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SMITH AND WESSON FIRES ON TARGET

By Epsom Ace | 24 Sep 2019 | KOLKATA


Trainer Vijay Singh leading Smith And Wesson (Hindu Singh Up), winner of The Smart Ruler Cup

Heavy showers throughout the afternoon inconvenienced both punters and professionals but our four-legged friends carried on business as usual amidst the pouring rain. The 2000m race for the Smart Ruler Cup saw a nail-biting finish featuring bottom-weight Smith And Wesson (Abbeyside-Bold Reply) and Multiglory. The former, from trainer Vijay Singh’s yard, prevailed thanks to jockey Hindu Singh’s perseverance after being challenged by Jaiswal’s ward. The top-weight Lord Of The Sea found his weight a stopper in the final quarter of the race after being prominent early on.

Jockey Christopher Alford rode an opportunistic race on Bath-trained Demonstrate (Sedgefield-Dixie Dahlin) to bag the Safari Handicap. Dil Mangey More was on a start-to-finish mission but went wide after the bend, taking Glorious Leaps with him. Alford quickly slipped his mount on the inside to pull off a neat victory in his inimitable fashion. However, there’s no doubt that racing is a great leveller. In the very next race, The Silver Dawn Handicap, his mount Fire Opal was installed as the piping hot even-money favourite. But the filly refused to gallop after jumping out of the gates. The stipes have ordered a mock race to witness her improved showing in the future. The race was won by seven-year-old Joss (Arazan-Sprungli) who ran a great race in the hands of apprentice Vikram to come back with a second wind after Summerhill had threatened to collar him after the turning for home.

Apprentice Rupal Singh opened his account for the day with Jasbir Singh-trained Modification, available at 7/1. The six-year-old mare by Rebuttal out of Hazel Eyes followed front-runner Shanayaa’s Pet till 300m from home and took over the running thereafter. Rupal rode her out with full vigour in the final 100m to clinch the issue by the proverbial whisker from a fast finishing Midnight Magic. The apprentice then rode a powerful finish astride top-weight Dangal (Noverre-Aim To Achieve) to edge out the favourite Tiberon at the wire. The objection by the runner-up against the winner held no water and was a futile exercise from the outset.

Apprentice Paswan’s first winner was the 5/4 favourite Tia Queen (Eljohar-Real Queen) from Bharath Singh’s yard. The filly made every post of The Kiltoi Plate a winning one. The two other fancied runners  (Whispering Grass and Itsamoocow) filled the minor placings. Shafiq Khan-trained Beatrix (Decado-Brilliance) won the 1800m race for the Credit Squeeze Handicap start to finish. The top-weights Elusive Wave and Avellino both ran eye-catching races to occupy the minor placings. The disappointment in the race was Ajeeta.