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ANGEL DUST PROVIDES MALLYA CAMP REASON TO SMILE

By Ikram Khan | 12 Jul 2015 | BANGALORE


Mr Zeyn Mirza & trainer SS Attaollahi leading Angel Dust (Trevor Patel Up), winner of The Kingfisher Derby Bangalore (Gr.1)

The sweet little Angel doused the Flame to the joy of the Vijay Mallya camp and six years after Set Alight won the blue riband at this centre, it was good time again for the most sporting owner Dr Vijay Mallya, who single handedly has provided the glamour and glitz to Indian racing.  

Most old hats in the game were of the view that the Dr Vijay Mallya think-tank spearheaded by Mr Zeyn Mirza had lost their plot after their main hope Admiralty suffered a tendon injury and Angel Dust flopped badly in the Fillies Championship Stakes. 

The fact that Angel Dust had finished more than 12 lengths behind the winner Eternal Flame and was back competing against the champion filly and a couple of  others who had finished way ahead of her in the first classic, the pundits reckoned defied logic. It was a good argument. But the decision makers had a couple of reasons which they debated on before arriving at the decision to provide the classy daughter of Win Legend out of Angelique from the Dashmesh Stud Farm another chance.

They had immense faith in the ability of the filly. That apart, the gut feeling was that she was made for the big stage. Trevor Patel, who had partnered her in her dismal effort in the Fillies Championship had disclosed that she did not enjoy the soft going on the day and had lost interest.

“She simply did not like the conditions. She lost focus and was just not interested in that race,” said Trevor. The young and promising trainer Sulaiman  agreed with Trevor’s point of view and after a good long consultation with Mr Zeyn Mirza, the URBB team chose to enter Angel Dust for the mega event.

Well enter and canter it proved to be and the `Angel’ provided Sulaiman a Ramzan gift, a ticket to fame, his maiden Derby success. It was also the first Derby victory for the young Trevor at this centre. And the boy, it is needless to mention will cherish it.

“We knew that she was bred to stay. One bad day at the office, let me tell you came as a big disappointment, but we chose to give her another chance on the sole count that she did not like the going on that day and we believed that she had it in her to compete against the best. The result was most satisfying,” said Zeyn.

Trevor did well to race up and followed Southern Surprise, playing the role of a pacemaker to the most fancied stablemate Eternal Flame all the way in the classic 2000 metres journey before he setalight his mount the moment Southern Surprise shot his bolt at the top of the straight. The winner streaked ahead and established a clear four lengths winning lead before pegging back the belated effort of Desert God. Auriga who spearheaded the Colts challenge in what proved to be a lady’s day out  finished third ahead of Flamboyance while Eternal Flame it was clear  failed to negotiate the Derby trip.

It was out and out Dr Vijay Mallya’s day. Earlier Cameron (Admiralofthefleet-Camarioca, Kunigal Stud) recorded her second straight success in the upper division of the Mysore Cup after the public choice Absolutelyfabulous was withdrawn at the starting gates and Azzurro (Azamour - Miss Highjinks, Kunigal Stud) produced a brilliant performance in the hands of Suraj Narredu to win the Kolkata Cup in resplendent style.

Azzurro and Zucchero garnered maximum support in this event run over nine furlongs. While Azzurro impressed, the Irfan Ghatala-trained Zucchero disappointed his supporters.

But Irfan it was who really started well on D-day, winning the first two races through the two favourites Del Porto (Razeen - Burooq, Usha Stud) and the grey Zubaida (Charmo - Kajuraho, Vikram Greenland Stud). The former who was strongly fancied won the opening event in the hands of Anjar Alam while Zubaida provided leading pro Pradeep Chouhan an arm-chair ride to success, making every post a winning one without really raising a sweat in the upper division of the Chennai Cup.

Sirajuddin dropped the biggest bombshell in the Hyderabad Cup, the 20/1 shot Blazing Touch (Sussex-Blazing Rhythm, Badal Stud) edging out the lesser fancied I’ve Got Clout in a thriller. The favourite Native Elements, it appeared had lost his galloping shoes. New Prince caught the eye while finishing a suggestive third and is one for the notebook.

Goldberg (West Virginia-Shades of Beauty, Nakul Stud) and Super Success (Noverre - Landmine, Sohna Stud) were the two other impressive winners on D-day. The former from Neil Darashah’s yard completed a hat-trick, making every post a winning one in the Mumbai Cup while Super Success from Dominic’s yard  who helped Trevor record a treble cantered home in the lower division of the Chennai Cup. The Darius Byramji schooled El Fenix was fancied most in this event, his connections rating him high but he never looked the good type and only managed to finish second behind the smart winner.

The Delhi Cup was claimed by the lesser fancied James Bond (Epicentre - Golden Shower, AB Stud) in style. The winner in his earlier start was a medium of a big gamble which flopped in the hands of Deepak Patel. This time out they took no chances. No Deepak Patel or any one win a year jockey. They put Jagadeesh on the Bond and he readily fired from his Golden Gun.