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BARACCHUS WINS CIVIL SERVICE CUP IN FINE STYLE

By Ikram Khan | 11 Jun 2016 | BANGALORE


Trainer S Padmanabhan leading Baracchus (A Sandesh Up), winner of The Civil Service Cup Div-1

Railbirds enjoyed a fairly  good run on the eve of the first  classic of the season, the Fillies Championship Stakes, four firm favourites and one well supported second choice Blue Blazer from trainer Prasanna Kumar’s yard coming through in the nine-event card.

The  Padmanabhan trained Baracchus  strongly fancied after  his suggestive effort in his last essay cruised home in  the upper division of the Civil Service Cup  while the lesser fancied Pearl Secret  from the stables of Arvind Ganapathy  piloted by French saddle artiste David Breux won the lower division easily snuffing out the challenge of Super Queen and the favourite Captain Cook who was not spot on and also found the trip a trifle too sharp.

David Breux  astride  Pearl Secret produced a copybook effort , settling the Arvind ward nice and easy in the rear group  as  Madame Sultana set the pace followed by Captain Cook.  Breux brought Pearl Secret with a good run at the distance  post  and the progeny of Rebuttal produced a good turn of foot to overhaul   Super Queen.  Captain Cook  finished  third and will benefit most after this effort.

On past performance  Arvak  looked  good in the  Lumbini Stud Plate and the Darius Byramji ward justified the confidence of his supporters in the hands of Pradeep Chouhan who needed to pack punch to edge out the Mumbai hopeful Sydney Harbour who after seizing the initiative from Saladin looked on line to score before Arvak got up in time to enter the winners’ circle.

Multi App and Storm Ahead from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard  garnered the maximum support in the Royal Challenge Plate run over a mile but it was the other unfancied Arjun ward Swiss Eagle who floored the railbirds romping home in the hands of Mudassar  who records not more than one or two winners in a full season.  Both the top fancies performed below par. Swiss Eagle won from last start winner  Hostess who stayed on despite attempting start to finish tactics to take the second position ahead of Desert Guilt.

Prasanna Kumar trained Blue Blazer was a medium of a well planned gamble. The connections confident that the horse had improved most after  his winter campaign chose to let Prashanth Dhebe guide his fortunes knowing that the apprentice cannot claim allowance in this race and that put off most followers of form who then went bang-bang on Papakodia from Inayathullah’s yard  who closed a firm favourite in the Own Opinion Trophy.

After Papakodia hit the front, Dhene too quickly pushed Blue Blazer too track the leader all through the 1100M trip before the Prasanna ward  gained control in the final furlong to the delight of his connections.

Neil Darashah trained Arctic Convoy who had faltered close home with a tearaway effort in the hands of Suraj Narredu in his last effort was expected to make amends with the trainer opting to go in with a four kilos apprentice Vishal  in the upper division of the Diablo Plate.  Vishal just could not get it right and the favourite lost all his chances before the field negotiated the final curve.  Precious  Glitter shaped to record an encore but close home, was overhauled by lesser fancied Wise Guy. Cool Springs was third.

Suraj Narredu back  after a three-week break following  a fall during morning trials  had no problem in steering favourite Native Elements to a comfortable win over Youresohandsome in the lower division of the race.

Suleiman Attaollahi trained Opening Act was backed as if there was no other horse in the race. The winner competing in the Star Sunrise Plate duly obliged though the Kolkata hopeful  Say You Say Me emerged the most impressive runner in this event.

The one-sided support for Thundersquall  in the Mahalakshmi Plate defied logic. The favourite failed to live up to expectations. Arjun Mangalorkar trained One More Toy came good in the hands of leading pro S John. Winter Bloom finished second and is ready to earn her corn bill in her next start.