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Goldie Brown Brigade Glitters at Mumbai

By Mahendra Mallya | 24 Feb 2011 | MUMBAI


Trainer Karthik Ganapathy leading Silken Queen (N G McCullagh Up), winner of The M.D. Mehta Trophy Div-I

The Dr MAM Ramaswamy’s camp had a lot to cheer on Thursday, as the famed stable notched a double with fancied horses at lucrative odds. After an extended lull and victories trickling their way now and then, it was good to see young trainer Karthik lead in two winners. Both the winners – Angels Pursuit and Silken Queen, won at nourishing odds too. 

Silken Queen (Fasliyev – So Swing), partnered by NG McCullagh, put her learning effort of her previous run to good effect and notched up her maiden victory. However, with a bunch of three-year-olds snapping at her tail, Silken Queen could never really afford to relax. Coming into the straight chasing Tau, Silken Queen stepped up pace to wriggle past Tau. McCullagh had a firm grip on the proceedings and appeared to score easily when Flying Kiss warmed up and decided to give Silken Queen a run for her money and enliven the finish. He came up with good finishing effort and ended too close for comfort for Silken Queen. Tau too kept on and ended a close third. Star Mountain, who was right with them early in the straight, did not quicken well enough but neither did she fall back completely. Riding On The Storm was the one from the beaten lot to improve towards the finish. 

Angels Pursuit (Alnasr Alwasheek – Cut Time) put in a power-packed stretch-run to outpace a good set of sprinters to post a comfortable victory. She looked the winner the moment she stretched into the lead at about 300. Maria Teresa and Red Passion got the field home and Angels Pursuit was in a ready-to-strike position. Into the straight, Maria Teresa could not capitalise on the early advantage. Red Passion was soon under pressure too, while Angels Pursuit, driven by Tograllu, bounded forward with a lively run to sail away showing good acceleration. Aflatoon made a late effort and covered ground briskly. However, while he got past every other contender, Angels Pursuit had already sealed the race. 

The Division II of the MD Mehta Trophy saw a keen battle that went right up to the last stride. Thrice Blessed had been well supported, so much so that at the race time, the odds on the original favourite drifted to 5/2 from on money ante-post. The only other horse with odds in single digits was another Wadhawan-owned gelding Pride of The Hills. Thrice Blessed and Lake Leader were disputing the lead as they turned for home. Pride Of The Hills was right behind flanked by Let It Fly and Electra along the rails, all in a tight cluster. 

Inside the 400, Thrice Blessed was asked to give it all. She headed the Hughes-ridden Lake Leader (Mr Mellon – Aliventi) but was cracking under pressure and not able to shake him off. Meanwhile, Pride Of The Hills snorted through the cluster and made good headway. At the distance post, he surged past the fighting pair and shaped like a winner. But Richard had other ideas. His persistence with egging Lake Leader on found a renewed zest in the Dallas Todywalla ward and Lake Leader fought his way back to return victorious on debut. Pride Of The Hills was a gallant second while Thrice Blessed cracked under pressure and ended a faraway third. 

Running Sun (Alnasr Alwasheek – Radiate) had shown signs of good form in his last run and was offered at surprisingly lucrative odds of 4/1. Perhaps the presence of apprentice jockey Srikanth Kamble atop Running Sun was one of the factors that foxed the bookmakers. Shrikant, however, did admirably well to set the pace to his colt’s liking and when they turned for home, Shrikant seemed confident of lasting out the straight at a good clip. Running Sun was closely followed by Sexy Eyes, Fallen Angel Banana Boy, Arshavin and Satyamev Jayate. Into the straight, Running Sun quickened well and stayed comfortably in front with the whip-less Shrikant going hands and heels working up a nice rhythm. Favourite Sexy Eyes saw Rajendra going all out but found the winner too good. Arshavin managed to earn some place money edging out the well-backed Banana Boy in the process. 

Marine Zone (Warrshan – Halos And Horns) from the yard of Sangram Joshi won a hard-fought battle with changing fortunes witnessed in front of the Grand Stands. Golden Spurs, Red Tabasco came in homewards together. Soon Royal Gesture and Marine Zone started to make their presence felt. In what later turned out to be a smart move, PS Chouhan manoeuvred Marine Zone towards the inner rails from a few off the fence at precisely the right juncture approaching the distance post. The fight came to a boil when Steely Dan appeared on the scene and started to bully the fighting due of Marine Zone and Silver Screen. Silver Screen gave in, but Marine Zone fought out gallantly to stick her neck in front at the wire. Steely Dan did cover ground late, but fell short in the end. Daffodils was far too back at the turn, yet managed to figure in the frame. 

Winchester (Brave Hunter – Flattery) was at surprisingly low odds as he had done nothing on the performance log to infuse such confidence. His victory certainly could not be attributed to the glorious uncertainty of racing, as the market trends show that he was backed as a ‘certainty’! Suffice it to say, Winchester obliged and in a manner befitting an even-money horse. Damn the followers of form! 

Winchester hit the front initially and then allowed Hickory the privilege to guide him into the straight. Once in, he marched on ahead and won ‘untroubled’. The rest were left scrambling for the remaining spoils and Ashwa Prahar, Geisha and The Rebel ended in that order. 

Ardent Lover (Puerto Madero – Native Quest) scored a well-compiled victory in the first race of the day. Favourite Resolute Bay tried to outrun her rivals attempting a start-to-finish strategy that went awry midway up the straight. Cougar tried hard to make a fight of it and succeeded in doing just that. He managed to push Ardent Lover who received able assistance from the in-form Dashrath Singh. Ardent Lover switched gears smoothly in the straight to easily pass Resolute Bay and Cougar to earn his maiden victory. Cougar, who looked the pick in the paddock, ran a notable second. Last Tango did enough to relegate Resolute Bay to the last place in the frame. 

Dashrath Singh was the only jockey to score a double when he partnered Appalina (Placerville – Appetina) to victory in the fourth race. Lord Of Killarney was quick to establish a longish lead with Appalina leading the rest. Lord Of Killarney squandered the early advantage but may have used this race as a much-needed lung-opener. He hadn’t raced since early October and if he was on a mission to fine-tuning, he was right on course. Soon Appalina got past the leader but all seemed lost when Silver Soul put in a electric run to grab the lead and surge ahead. Dashrath, however, managed to stage a fight back and his never-say-die effort bore fruits yards before the winning post as Appalina re-surfaced to collar Silver Soul close home. Gamba had to switch lanes and managed to salvage place money for a good effort. Leap Of Faith ran on to end in the frame implying she would need a little more ground for a rewarding outcome. Gamba had to switch lanes and managed to salvage place money for a good effort. Leap of Faith ran on to end in the frame implying she would need a little more ground for a rewarding outcome. 

For the professionals, trainer Karthik G and jockey Dashrath Singh achieved a double each.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The second samples of Ocean And Beyond, Star Future and Eloise have confirmed the traces of the banned substance Boldenone. Effectively, this means Ocean And Beyond and Star Future are disqualified from their respective positions (1 and 2) in the Indian 2000 Guineas and Beautiful Stranger will be awarded the race. Eloise, who originally placed third in the Indian 1000 Guineas, is also disqualified and Blackjack and Scarlette are elevated to the third and fourth places respectively. 

The trainers in question, SK Sunderji, CD Katrak and Pesi Shroff have been given 15 days to conduct their own investigations and will have to appear before the stewards and present their defence.