Indiarace.com - india's first & foremost horse racing portal

ANTARA, ‘SENORITA’ SHARE ANTICIPATOR CUP

By Epsom Ace | 18 Sep 2013 | KOLKATA


Trainer Arti Doctor leading Antara (C Alford Up), winner of The Anticipator Cup Div-1

For a change, turfites at the Calcutta racecourse were a happy lot as by and large favourites obliged during the afternoon – the exception being Robert Gowli’s rank outsider Silken Senorita who edged out Hurricane Andrew in the lower division of the Anticipator Cup. The five-year-old mare by Hymn out of Expert Opinion had never traversed any trip above six furlongs in her career but relished the extra furlong on this day. Apprentice Md. Imran Ashraf sat pretty on his mount while Hurricane Andrew called the shots. Though top-weight and ante-post favourite Songwriter issued a semblance of a challenge at the top of the straight, she found her impost a stopper. In contrast, aided by the 4kg allowance that her rider was claiming, Silken Senorita galloped to glory on the outside. The disappointment in the race was the closing favourite Stiling Veil.

The upper division of the same race saw Arti Doctor-trained Antara (Senure-Major Image) open and close as the half-money public choice. Jockey Christopher Alford made no mistake on the piping hot public fancy as she sailed past Cee Four in the straight. The rest were never really in it.

Trainer Arti Doctor opened her account in the curtain-raiser with Tropical Blue. The fashion on the filly’s win gave one the impression that she may be able to win in the upper class on promotion. Jockey Shezad Khan did not face the slightest difficulty in guiding her to a runaway triumph – albeit in the lowest class.

Like Tropical Blue, another facile winner of the afternoon was Javed Khan-trained War Games (Mull Of Kintyre-Lucina). Dashrath Singh atop this three-year-old speedster made every post a winning one without batting an eyelid. The second favourite Luck Luck Lucky seemed as if she needed the run after a long lay-off. Debutant Aviette was rather impressive while frequent entrant Iron Lady may need a bit of a rest.

Returning to the track last winter after a blood-vessel setback, Manvendra Singh’s Ace Elegance showed great resolve and resilience to notch up a hat-trick of wins thereafter. She won the Quincy Handicap with Shailesh Shinde in the saddle without too much effort after collaring the front-running Abubble. Top-weight Haddock was penalised 9kg for his last win and may have found his penalty and weight a stopper.

Javed Khan and Dashrath Singh completed a double along with their patron Ajay Jalan, when their Broken Arrow got the better of Alcander in the Kariba Handicap. Lying a handy third while Alcander and Bongani called the early shots, Broken Arrow sailed past them in a trice.

Trainer HS Bath brought the day’s proceedings to an end by landing a good gamble for his owner Soumitra Banerji. Their filly Secret Romance was backed down to favouritism and jockey Gajender Singh made no mistake despite the pouring rain that she had to run through. Though shortening her strides in the final 100 metres, the winning post came to her aid as Spectacular Style was gaining on her at that point.