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STAR SUPERIOR LIVES UP TO HIS NAME

By Epsom Ace | 23 Jan 2020 | KOLKATA


Trainer Rajesh Narredu leading Star Superior (Suraj Narredu Up), winner of the Indian Champion Cup (Gr.1)

The murky weather failed to deter trainer Vijay Singh and jockey Suraj Narredu from picking up four winners each during Thursday’s races. Trainer Rajesh Narredu’s Star Superior (Excellent Art-Ramjet) with Suraj Narredu astride staved off a strong challenge from Adjudicate to lift the Indian Champion Cup at RCTC on Thursday. The 6/4 favourite Desert God finished up a tame fourth behind pacemaker Shivansh. Lying a handy second behind Shivansh till the top of the straight, Star Superior shot ahead and maintained his advantage till the wire.

Jockey Suraj Narredu was in top form as he guided home three other favourites – Abhya Gama, Izzy and Black Pearl. The last named, a colt by Planetaire out of Alvarita, thus completed an amazing hat-trick of wins after earlier in the season pocketing the HJJC Cup and Indian Produce Stakes with ease. Today’s runaway triumph in the Indian Champagne Stakes places him in the highest bracket among the country’s three-year-olds. To top it all, the handsome colt appeared to be running well within himself throughout the seven-furlong event. This ward of trainer Vijay Singh, running in the glamorous goldie-brown colours of the late Dr MAM Ramaswamy, is certain to be the cynosure of all eyes whenever and wherever he runs next.

After her failure in the Oaks, the connections of Izzy (Western Aristocrat-La Joie De Vie) decided to revert to sprints with their filly and she didn’t let them down. The Aashay Doctor-trained winner of the 1000 Guineas won the seven-furlong race for The Republic Cup with a degree of comfort.

Trainer Shafiq Khan’s Aggression (Surfrider-Amouresque) bagged the Albert Piperno Memorial Cup with Afzal Khan in the saddle. The mare was available at 7/1. Both Roxor and Atom attracted a lot of betting in the ring but failed to impress. It’s possible that their heavy imposts had their say. This cup was in memory of one of the most affable and popular bookmakers seen at this centre – always ready to help a losing punter with a tip or two.

Trainer Vijay Singh too notched up a quadruple during the afternoon, his first two winners being Abhya Gama and Excelsior. Sired by the prolific Multidimensional out of Violet Honey, Abhya Gama once again gave Suraj an armchair ride in the SS Bala Memorial Cup. Second favourite Aquaracer was an utter flop and seems more suited to sprints. The best or the rest was top-weight Sabrejet.

The filly Excelsior (Whatsthescript-Loveofmylife) bagged the Tolly 125 years Celebration Cup in her maiden start at this centre. Jockey Nikhil Naidu atop the winner had her placed in a box seat behind front-running Rare Bird and made his move at the top of the straight. The public choice Beat The Bank didn’t look like a winner at any stage of the race and ended up third.

The curtain came down with trainer Vijay Singh leading in his biggest outsider of the day – Asmita (Speaking Of Which-Veena’s Star). The filly was guided home by apprentice Hasib Alam who had to keep at bay the threatening Siroco. Fancied runner Glendower and public choice Fireburg finished third and fourth respectively.