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Martinique Romps Home to Clinch Bahrain Trophy

By Mahendra Mallya | 07 Jan 2011 | MUMBAI


Trainer Pesi Shroff leading Martinique ( S De Sousa up ), winner of the Bahrain Trophy

Martinique (Placerville – Moving Image), owned by Mr & Mrs Vijay Shirke and trained by Pesi Shroff, put in an impressive stretch run to score an emphatic victory to capture The Bahrain Trophy with surprising ease. Although this was a small field of four and with one of them, Splash out of the reckoning, The Bahrain Trophy was yet one of the most interesting races of the day. All the three main contenders had rousing support and each had a strong claim to land the spoils. Winner picking in this small field was not the easiest forecast to make. As they jumped out, Snow Blaze worked hard to get to the front and on hindsight that appeared to be a blemish on Mulrennan’s part if one reckoned if he had not used the grey a tad more than he should have.

Pasquire, on the other hand, did not mind settling Martinique behind the keen leader. Mountain Wind seemed listless and had the wind blown out of him. He neither justified his support nor his talent, ending a poor third. Snow Blaze worked up a good initial pace and looked good entering the straight. He had a handy lead too and Paul Mulrennan was not moving his elbows either. In fact, Pasquire was seen working on Martinique much before Mulrennan did. However, approaching the distance post, Mulrennan was moving everything, elbows, shoulders, ankles et al, but couldn’t get Snow Blaze moving the way he should have to counter the strong challenge coming from Martinique.

Martinique shot past Snow Blaze making it look ridiculously easy and stormed towards the winning post gaining handsomely with every stride. He clocked a cracking time of 58.92, a shade more than Sea Treasure did in the next race, a Class II scurry. Martinique showed that she had blinding speed as also the quality for a longer distance in the manner she kept bounding towards the winning post.

Martinique sure has a bright future. In the next race, Richard Hughes, who has earned unlimited accolades and affection from the racing patrons, let his followers down while partnering the speedy Highland Music. With a facile victory under his belt last time out, Highland Music, many felt could defy the penalty. Accordingly he was installed the first favourite despite carrying the top weight. At the jump, Wild Torronaado and Shyboy were slow and were in no position to serve their cause in such a short race. Highland Music took it up, Richard easing him to a good pace and maintaining a steady two-length lead right around the corner. Blumarine followed in second with Sea Treasure and Aflatoon in tow. Aflatoon fell back alarmingly and faded out soon on straightening up. Highland Music kept going keeping ahead with a comfortable lead. Blumarine was struggling to bridge the gap but was not losing out either.

Past the distance post, Highland Music was still ahead and just when it looked like he would go all the way, so it appeared as Hughes was not seen using the whip and going for the kill in his inimitable style, Star Treasure (Warrshan – Aerodynamic) came in charging with a thundering finish and sailed past Highland Music in a flash. T Mahesh, a lesser known jockey, had pulled a rabbit! This was his first win after three years! In cricketing terms, this would amount to Robin Utthappa bowling Don Bradman for 98! Well, that was in lighter vein, but T Mahesh sure couldn’t stop smiling.

This one will go to his grand children more than once. Silver Sands (Ontario – Extreme Contact) pulled off a hard-fought victory in the most thrilling race of the day. The front bunch was heavily crowded with Swept Away, Highland Warrior, Always Smile, Kiss Away, Generalissimo, and Silver Sands running in close order. Prince Lochinva came next along with Estevez. Highland Warrior came in first with a bunch of horses waiting to pounce on him. Swept Away, the tote favourite led briefly but soon had Kiss Away and Always Smile breathing down his neck. Silver Sands then lit up under the forceful riding of Dashrath Singh and started to gain ground at a brisk rate.

Estevez soon warmed up to produce her best. Inside the final furlong, Silver Sands was all out when Estevez started to pose a serious threat. The two fought out the last 100 and a brilliant finish saw Silver Sands edge out Estevez in the narrowest of margins. I could be wrong, but I felt in a freaky incident, Estevez who seemed to have had the measure of Silver Sands half a stride before the wire, got alarmed at something and lifted her head backward a wee bit, just enough to cost her the race.

