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MAGICAL SPELL CLINCHES MELBOURNE RACING CLUB TROPHY

By Mirror Image | 06 Oct 2014 | HYDERABAD


Trainer M Srinivas Reddy (Deputising trainer L V R Deshmukh) leading Magical Spell (P S Chouhan Up), winner of The Melbourne Racing Club Trophy

L.V.R.Deshmukh trained Magical Spell (Phoenix Tower-Goodness Gracious / Manjri Stud) slammed the Melbourne Racing Club Trophy, a seven furlongs race traditionally run on the succeeding race day after the Derby at Hyderabad. Jockey P.S.Chouhan was at his ‘Magical’ Best on the filly while edging out Bangalore challenger Apparition after a stirring duel right through the final furlong.

Palm Springs set a decent pace from the start followed closely by Magical Spell, Apparition, Alcabaza and Sweet Candy. On entering the home stretch Palm Springs was still in front with Magical Spell began to get stronger. Apparition too was making her bid from the outside and with a furlong left it looked like a fight between the three as Alcazaba had already conceded. Magical Spell and Apparition started to fight out the last furlong and the stronger handling of Chouhan enabled the Manjri bred filly to pull it off by a neck. Palm Springs finished on well to be third.

D.Netto trained Elenor (Mathematician-Chesterford) received strong support towards race time, backed down to share the favouritism with Emerald Reef at 2-1, in the higher division of the Smt.Teegala Sulochana Reddy Memorial Cup. While Emerald Reef failed to make it to the frame, Elenor carried the top weight of 62.5 kilograms to a pillar to post victory, by a clear margin of four lengths. The fight was only for the minor placing with Komo Komo Komo being the runner-up, a ‘neck’ ahead of Twentyfivepips.        

Anupam Sharma trained Mukhtar (Duja-Athlone) wrapped up the lower division in similar fashion. After a level jump Mukhtar rushed to lead the field quickly at start. Big Boss and Prince of Arabia were in close attendance till the final turn but once they entered the straight Mukhtar kicked on easily to extend the margin to 2 ¼ lengths at the finish. Big Boss and Prince of Arabia finished second and third respectively, with a ‘neck’ separating them.  

Trainer M.Sathyanarayana pulled off a popular double through Exclusive Beauty and Red Express. Exclusive Beauty (Sharp Attack-Golden Castle) scored an encore in an absolving finish in the Star of Stars Cup. The filly set off in front right from the word ‘go’ over the sprint with Machintosh in chase about two lengths adrift. With a furlong left from the finish jockey P.S.Chouhan started to ride out Machintosh and she began to inch closer with every stride. Apprentice K.Sai Kiran kept pushing his mount Exclusive Beauty vigoursly till the winning post to prevail by a ‘head’.        

A well backed Red Express (Sedgefield-Fort Knox) justified the favouritism in the Nalagonda Plate. Shooting into the lead from draw one, Red Express maintained a comfortable lead over the others till the final straight and extended well under M. Madhu Babu to win by four lengths. Rebellion finished second ahead of Graceland.   

Montauk (Multidimensional-Amorina / Usha Stud), a last outing winner from the stables of L.D’Silva scraped through under apprentice C.S.Vikrant to score an encore in the Cordon Bleu Plate. The four year old gelding disputed the lead with Rosemonde till turning for home and then travelled better to forge ahead. With about 300 metres left Montauk started to drift out from the straight course even as Movie Moghual began to creep up from the outside. Apprentice C.S.Vikrant started to push his mount towards the inner ground and staved off the strong challenge of Movie Moghual. Rosemonde finished third.    

Trainer T.Srinagesh who had drawn a blank so far in the season, opened his account with a double. His wards Numinous and Killer Instinct were the victors from the stables. Numinous (Opportunist-Habibi) earned its maiden win in the opener, the Hovercraft Plate. Drawn advantageously from the inside Numinous took over the running quickly at start and was travelling well even as they came in for the last 200 metres. Fruit Roll Up began to throw a challenge very late from the outside but jockey S Sreekant kept riding out Numinous to stay ahead by half a length at the winning post. True Friend was a faraway third. The Stewards not being satisfied by the effort of jockey Kuldeep Singh on Fruit Roll Up decided to suspend him for a period of six months ending 31st March 2015.

Killer Instinct (Glory of Dancer-Contrarian) who had moved into trainer T.Srinagesh’s stables before the start of the season in new ownership, won the Everest Plate. Five horses lined up for the ten furlongs trip. The favourite Time For Smile set the pace from the start followed by Citi Supreme, Killer Instinct, Novaya Zemlya and Spanish Conquest, the entire field covered in about five lengths.  Inside the last 300 metres Killer Instinct began to close up from the outside and flashed past the relentless Time For Smile. Citi Supreme after a vain bid in the last 200 metres finished third.