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BRINDABAN FIGHTS HARD TO DOWN SPIRITED INVINCIBLE

By Mahendra Mallya | 12 Dec 2013 | MUMBAI


Brindaban (Sandeep Jadhav Up), winner of The Rao Saheb D.K. Parkar Trophy

A solitary ticket on the jackpot is every punter’s dream and one lucky Jackpot Pool hunter walked away with a sizable pot-return of well over three lacks. This sure is an indicator that even though the compact card looked simple, there is always the chance to reap rich returns. Thursday’s race card looked easy, with smaller fields in most races. Yet it may have evened out, with a lucky ones raking in some moolah and the bookmakers too not complaining at the end of the day. Followers of favourites too may not have returned too much in the red, as Polar Zone ought to have given them a good start and Archie consolidating their profits. Only Gerome, in-between these two races, drilled a big hole in their pockets. This set-back too, had it been hedged (Zoraavar at 3 1/4), would have covered them. To sum it up, the day should have been a day-of-good-returns for most.

Brindaban, tipped to win by Indiarace, was offered at 7/I at race time. She was very much in the reckoning after her ‘forward fourth’ with the same jockey to the speedy Dancing Prances in her last outing. With a furlong less to travel this time, she had too good a chance and the odds too were too high not to yield to the temptation of waging on her.

The heavily fancied Quick Fire rode on her Pune win reputation and not many read too much on her loss to Trisara couple of weeks earlier. Gangnam Style’s strong victory last week, (he had finished 4th to Trisara) could have further pushed her Stock upwards and that Quick Fire was taking on a higher set of horses was did not deter her followers. Quick Fire was backed down to 10 to 8 on at race time.

The punters felt the burn soon at start as Quick Fire was involved in a jostle with Fontanelle and Invincible. Losing position at the start in a 15 horse field, the biggest on the day, is fatal. Quick Fire simply could not recover from that point and her problems worsened in the straight. Her hope faded by the second and this run is best ignored.

Brindaban and Invincible started their battle for the turf soon on entering the straight. The pair pulled away from the rest, Song of Sparrow and Twilight who were close behind when the battle began, just could not keep pace. Invincible even headed Brindaban for a brief while, but five-kilo claimer Sandeep Jadhav rode out competently and wrested a clear verdict on the wire. Brindaban clocked an impressive 58.24 to clinch the neck verdict. Fontanelle appeared far too late to take the third spot from Capitano, who too ran a good race. Relic Hunter also picked up in the final furlong and he could be a serious runner next time out.

Zoraavar (Ace – Lecce) was given a peach of a ride by champion rider A Sandesh to account for Gerome with surprising ease. All was quite as Mountain Force led the field of four with Running Sun, Gerome and Zoraavar following in a single file. Gerome moved a place forward nearing the turn and Zoravaar too moved within striking distance.

Mountain Force was fighting a losing battle when Gerome came alongside. Zoraavar quickly caught up with them. In the run for the finish, Zoraavar quickened, raising a resolute gallop to stretch away from Gerome to topple the favourite in a convincing manner.

Archie (Muhtathir – Elouana) made ample amends for his last start faux pas and won a thrilling three-way battle in a very close finish. He was the on-money ant- post favourite but the odds drifted to 6/4 against at race time. Highraz was being backed strongly and Fortune Favours had a reasonable amount of following as well.

The race came to a boil when long time leader Word of Honour gave way to Archie and Highraz soon on turning for home. Fortune Favours was stuck on the rails for a while when Cactus Cash moved alongside. Archie enjoyed a thin advantage and jockey Zervan was determined to maintain that slender lead. Fortune Favours threatened to take the pair on as he joined the two with about 100 to go. All three were battling strongly and dashed past the wire almost abreast. Archie just about won edging out Highraz and Fortune Favours.

Ricochet (Sedgefield – Forest Family) produced a scintillating run to demolish the opposition to enter the winners’ circle in his seventh start.  The Magansingh Jodha ward, searching for a maiden win, had shown good finishing effort in his last start third over the six-furlong sprint. Magan promptly pitched him in over the mile-and-quarter distance and Ricochet proved his master right by scoring a fluent win.

Arzaan tried to repeat his start-to-finish ploy, but this time he was humbled. Sky Lantern tried to pull away from the rest on turning for home, and he did well until Ricochet spoiled his party. 

Ricochet had moved to third at the turn and when asked for an effort from jockey Kavraj Singh, he produced a fiery burst to leave the rest panting. Shishya failed to justify the support and ended a tame fourth as even Scalanaya finished on better.

Polar Zone (Sharp Attack – Oceanic Zone) finally got the sweet taste of victory and one might say his consistently paid off to the relief of his connections. This time Dashrath Singh switched to pitch his bid right from the start, deviating from the hitherto come-from-behind tactics that Polar Zone usually applied. This worked perfectly for Polar Zone, but not without a battle.

As they entered the straight, Showers of Heaven came alongside to match strides. Neon Light, who was right with them, failed to quicken and faded out. None from the rear threatened the pair in front. It was Polar Zone and Showers of Heaven all the way in the final furlong.  With 100 to go it looked that the bob of the head would decide the outcome. However, in the final few strides, Dashrath managed to pull ahead and notch up a half-length verdict. Storm Lightening improved positions to earn place money.

Trainer Narendra Lagad sent out his trademark high-priced double, flooring the pundits yet again with Allegiance (Oath – Baaderah) who fetched a whopping Rs 401 on tote, and Sheer Romance (7/1) in the last two races of the day. Both his wards answered successfully to his “take jump hit front” order.

Not many in the stands would have cared too much as Allegiance hit the front as they jumped out. Jockey Srikanth Kamble set a steady pace and he was comfortable, getting into a fine rhythm early on. Ice Cool followed him a couple of lengths away, with Razeena sticking to the rails. Moon Raker was not too far behind along with Hot Pepper, Monteray, Queen, while Establshed Predator and Winning Destiny stuck close behind.

Allegiance entered the straight on a tight rein and Shirkanth Kamble just had to keep the momentum going. Allegiance accelerated well and stretched further ahead early in the straight, leaving the rest to do the catching up. By the time he got to a furlong from the winning post, anxiety rose among the punters as none of the fancied runners seemed up to the task. Moon Raker only managed to progress to the slot behind the winner and Razeena stayed on to grab the place money. Ice Cool and Hot Pepper, the two top fancies, found nothing going and were reduced to the ranks of ‘also ran’. Allegiance proved far too superior and pulled off a victory clean as a whistle.

Sheer Romance (Oath – Romantic Notes) won the concluding race of the day building on a good start and kicking on all the way home. Jockey Dashrath Singh had to egg the Narendra Lagad filly on all through to ensure the mounting threat staged by Sherlock Holmes was effectively thwarted. Sheer Romance got off to a quick start that saw a level break, but there was an accident which saw Khairian and his jockey DA Naik fall soon after the jump. At the time of writing this, it was confirmed that Naik was not injured, while Kahirian was taken to the equine hospital for treatment.

Sheer Romance led all the way into the straight and quickened well for home. Favourite Sombrero was right up next and it looked like the latter would throw a serious challenge. However, Sombrero struggled to even stay close enough to the leader to be in contention. Sherlock Holmes, the other well-backed runner in the race, started to gain on Sheer Romance and with a furlong to go he seemed a live threat to Sheer Romance. Dashrath Singh was aggressive and egged his mount on and managed to stave off Sherlock Holmes by a length.  

For the professionals, trainers Narendra Lagad and Dallas Todywalla saddled a double each. Dashrath Singh was the lone jockey to score a double.