It could be my imagination, but despite viewing the finishing point several times, I can’t shake it off my mind. It might not be a bad idea for you to suggest if I need to see my Optician soon. But please advice only after you have seen the video and taking in every minute detail of what I refer. Trainer SK Sunderji saddled a popular double in the day. Distant Promise in the third and Oceanic Wisdom in the last race were well backed favourites to win their respective races. Distant Promise (Mr Mellon – Over The Ocean) pulled off a ‘no-alarm’ win producing his best when it most mattered. Jockey DK Ashish went about the journey as if he had a mastered the script to perfection. Sitting in the mid-bunch, he let Star Craft and Rapide make the early running and settled Distant Promise just behind Magical Mantra.

Star Craft led them in and kept going for a while and Rapide had to step on it to get past the leader. Magical Mantra got stuck for room behind these two and whatever little chance he had to pull an upset, was put paid by CS Jodha’s indecision on when to pull him out and on hindsight, should he have pulled him out at all! In any case, Magical Mantra sure lost a golden opportunity to make this one count. Distant Promise oblivious to this possible threat went about his task and quickened well to pass the trio under some stick, coming into the final furlong. Magical Mantra re-surfaced to peg back Rapide for the second spot. Ardent Lover who was never prominent finished on well to force his way into the frame beating long time leader Star Craft. Oceanic Wisdom (Mr Melon - Star Profile) produced a powerful gallop to run away in the final furlong much to the delight of her backers.

Sitting third for the most part, Richard Hughes countered a minor traffic glitch soon on straightening for home. Ocean Legacy had a handy lead coming into the straight and only Oceanic Wisdom managed to surpass that advantage. Ocean Legacy did well to prolong the surrender for as long as the final 100 metres. Richard Hughes saw a slender gap along the rails just past the 400 and steered Oceanic Wisdom through that small gap judiciously and got her going at a cracking pace towards the winning post. Ocean Legacy held her own to end runner-up, while Lyrical Symphony edged out River Chieftain for place money. National Glory (Glory Of Dancer – Painted Faces) scored a hard-fought victory and jockey SA De Souza played an important role in the triumph.

Staying well in touch with front-runners Ocean Fairy, Viva La Diva and Native Lady, National Glory forced his way to the front early in the straight. Once into the lead, Souza was focused on the stretch ahead and rode out effectively. National Glory responded by raising the level and keeping it going right through. Dashrath Singh was working overtime in getting Aqualina to challenge National Glory in a fight to the finish. Both fought hard but in the end, Naren’s ward National Glory managed to stay ahead to clinch the issue narrowly. Classic Ruler did well to run into place money ending ahead of Native Lady. Daffodils (Senure – Love Call). who had shown some promise in her last outing. lived up to it to the hilt this time forcing a well-earned victory over hot favourite Endless Horizon. Jockey Sandesh did well to settle a close fourth behind Albuurz, Constanza and Ocean Girl.

Endless Horizon was a couple of lengths behind the closely knitted front bunch. On straightening for home, Albuurz increased the tempo and built a handy lead. Constanza couldn’t keep up and dropped out of contention. Daffodils started to bridge the gap steadily and Endless Horizon started to make some headway. Past the final furlong mark, it looked anybody’s race, but when the push came to shove, Daffodils showed courage and zipped past Albuurz in the last fifty to spare less than a length to Albuurz.

Endless Horizon ended a close third and did enough to indicate that he is not too far from shaking off his maiden ranks sooner than later. Adams Prince (Bluegrass Prince – Adams Light) won the first race of the day in a scintillating finish pipping Ocean Treasure literally on the last stride. Favourite Lady Genereuse was the bookie’s delight as she simply did not figure in the fray at any given time. In fact, she lost ground soon on start and languished at the tail end all along. The scramble to the finish was a cavalry charge.

At the distance post, they were four in a line and Admas Prince was not one of that quartet. Rave On, Unstoppable, Ocean Queen and Ocean Treasure were in a line and Adams Prince was lurking behind them. In the final fifty, Ocean Treasure put his neck in front but Adams Prince came swooping down on them and was right on time to place her nose ahead of Ocean Treasure on the wire.