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Star Luxurious Shines Bright
By Epsom Ace | 03 Feb 2010 | KOLKATA
It was mixed fortunes for punters at Calcutta’s mid-week races. While the eight-event card had its sprinkling of outsiders, fancied runners obliged in four of the races.
The two divisions of the Memorable Day Cup were bagged by Ballantyne and Star Luxurious. The last named won the lower division in telling style with jockey A Imran Khan doing just enough to keep at bay any potential threat – not that there was any serious challenge from any quarter. After his win astride Arizanno, apprentice Ajoy Roy seems to have gained in confidence. Utilising his 5-kg allowance to good effect, Ajoy took the top-weight Sea Monarch to the front as the gates opened.
Daniel David-trained Star Luxurious followed the pacemaker while Flirting Eye ran third. The order virtually remained unchanged till heads turned for home. Once into the straight, Star Luxurious took over the running smoothly to pull away from Sea Monarch. The much-fancied Flirting Eye failed to collar the ‘Monarch’ and finished a tame third.
Earlier, Daniel David had won the Cupid Handicap with Touch Of Magic who thus completed a hat-trick of wins. The chestnut mare was taken on a start-to finish mission by A Imran Khan but had to thwart a strong bid from Secret Whispers who may have been done in by the 1.5-kg over-weight that his rider Harish declared. Over a mile race, it will most definitely have an adverse effect. Secret Whispers did seem that he may collar the front-runner near the distance post but the unlucky horse continues to play second fiddle.
Trainer Vijay Singh registered his sole winner of the afternoon in the upper division of the Memorable Day Cup with Ballantyne. Top-weight apprentice B. Mahesh rode a competent race in that he settled his mount nicely in fifth spot while Avalanche Star set a cracking pace. At the top of the straight, Secret Hero, Ariela and Ballantyne all moved up to challenge the fading front-runner but it was the top-weight who was easily moving the best. Alamgir ran on to occupy the runner-up spot.
The afternoon commenced with Pesi Shroff-trained Accessor winning the Little Lady Handicap without being stretched. Christopher Alford enjoyed an armchair ride and galloped to a convincing triumph. Duke Of Windsor was outpaced by the winner but will be worth keeping an eye on in the future.
The five-and-half furlong sprint for the Punters Delight Handicap was a keen duel between recent winner Palme Dor and Mysterious Star. It was a touch-and-go affair which could have gone either way. But it was Kamlesh’s hard finish which won the day for the Arti Doctor-trained six-year-old.
The Bold Chieftan Plate for maiden three-year-olds was quite a race. Heavily fancied Mandira appeared to have the race in the bag when she was challenged and overtaken by first-timer Bayberry from Doctor’s yard. The others including the filly Arielle from Vijay Singh’s stable were never really in it.
The upper division of the Wansfell Handicap saw Bullet Proof come with a superb run in the final furlong to peg back the on-money favourite Highland Magic. The top-weight run will bring the latter on and he will be better for this the next time out. Havana ran on to occupy the runner-up berth while the woefully out of form Ansible was an unimpressive fourth. The lower division of the same race was picked up by Vikash Jaiswal-trained Mystro (Harish up) who had to stave off a strong challenge from Simply Perfect. The favourite Knights Emperor set the early pace and then called it a day near the distance post.
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