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Soviet Bay springs a surprise
By Sharan Kumar | 07 Feb 2004 | BANGALORE
Soviet Bay (Mrs Silva up) winner of The Sprinters Trail Stakes being led by trainer Irfan Ghatala & owner Shailesh Shivaswamy, Asha Lata
Everything fell in place for seven-year old Soviet Bay to spring a surprise in the Sprinters Trial Stakes, a terms race for four-year olds and four, which featured Saturday’s races. Soviet Bay has been something of a money-spinner, having been procured by trainer Irfan Ghatala for his connections for a song. Soviet Bay, who reportedly goes lame after every run, remarkably is back on track the very next day and has endured his niggling problems without affecting his performance. He runs best when held up at the back and the way the fancied runners took off at scorching pace, Soviet Bay could be settled comfortably behind and preserved for the assault in the final which was of crucial importance to the outcome of the race. Silva did a tidy job on the winner.
Cape Martin who had gone down narrowly to Sure Future over seven furlongs was the favourite and the others who cornered some support were the top-weighted Top Gun and The Music Lover. Daring Don hit the front as the starter dispatched the field with Top Gun, Cape Martin and The Music Man racing almost in a line. Barring Daring Don who held on till close home, the rest of the runners were a beaten lot when the race took a serious turn. Soviet Bay, who is a puller, was thus settled well in the rear along with Southern Goddess. While Top Gun was the first to bow out of contention, not picking up momentum and falling back rapidly, it was left to Daring Don and Cape Martin to battle it out. Southern Goddess came up with a spirited run on the wide outside and Harish while bringing the daughter of Brave Hunter into contention, crossed over from the outside thus causing Soviet Bay to be held up a wee bit longer. While Daring Don shaped to cause another upset, Soviet Bay came through with a tremendous burst of speed after getting a clear passage in the final furlong, to win in the shadow of the post. Daring Don held to take the second spot ahead of Cape Martin and Southern Goddess. The Music Lover found the company too tough to handle and he may be better off in handicaps.
After entrusting Amatol to apprentice Vivek in the Glass House Cup, a terms race for maiden three-year olds, owner Vijeth Bhandari could still afford to sport a broad grin because the son of Tirol proved too speedy for the opposition to win quite capably from Path of Honour and a late-finishing Full Speed. Unfortunately for the connections of Full Speed, he was badly interfered early on in the race and as such, by the time he could pick up full speed, the race was in the safe keeping of the front-runner. Not that Full Speed would have beaten the eventual winner but he would have finished very close. Full Speed should be right there at the finish next time out.
Fiorenzza who was making reappearance after a long break, shaped like a winner in the Jaggy Stud Plate but Metalique came up with a sustained run in the homestretch to win with a fair degree of ease. Fiorenzza had the first run on her opponents and with Metalique having to cover some leeway on the front-runner, the front-runner had things going her way. But she slackened and Metalique was the beneficiary and the daughter of Metal Precieux justified the spirited support in the ring. Anchor finished on from behind to be a surprise third ahead of Titanium while Starzaan was not in the reckoning.
Apprentice Mahendran drove out Driven to contain the challenge of Imperial Fire in the day’s opener while Arthi from Mohan Valavi’s yards, won as a favourite, in the hands of apprentice Ashwin Rao. Arthi burst clear of the front-running Surprise Gift inside the final 100 metres but slackened on hitting the front. Surprise Gift came up with a second run only to miss the berth by a whisker. Jockey Ramesh who rode Surprise Gift was suspended for two race days for his apparent lack of initiative. In the day’s concluding race, rank outsider Alto won at fancy odds from Simple And Sweet, providing apprentice Jagadeesh a winner after a frustrating wait.
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