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Slade Valley, Silverina fetch Bharath a ‘classic’ double

By Epsom Ace | 08 Sep 2012 | KOLKATA


Trainer Bharath Singh leading Slade Valley (Shailesh Shinde Up), winner of The Calcutta Colts Trial Stakes

The running of the minor monsoon classics was thankfully not affected by the rain that lashed the city after the sixth race, resulting in the cancellation of the seventh race. Trainer Bharath Singh stole the show with a classic double with his colt Slade Valley and filly Silverina.

The Calcutta Colts Trial Stakes saw Slade Valley (Rebuttal-Illusive Lady) put up an awesome display to get the better of Malpensa and Snowscape. Shailesh Shinde, astride the property of Bangalore-based owner Mr. Dilip Thomas, hit the front near the half-way mark and the bay stretched out beautifully in the straight. The favourite Snowscape disappointed and failed to budge though C. Alford applied considerable pressure, while Malpensa showed that he has improved phenomenally during the monsoon meet.

The Calcutta Fillies Trial Stakes was reduced to four runners as Coppelia was withdrawn at the starting gates. Suraj Narredu atop the 10-to-8-on favourite Silverina (China Visit – Silver Print) rode a tension-free regulation race to bring home the bacon for Mr. Joydeep Datta Gupta.

The running of the 1000 metres race for the Brush Aside Handicap had a story to tell. First timer Lake Leader (a recent import from Mumbai) came in for a lot of support by virtue of a none-too-impressive mock race and his odds shortened to on-money while Hurricane Star’s odds expanded to 3/1. Rather unfortunately, the saddle of the latter slipped at the outset and the colt lost a certain race.

Without casting any aspersions on the virtuous professionals responsible for this routine job, such a costly ‘slip’ tantamounts to negligence arising out of an ‘inadvertent’ human error. However, every punter worth his salt, who had backed Hurricane Star, is entitled to ask the 64-dollar question – “ Would the saddle have slipped if the favourite Lake Leader had not been backed down to 10-to-7-on and the odds of Hurricane Star expanded to 3/1?”. In my book, the odds should have been reversed as in a match race on that very day, Hurricane Star would have beaten the daylights out of Lake Leader and he proved it no uncertain manner by making up almost six lengths in the straight after languishing in mid-division and finishing a short-neck behind the favourite who was made to eat humble pie by Jasbir Singh’s Royal Saga. One can’t help but sympathise with the connections of Hurricane Star. Though Trevor Patel displayed admirable courage and balance on Hurricane Star despite a saddle-slip at the jump-out, it was just not his day. The Stewards later fined him Rs 5,000/- as a result of the enquiry for his handling of Catchphrase in the Pendragon Handicap on August 29.

The afternoon commenced with Pesi Shroff-trained Covent Garden (Noverre-Bridgeofsighs) pulling off a remarkable victory on her maiden start. Jockey Kadam left nothing to chance as he gradually improved his position from fifth to a box-seat second behind Divine Symphony at the top of the straight. Thereafter, she sailed away to fluent win while the favourite Torch Of Life was heavily punished to finish runner-up. Impressive Win seems to be coming along nicely and one hopes that this talented chestnut has left his rude gate-manners behind. Only then can the connections look forward to better things ahead.

Despite a 10.5kg penalty, Vijay Singh-trained Aerator was ridden to a confident triumph in the Zipper Cup by Christopher Alford. Aged Sangoma put up a bold show but it was not sufficient against the vastly improved colt by Oath out of Liquid Gold. The same trainer-jockey combo annexed the Citi Lilmits Cup with Dandified who won as if he was on a morning canter and gave Christopher Alford enough time to adjust his visor with one hand a hundred metres from home. The jockey repeatedly looked back and eased up the colt by Rebuttal out of Dandoona a long way from home.