There is something to summer heat in Bangalore that makes people rebellious if the experience of the Bangalore Turf Club is anything to go by. The start of the Summer Racing Season has almost always been threatened by strikes. This time out, the jockeys were at it again, protesting against the forceful usage of shock-absorbing whips in place of the traditional fiberglass whip. The Jockeys Association of India, which in the words of BTC Secretary S Nirmal Prasad, had ``no issue to fight at all``, first threatened to disrupt the proceedings, then changed their stance and informed that they would be riding without the use of any whip, for which they had been all along fighting. The Karnataka Trainers Association, turned hostile, and asserted that the jockeys should follow their instructions and carry the new whip or back out. In the bargain, there were fears that the first day’s races would be affected but with the help of rebellious jockeys and apprentices, the turf club was able to conduct the first day’s races without any hitch. In the bargain, the Jockeys Association of India that was feared for its ability to keep its flock together and triumph in a battle of attrition suffered a mortal blow and they seemed to have lost ground irrevocably.
Be that as it may, the feature event of the day, the 1200 metres Krishnaraja Wadiyar Cup, produced tremendous excitement, with favourite Top Gun just about getting up in time to pip stable mate Vivid Dreams by a whisker. Jockey Appu, who stole a march on top-weighted Vivid Dreams, appeared to have the race sewn up as Top Gun was left to cover considerable leeway. However, the got-abroad gelding responded brilliantly, thanks to the driving finish of Malesh Narredu and got the nod virtually in the last stride, by the shortest of margins. Vivid Dreams who had run listlessly in the Sprinters Cup, showed appreciable improvement. Spark of Life battled on to finish third and had he not been hampered along the rails, he could have been right there at the busy end.
Apprentice jockey J Chinoy who had a fruitful season at Mumbai, was seen prominently, getting a number of chance rides as a result of the jockeys strike. He created a favorable impression, booting home a double. He guided Imperial Legend to a facile in the Chettinad Stud Plate where favourite Regal Society who was bidding for a hat trick, ran like a dud. Imperial Legend who was once hailed as a champion in the making, had wind problem and as such, he performed below potential in classics. Trainer Loknath persisted racing his ward in the classics, hoping that Imperial Legend would be able to overcome minor hiccups by virtue of his talent. The persevering trainer had Imperial Legend operated to set right the problem in January through Hyderabad based Dr Sridhar and it seemed to have worked wonders. The trainer was quite sanguine about the chances of Imperial Legend. The son of Placerville, despite taking a fly jump, raced smoothly as jockey Chinoy was able to move up smoothly along the rails and keep his mount in a striking position. Though Imperial Legend drifted out slightly on straightening, the jockey corrected the drift and the four-year old stretched away for a smashing win. Now that Imperial Legend has come right, more wins are in store for him. Trainer Loknath deserves a pat for his painstaking efforts in getting the horse right when everything seemed to have been lost. Star Alone was a faraway second, with Augill Castle moving from behind to snatch the third spot.
Chinoy had a chance winner through Royal Force who showed vast improvement, beating the opposition pointless in the lower division of the Mayor’s Cup. Noble Nancy, the overwhelming favourite, ran poorly, perhaps suggesting that she would relish staying trips. Silvanus displaced Noble Nancy from the runner-up spot, with a late bid. The upper division of the race went the way of favourite Snowfields who proved too good.
Red Mamma had so much superiority over the opposition in the Welcome Plate (Div I) that barring the unforeseen; the victory of the daughter of Warrshan was a foregone conclusion. Red Mamma duly won, without having to be extended. Tide of Fortune who was poorly placed on turning for home, finished with a flourish to be a eye-catching third. With favourite Dare You Say having been withdrawn from the fray in the lower division of the race, it was left to lesser-fancied Springtide to go on a profitable start to finish mission. Crow Wood picked up momentum too late to make an impact on the result.
Dominic trained Startrix proved infinitely superior to the opposition in the 1200 metres Royal Command Plate where the favourite Smart Charmer chased the front-runner without hope. Despite being used up at the climb and having to travel all the way wide till turning for home, the daughter of Alnasr Alwasheek won going away, at fancy odds. In the day’s other action, Future Away picked up speed in time to down the front-running Rasna in the shadow of the winning post.
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