It all went according to the script in the Calcutta Oaks run on Saturday, barring the nasty fall of jockey DK Ashish from his mount Bold As Brass at the centre’s infamous hairpin bend just before heads turn for home. The lad is in critical condition at the Belle Vue nursing home.

The mile-and-half classic, popularly known as ‘The Ladies Derby’ saw Real Presence (C. Alford up) take up the running as the gates opened with Cameron a handy second. They were followed by Sunset Sail, Adrestia, Bold As Brass, Stevalena and the others. The front-runner was setting a good pace and the order remained virtually the same till heads turned for home, except the fact that Sunset Sail failed to meet the class and dropped out of the race quite early to end up dead last. It was her stablemate Waveafterwave who moved up with Adrestia in the home stretch and battled for the runner-up berth with the former prevailing quite easily. There was however no chance whatsoever of the duo catching the eventual winner Cameron as the prized property of Dr Vijay Mallya was travelling fluently with Trevor in the saddle and pulling away from her rivals. Trainer Attaollahi’s ward is a product of the highly successful Kunigal Stud and is sired by the late Admiralofthefleet out of the mare Camarioca. Her next target is the Indian Oaks confirmed her trainer. The connections have given the Calcutta Derby a bye, possibly because the ante-post Derby favourite and Calcutta 2000 Guineas winner Desert God had outclassed her in the Deccan Derby.

In the first race, as jockey Trevor failed to arrive on time due to late arrival of his plane, trainer Rounak Banerji was permitted to substitute Jockey P S Chouhan to ride his charge Haymaker (Vale Of York-Knockenduff) which nailed Dashrath’s mount Sam Houston at the wire. The rookie schooler went on to notch up the first double of his career when Raw Silk (New Famous-Silken Magic/ Yeravada Stud) moved with giant strides on the wide outside to sail past The Talisman in the sprint for the INS Hooghly Cup. An elated B. Mahesh raised his left hand in celebration as he flashed past the winning post. The favourite Adanna was never a threat to the winner.

The handicapper enjoyed his share of success during the day as apart from the opener, close finishes were witnessed in the races for the Navy Cup and RWITC Cup. The mile race for The Navy Cup was an interesting affair for several reasons. For one, aided by her newly acquired Pacifier Blinkers, the top-weight Anarosa was ridden well off the pace and displayed remarkable acceleration in the straight to end up a decent third. The finish was fought by last outing failure Murlough Bay and the favourite Romantic Magic with the former prevailing under the whip. Retained jockey Ashhad Asbar rode the Richard Alford-trained winner by Mull Of Kintyre out of Khatinza (Sohna Stud). The veteran trainer told this correspondent that ‘he was pleasantly surprised by the filly’s sudden improved showing as she had just come out of a training setback’. Well, she certainly displayed the guts of a fighter as she won under the whip close home.  

The RWITC Cup saw a blanket finish featuring Bharath Singh-trained Bullet, Gentle Knowledge and Copernicus with the first-named prevailing by the proverbial whisker. Dashrath Singh rode a hard finish on the Major Impact-Euro Star eight-year-old to land the spoils and bring some consolation for joint owners JP Khaitan, SN Mookherjee and Sumant Dalmiya after the fall of their filly Bold As Brass in The Oaks.

Arti Doctor’s speedster Fire Song (Alnasr Alwasheek – Firefoot/ Poona Stud) brought the curtain down with a start-to-finish triumph in the TN Banerjea Cup. She however shifted out in the straight and inconvenienced Midnight Magic, who too hung in under pressure as Trevor turned on the heat. Deamz Unlimited moved well along the rails but was done in by her heavy luggage.

Jockey Ashish’s mishap: After happily pocketing the second race in a close finish while astride Say You Say Me, young and talented jockey  DK Ashish, who is yet to celebrate his 27^th birthday, was struck down by the gory hand of fate in the Calcutta Oaks run on Saturday. At the centre’s infamous hairpin bend, his mount Bold As Brass clipped the heels of the filly in front and took a nasty tumble, which literally saw the jockey crushed by 400 kg of thoroughbred flesh as she rolled over him. The rider lost consciousness immediately and was rushed to the Belle Vue clinic where a team of leading neurologists are treating him. He has suffered a severe head injury and internal haemorrhage and is in an extremely critical condition. Two other riders from western India, his cousin Neeraj Rawal and Zervan, both decided to keep vigil at the nursing home on Saturday night. 

Whether Ashish had any notion or premonition of the impending disaster is difficult to say, but it is learnt from reliable sources that he did mention to another of his colleagues from Mumbai that he felt all was not well with the filly, who incidentally returned lame after the accident. Had the lad requested a veterinary examination of the filly at that point of time, there is always a chance that she may been withdrawn and the tragedy avoided. Unfortunately, it was not to be and his fate currently hangs in the balance.

Speaking to this correspondent, the chief medical officer of RCTC, Dr Gautam Ghosh, was hoping for a ‘miracle’ as his condition was described as ‘extremely critical’ with fluctuating blood pressure and other unstable parameters. Prayers from the entire racing fraternity for the young lad would be in order to better his condition as soon as possible.