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SNOWDRIFT ENSURES CUP FOR VIJAY SINGH YARD

By Epsom Ace | 15 Nov 2014 | KOLKATA


Mr Subir Dasgupta & trainer Vijay Singh leading Snowdrift (Shailesh Shinde Up), winner of The Mayfowl Cup

It was a long rollercoaster afternoon of racing at the Calcutta racecourse on Saturday with the satchel-bearers holding the edge over racegoers for most part. Barring, Anbiorn in the last race of the day, no on-money public choice occupied the winner’s enclosure. The feature of the day, The Mayfowl Cup, saw punters wrong-footed by the Vijay Singh stable as the 4/1 second favourite Snowdrift (Multidimensional- Snow Tiger/ Usha Stud) got the better of the on-money public choice Dandified. While there’s no doubt that both owner-mates  were ridden flat out in the straight by their respective jockeys, such a double-entry was really quite unnecessary as it served no purpose, other than hike up the odds of the speculated winner. One can understand a multi-pronged attack by three-year-olds in a classic but for such a prime and prestigious yard to resort to such ‘tactical’ manoeuvres in a regulation sweepstakes event is a trifle surprising if nothing else. The verbal brickbats for C.Alford was uncalled for as he undoubtedly did his best.

Arktouros was rightly used as a pacemaker by the yard while Alford maintained Dandified in the fifth slot. Further behind was stablemate Snowdrift with Shailesh Shinde astride. Right after the turning for home, Dandified collared the pacemaker and was about to draw away when challenged by Snowdrift who is two years his younger. After a brief tussle for supremacy, Snowdrift pulled away for a comfortable victory.

One race earlier, The Pearson Surita Memorial Cup witnessed the closest finish of the afternoon as Bharath Singh-trained Shourisha ( Declaration Of War – Minivet/ Lingwood Stud) was hard-ridden by Dashrath Singh to land the spoils. The 6/1 shot, who was the winner of the Grand Annual Handicap, moved up fluently from the fourth slot to challenge the on-money public choice Romantic Flow in the straight and the duo went hammer and tongs all the way down to the winning post. At the wire, it was a short-neck verdict. Bengal King moved up to be a good third.

The opening event of the afternoon, The Replicate Handicap,  saw plenty of money come on City Heights but to no avail as the gelding faded out after the turning for home where Athletico and Sandesh threatened to pull it off. Initially, top-weight Combined Operation (Rajput up) made a bold bid to overhaul Athletico but it was eventually the 2/1 favourite Never Apart (Stardan-Sandringham/ Rolli Stud ) from Javed Khan’s yard  who was urged by top-weight jockey Mahesh to edge past the latter named duo. The filly thus opened her account over a mile trip.

Marilyn was the piping hot ante-post favourite for the upper division of the Aunty Pip Handicap and her task was made that much easier by the withdrawal of second favourite Solitary Eagle at the starting gates. However, the filly had no answer when challenged by rank outsider Jacqualine Postill (apprentice Ranidan Singh up). Perhaps the term ‘rank outsider’ is a misnomer in this case as rather ironically Ranidan had placed with the Shafiq Khan-trained filly in her last three runs. It is always heartening to see a new apprentice ride his heart out and Ranidan’s effort atop the four-year-old by Epicentre out of Red Crescent ( AB Stud) must be lauded. The winning tote dividend was a whopping Rs 247.

Trainer Manvendra Singh has been doing well of late and the win of Resolution (Magna Graduate – So Colourful ) saw a well-planned betting coup by  the connections in the lower division of the Aunty Pip Handicap. The speedy filly shrugged off Wonder Like You before Mahesh pulled out all stops to keep at bay public choice Land Of Glory.

Arti Doctor’s Fire Angel (New Famous – Firefoot/ Yervada Stud) won the upper division of the Advisor Handicap at lucrative odds of 5/1. Even-money favourite Pedro tried his utmost to make ends meet but Shrikant Kamble atop the filly stick to his task like a leech and it ultimately paid dividends. The others in the field were never in it,

The lower division of the same race saw another lesser fancied runner come good in the form of No Politics Please who was earlier known as Torch Of Life. The five-year-old from Vikash Jaiswal’s stable was taken to the helm of affairs as the gates opened and despite drifting out, gave no earthly chance to the favourite Land Of Love who was receiving 8.5kg from him. The winner is sired by Sharp Attack out of Secret Wish and was bred at Gee Stud.

The seven furlong race for the Cavalry Cup was an intriguing affair as the connections of six-year-old Sartaj pulled off a serious gamble in a packed field of 14 runners. The Sabeel Shariff-trained winner by Greensmith out of Small Fry (Mare Haven Stud) was ridden with great understanding by Kadam who had him covered up for his customary late charge in the straight and sailed past the front-running Don Magnifico. The favourite Auberon ran on to be a game second but was nevertheless somewhat of a disappointment.

The combination of Vijay Singh and Christopher Alford brought the afternoon to a close with Anbiorn (Multidimensional- Al Dente / Usha Stud) who made every post of the Hero Worship Handicap a winning one without any stutters. Triumphus and Iron Lady fought for the minor placings.