.png)
India's first & foremost horse racing portal
Register Now 
Outsiders Crush Punters
By Epsom Ace | 20 Feb 2010 | KOLKATA
Not a single favourite obliged in a card of seven races at the Kolkata racecourse on Saturday. A long string of outsiders without any respite left punters with large holes in their pockets. The upset most difficult to fathom was Cameo’s winning of the Mayor’s Cup. Of course, old timers who cast their mind back to the win of Madame Bovary in the Bangalore Oaks won’t have any difficulty in understanding the result. The initial pace was so slow, that the race was virtually reduced to a 1,100 metres sprint instead of the 1400m. That it was not a genuine race is obvious from the fact that the class III timing of Glamorous Spirit (1-27.9) is far superior to the Mayor’s Cup timing of 1-30.2. Timing may be the least important factor in thoroughbred racing but in this case, its relevance cannot be ignored. Neither Recardo, nor Adamaris considered Cameo as a threat while Samarkhand ran his usual waiting race.
There was, however, no such excuse for Silver Fox in the Governor’s Cup. Bottom-weighted Rising Hero from Patrick Quinn’s yard, virtually made the mile race a start-to-finish affair by setting a cracking pace himself. Just why C. Alford kept Silver Fox behind Arktouros is difficult to understand. He allowed too much of a lead to the front-runner. Silver Fox and Rising Hero had met twice earlier in the season and on both occasion, the wily ‘Fox’ had prevailed. Clever horsemanship had obviously deserted him on this occasion. Jockey Kadam needs to be complimented for shedding some weight so that he could weigh in at 47.5 kg. That undoubtedly helped his cause.
The rage of the ring in the opening event, The B/K/Poddar Cup, was top-weight Terrazas. On what basis is difficult to fathom. Not surprisingly, she finished fifth in a field of six. Glamorous Spirit was hard ridden by C. Alford to win from surprise package Duke Of Windsor. Avalanche Star, who was well in at weights seemed to be outclassed and outpaced. It will be difficult for him to win in this class.
Able apprentice Babu Singh turned out to be the toast of the day with a brilliant double astride Shafiq Khan-trained Mandira and Jasbir Singh-trained Trigance. Both winners are owned by Rustom Daroga. After her good second to Bayberry last time out, Mandira found no equal in the CROS Cup. Spanish Sahara was heavily under the whip to finish a poor second. Though Babu Singh could not claim allowance in the CROS Cup, his 5-kg allowance atop Trigance helped him pull it off in the Nationalistic Handicap. Best bet moved well along the rails but failed narrowly.
Jockey Kamlesh rode a fine race astride Mysterious Star to defy the winning penalty and produce an encore. Celtic Charm had to travel an extra distance after a somewhat tardy beginning and yet she finished second. The favourite Corazon was the disappointment in the race. By the last race, punters were so used to favourites falling like ninepins, that only a few dared to have a wager on the unsound Queen Of Rhythm. They were saved to a certain extent as she was nowhere to be seen after the turning for home. Owner-mate Acrology made a brave bid in the final furlong but failed narrowly as the aged Horse Raddish came good in Malcolm Maseyk’s hands.
Whew, that is one afternoon that turfites would like to wipe clean from their memory!
News Letter
Contact
Email: info@indiarace.com
✕
- HOME
- STUD FARMS
- ARCHIVES
- GLOSSARY
- CLASSIFIEDS
- EX-NAME SEARCH
- DAM
- SIRE
- ROLL OF HONOURS
- FEEDBACK
- HORSE TALK