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SIR CECIL SERVES A STRONG CLASSIC MESSAGE

By Ikram Khan | 21 May 2018 | BANGALORE


Mr Tegbir Brar & trainer S Padmanabhan leading Sir Cecil (Neeraj Rawal Up), winner of The Karnataka Juvenile Million (Gr.2)

Well it appears that the summer season has lost its appeal. The first two day’s racing failed to generate interest among the sporting buffs who chose to watch IPL on Sunday and preferred to debate on the prospects of the new coalition government in the state on Monday.

Sir Cecil’s smashing victory apart, the seven-event card on Monday saw yards of yawns in the stands, punters pointing out that lack of competitive races and the fact that only seven races were framed made it a boring exercise. The attendance, it is learnt was down and this effectively hit the tote collections hard.  The tote has lost its appeal, the win and place bettors choosing to place their bets with the many illegal bookies readily offering better odds in every stand and it is time the men calling the shots plug this leak.

Sir Cecil who was the best youngster on view in winter started his campaign on a killer note, winning the Karnataka Juvenile Million by a widening margin of 18 lengths. The talented grey from Padmanbhan’s yard, it must be mentioned was pitted against four very ordinary rivals but the manner in which he romped through suggests that he is in the classic mould and is a frontliner for the summer classics.

One other who impressed most was Dancing Dragon, the winner of the principal added attraction, the Dr T Thimmaiah Memorial Cup run over a distance of seven furlongs. In line for a hat-trick after winning from his last two starts in winter, Dancing Dragon fancied strongly by the right connections cantered home in the hands of Zervan. The winner is in great heart and is set to maintain his winning streak when saddled next. Automatic again finished second ahead of Great Tribute while the Punjabi Girl failed to provide the `Tadka’ to the finish.

The opening event, the Esquire Plate saw the well prepared New Creation from trainer Padmanabhan’s yard sail home despite failing to gain a favourable position early on in the race. The debutant it is clear found the sprint trip a trifle sharp and will relish an extended journey.

Final Destiny from trainer Manohar’s yard dropped the biggest bombshell winning the Udhagamandalam Plate in the hands of apprentice jockey Md.Akram. The winner edged out the favourite Purity much to the chagrin of the favourite punters though a handful fluke seekers who punched tickets on the Manohar ward going by numerology or lucky colours were handsomely rewarded, the winner paying out Rs 878 on a tenner at the totalizator window.

The Sulaiman Attaollahi schooled Athena had the best credentials in the upper division of the Bourbon King Plate and the well supported on-money favourite like New Creation despite a sluggish start produced a winning gallop at the all-important end to score from Del Porto. Buscadero finished a creditable third ahead of Prince Azeem and it will not be long before this Pradeep ward enters the winners’ circle.

 Happy Dancing from Sharath Kumar’s yard was heavily backed in the Lady Gibraltar Plate but the public choice after streaking ahead in the final furlong failed to match strides with the lesser fancied Midnight Sky from Nithyanand’s yard.

In the final event, the lower division of the Bourbon King Plate, another Nithyanand ward, As Time Goes By and Standout from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard received maximum support and at the end it was Standout who stood out chalking out a facile win. Golden Success impressed most while finishing second ahead of Birchwood while As Time Goes By plodded in to finish a poor fourth.