much touted Thrice Blessed finished a poor fifth. Bharath completed his treble of the afternoon when Trevor booted home his fourth and final winner – Fairy Girl (Hymn-Activa). Noble Defender with apprentice Ajoy Roy drifted out in the straight and it was left to Fairy Girl to grab the enticing opening left by the front-runner.

Jockey Christopher Alford may have had only one winner during the afternoon but he was seen at his best when he piloted Vijay Singh-trained Adriano to a hard-fought triumph over on-money public choice Andromache in the 2000 metres race for the Haskell David Memorial Trophy. Trainer Haskell David was one of the most respected and finest trainers at this centre during the seventies and eighties. Thus, the race was a fitting tribute to a man who has left an indelible mark on the Calcutta track.

Bottom-weight Andromache tried to make it a start-to-finish affair but was disturbed by Rocket Ball till the 600 marker. It gave the wily Christopher the opportunity that he was looking for while he watched from the fourth position and made his calculated move in the straight. The blinkered Adriano (Mr Mellon-Paradise Dancer) was hard-ridden to peg back the front-runner who is known not to be very sound and burst her blood vessels under pressure. The winner is owned by Mr Harish Ramchandani and was available at 4/1.

The Bol Publication Trophy was Skyscraper’s for the asking and she did not disappoint. She was given a peach of a ride by Shailesh Shinde who had the filly by Rebuttal out of Dark Orient racing fifth till the bend and made his move on the outside. The on-money public choice Danube Valley didn’t have it in him to concede 8.5kg to the John Stephens-trained winner who had the benefit of a top-weight run earlier in the season.

Pesi Shroff-trained Genevieve failed to maintain a straight course in the home stretch but nevertheless won the Safari Handicap from Saddle Chief who made an all out effort to get even. The filly by Alnasr Alwasheek out of Endorsement did not display the potential that one might have expected from her.