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WELL CONNECTED WINS FILLIES CHAMPIONSHIP

By Ikram Khan | 23 Jun 2019 | BANGALORE


Mr Zavaray S Poonawalla & trainer S Padmanabhan leading Well Connected (S Zervan Up), winner of The Fillies Championship Stakes (Gr.1)

If it's a classic, it got to be S Padmanabhan. You just cannot ignore this master trainer who has made a habit of winning classics, pulling out many rabbits from the bag. He did it again on Well Connected, a talented daughter of Arazan from the Poonawalla Stud farm who had made a smashing debut this season. Zervan, who is enjoying a fine run this summer produced a brilliant effort on the filly, who only in her second effort emerged the best of her sex and age, winning the first classic of the season, the Fillies Championship Stakes run over a mile. 

Unbeaten from her three starts, Anjeze from Sulaiman Attaollahi's yard was the even money favourite in the big plum. The favourite from the Dashmesh Stud Farm hit the front in the hands of top gun Trevor Patel and dictated the pace all through the mile long classic journey. Thailand tracked the leader while the two other Mumbai hopefuls Hunt For Gold, the second favourite and the lesser fancied Missing You were under pressure even before negotiating the final curve. Anjeze brought the field into view followed by Thailand and the fast improving Well Connected who swept past the leaders in the final furlong to wear the champion filly sash in resplendent style. Thailand did well to finish a game second ahead of Anjeze who found this classic  company too hot to handle. Cosmic Ray, another from Sulaiman's yard who like Well Connected was contesting a classic after winning on debut finished fourth and is one who will make her mark on the classic scene. The same cannot be said of Anjeze, who it appears found the mile trip beyond her compass. 

Earlier, the Bharath Singh-trained Rosina despite a trifle slow jump out of the gates improved gradually and the moment leading pro Trevor Patel packed punch, the goodtype of filly produced a sparkling turn of foot to storm clear and make a emphatic winning debut in the lower division of the Sports Authority Of India Cup run over a sprint. Sasakwa, another debutant in the fray gained the runner-up berth ahead of Queen Regnant while Star Envoy, a Hyderabad hopeful filled the frame. The winner from Kolkata on the strength of this performance is certain to make her presence felt against higher rated horses in the weeks ahead. 

Nawabzaadi from trainer Imtiaz Khan's yard piloted by T S Jodha was strongly fancied to score in the lower division of the Sweet Memories Plate. The favourite after calling the shots for most part ofthe 1100M dash, much to the chagrin of the followers of form lost out in the last stride, rankoutsider Capstone in the hands of Prabhakaran edging out the public choice by the shortest of margins. Another long shot Bold Runner took the third spot ahead of the lesser fancied Grecian Light who was fancied sweetly in place. 

The Padmanabhan schooled Ice Floe garnered the maximum support in the upper division of the Sports Authority Of India Cup. The favourite was quoted at (90/100) while Harbour Sunrise from trainer Prasajnna Kumar's yard, who too had her fair share of followers was backed down from (5/2) to (2/1).  A sharp shower before the start of the event saw the runners and riders in a hurry to gain favourable position early on in the race. Nohoper Buzz Light Year showed the way to Unstoppable. Trevor astride Harbour Sunrise was in box seat tracking the two leaders while David Allan guiding the fortunes of Ice Floe needed to make his run on the outside. The public choice, who looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring assumed command at the distance post and lasted out to score from Hokkaido, who after gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the journey finished on fastest at end sending out a message that more will be heard of this Vishal Gaikwad filly in the months ahead. 
  
The public rage Secretive Force from Darius Byramji's yard who had impressed most, finishing second behind Ambrosio in his last essay was head and shoulders above his five rivals and all jockey Zervan needed to do was to only guide the Darius ward in the A M C Gowda Memorial Trophy run over the 2000M trip. Zervan without moving a muscle did just that and the short-priced filly waltzed to victory. Salvador Dali finished second ahead of Royal Crystal. Secretive Force is in fine nick and is set to provide an encore. The Prasanna Kumar schooled Roma Victor was the top fancy in the Nanoli Stud Plate run over a sprint and the public choice justified the confidence of his supporters getting up in time to snuff out the challenge of Animal Queen close home. Winner of the opening event of the season, Animal Queen in defeat was not disgraced and lives to fight another day. Last start winner Mega Ikon who was touted as a good place bet by the Inayathullah camp did the job coming in third ahead of Tony's Pet. 

The Dheeraj-trained Emidio partnered by Delhi-based Dhanu Singh was backed to the exclusion of his 10 rivals in the concluding event, the upper division of the Sweet Memories Plate. But the strongly backed even-money favourite after making all the running lacked the gas in the tank in the final furlong and had to rest content with the third spot. The second in demand at the betting ring, Varcasva from trainer Irfan Ghatala's yard powerfully piloted by Trevor Patel gained the day ahead of Touch Your Destiny.