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LADY LEGEND PROVES TOO GOOD IN PLUM EVENT

By Ikram Khan | 15 Jun 2019 | BANGALORE


Mr P Prabhakar Reddy & trainer S S Attaollahi leading Lady Legend (A Sandesh Up), winner of The Winner's Circle Trophy

On a day most well backed contestants waltzed to victory to the delight of the followers of form, the in-form Lady Legend from the stables of Sulaiman Attaollahi, who had finished second behind Knotty Ash in her last essay easily came up tops in the Winner's Circle Trophy, the plum event run over a sprint on Saturday. 

Leading pro Sandesh pushed the on-money favourite to the front, the moment the nine contestants came under the starter's flag and never let the initiative slip romping home in fine style. Lady Legend like Knotty Ash is in rousing form and is certain to add a couple of more wins to her list this season. A thrilling last start winner Courage piloted by Yash Narredu finished on purposefully at end to take the second spot ahead of stablemate Kambaku, while the Hyderabad challenger Exclusivenorthwind took the fourth spot. Mumbai mainhope Arabia from the stables of Pesi Shroff's yard, who had started her campaign this summer on a winning note tracked the winner for most part of the trip before she surprisingly packed up at the top of the straight and to the disappointment of her supporters finished in the ruck.

The principal added attraction, the K N Chennabasappa Memorial Trophy produced a thrilling finish, the two lesser fancied contestants, Spiritous from trainer Prasanna Kumar's yard piloted by Antony Raj and the Dominic schooled Castaway partnered by Imran Khan locked in a ding-dong battle in the final furlong before last start winner Spiritous to the delight of her trainer gained the day at the shadow of the winning post. The Hyderabad challenger Victory Parade came home third ahead of the favourite Treasure Delight who after gaining a favourable position early on in the race lacked the gas in the tank to make a race of it.

In the opening event, the Everynsky Plate, the public rage Port Of Beauty from trainer Prasanna Kumar's yard, who appeared head and shoulders above her seven rivals made every post a winning one without unduly extending herself. The Dominic-trained Silver Swift, who had made the frame in her earlier start this season moved up two places, gaining the runner-up berth ahead of Antheia while Debonair took the fourth spot.

In the second event, the lower division of the Kranji Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs, the well supported Glorious days from trainer Inayathullah's yard confidently piloted by leading pro Pradeep Chouhan proved too good for her nine rivals including the second in demand at the betting ring, Shivalik Show who failed to display her true potential and at the end it was no show from Shivalik Show. Purity from Arjun Manglorkar's yard finished second ahead of Dallas while Turf Prospector who was fancied most in place failed to make it, losing out the place money by a `neck'.

The upper division of the event saw young trainer Azhar Ali land a successful coup on Shivalik Kiss. The winner which was quoted at (6/1) in the morning odds was backed down to (11/10) in the betting ring. Shobhan Babu guiding the fortunes of the Azhar ward never really needed to break a sweat guiding the good looking winner, who donkey-licked the opposition, putting the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. Shivalik Kiss is at the top of his game and is set to provide an encore. Scarlet Princess finished second ahead of Sadaqat who appeared to need this run.  

The Prithviraj schooled Depth Charge was heavily backed in the lower division of the Diablo Plate run over a sprint, the insiders and right connections touting the on-money favourite a `moral certainty'. The public choice proved them all right cantering home in the hands of Delhi-based pro Dhanu Singh. Princess Pride who made the initial running held on gamely to take the second spot ahead of Lovely Sierra while Anakin from trainer Pradeep's yard who opened at (2/1) at the start before being offered at (4/1) only managed to finish a poor fourth. 

Prithviraj again struck through the well backed Candlelightqueen in the concluding event, the upper division of the Diablo Plate to return home with a big smile. The winner who looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring assumed command at the distance post and stormed through in the hands of Darshan to score in resplendent style. Ido What I Do from Prasanna's yard who shared the professional honours with Prithviraj recording a double, had a fair share of followers but all that the Prasanna ward could do was finish third behind Tokyo Rose.