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MYSTIC ROMANCE DOWNS APTNESS IN DRAMATIC MANNER

By Epsom Ace | 28 Nov 2015 | KOLKATA


Mr Sumant Dalmiya & Trainer Bharath Singh Leading Mystic Romance (Dashrath Singh Up), Winner Of The Chitralekha Cup

Two runners from western India who were having their first outing on the Calcutta track put the local lot to shame despite their statutory penalty of 2.5kg. That result should encourage owners of all denomination to import more runners from that part of the country. While one was a heavily gambled favourite, aptly named Make Way For Me, the other (Mystic Romance) was neglected in the ring and available at 7/1. In both cases, trainer Vijay Singh’s fancied runners (Jupiter and Aptness) got the rough end of the stick. The leading trainer thus ended up with a blank scoresheet.

It was an afternoon that belonged to Christopher Alford, who notched up a treble, and Dashrath Singh, who brought home a brace – both runners saddled by Bharath Singh. It would be fair to say that Dashrath had to earn his distinction with a little more effort as he had to overhaul Alford’s mount on both occasions.

Alford has been conspicuous this season by donning silks other than his regular red-and-gold and yet coming out on top. Rather ironically, he was declared atop Javed Khan-trained Make Way For Me (Mizzen Mast – My Melody Maker) who got the better of much fancied Jupiter from Vijay’s yard in the race for the Robin Hood Handicap. Alford’s superior saddle artistry was partly responsible for the result as he took the shortest route home after lying a handy second while Shailesh Shinde atop another recent import Jupiter took his mount six wide and then changed course to the rails to finish close up. Both runners were going flat out. The rest of the field were rather sadly outclassed by this outstation pair.

The main event, The Chitralekha Cup, saw Aptness installed as the firm favourite. Next in demand were Lanner Falcon and Pick Pocket. However, none of them had any answer to the rousing gallop of the four-year-old filly Mystic Romance (Placerville – Mystic Dancer/ Poonawalla Stud) in the home stretch. The favourite came out of the gates like a scalded cat and jockey C. Alford did well to maintain that lead till the final furlong where the eventual winner and Dasrath Singh flew past the front-runner. The filly had last won in Pune at the top of Class IV before notching up victory here at the bottom of Class II.

The afternoon commenced well for trainer Bath and jockey C. Alford as they combined to bring home the honours with Spyro (Glory Of Dancer – Catherine Linton/ Kehelan Stud), a half-money favourite. The filly followed pace-setter Highly Explosive till the 800 marker before shooting ahead. Dashrath was using the stick on Scarborough Fair from before the final bend but the eventual winner was travelling a little too well for the challenger.

Bath and Alford combined again for Another Glory (pun intended). The filly, also by Glory Of Dancer, is out of Another Star (Kehelan Stud).  In this race, Romantic Society was backed down to 18/10 but ran like a dud. At no point of the seven-furlong event did she seem like raising a gallop. Forest Dunes and Another Glory fought for a brief period in the straight before the latter pulled away under the whip. Bang Bang was a decent runner-up and continued to earn his corn bill without hoisting the winning flag. The colt is still a maiden.

Robert Gowli’s Mellow Fellow (a full brother to useful sprinter Gimme Credit) took a leaf out of his sibling’s book and gave half-money favourite Amazing Legend and the rest a lesson in sprinting. Jockey Nikhil had to do precious little on the runaway sprinter by Chevalier out Star Pride (Ruia Stud)  who made every post a winning one at nourishing odds of 4/1.

Bharath Singh-trained Bournville (European-Cindy Lou Two) was hard ridden by Dashrath to get the better of the public choice Lineage who was piloted by C. Alford in the race for The Comedy Of Errors Handicap. Initial pace-setter Ivy faded out in the latter half of the race. Being a light-framed filly, she may be feeling the strain of three runs in a month’s time.

After her two wins during the monsoon meet, Kanya Kalyan (Mull Of Kintyre- Fatat Alarab/ Sohna Stud) completed a hat-trick  when she won The Bengal Area Cup in the hands of Ashhad Asbar. Flanker ran a great second while Adanna was a tame third. No Politics Please was only prominent till the bend before calling it a day.