Indiarace.com - india's first & foremost horse racing portal

LUCKY CHANCE WINS KITTY BANK TROPHY

By Ikram Khan | 19 Feb 2022 | BANGALORE


Trainer S Dominic leading Lucky Chance (D S Deora Up), winner of The Kitty Bank Trophy

Looking to record his fourth straight victory and keep himself in contention for the `Horse Of The Season' crown, Black Coffee from Neil Darashah's yard partnered again by Ahsan Qureshi failed in his mission to maintain his winning streak . The public choice competing in the plum event, the Kitty Bank Trophy  shot to the front and dominated the proceedings for most part of the seven furlongs event before he went `phut' like a pricked balloon in the final furlong. Lucky Chance who went down close home in his effort to record a hat-trick on Derby-day, produced another stellar performance to register his third win from four starts and this Dominic ward is now in the race for the coveted crown. Dhanu Singh Deora astride Lucky Chance produced a copybook effort to the delight of the owner H Thambbuswamy, who proudly led in the winner. It is good to see small owners win races with horses purchased from small stud farms. This effectively provides hope to the small investors in the game and that's good for racing. Cherokee Moon in the hands of Vinod Shinde caught the eye while finishing a game second ahead of Musterion and is one for the note book. 

Fortunatus from trainer Padmanabhan's yard and Triumphant from the stables of Sulaiman Attaollhi were fancied most in the Trombay Plate run over a sprint. The former looked  good in the paddock parade and soon was the overwhelming favourite. The Irish pro Shane Gray astride the Padmanabhan ward shot ahead the moment the eight youngsters came under the starter's flag for the sprint event and easily held the advantage approaching the distance post before Yash Narredu partnering the lesser fancied Ashwa Yudhvir packed punch and after a ding-dong battle in the final furlong, it was Yash and Ashwa Yudhvir who came out on tops to the delight of their supporters. To the credit of Yash Narredu, it must be mentioned that he remained calm and composed all through the engaging contest before clinching the issue in the final few strides. The Triumphant failed to match strides with the top two and had to rest content with the third spot ahead of Aguila. 

A smart last start winner, Analect from Prasanna Kumar's yard was backed to the exclusion of her seven rivals in the Kallathigiri Falls Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs and the even-money favourite produced another top draw effort in the hands of leading pro Trevor Patel  to record her second straight success. Smithsonian from Arvind Ganapathy's yard in his bid to make every post a winning one found the public choice too hot to handle but nevertheless held on gamely to gain the runner-up berth ahead of Aherne while Augusto completed the frame. 

The Sulaiman shooled Magellan opened the favourite in the concluding event, the Hooghly Plate run over a sprint. The Prithviraj-trained Beautiful Oblivian on the strength of her second behind Embosom was second in demand at the betting ring before money came pouring in on the Azhar Ali-trained Knotty City making her debut. The big coup on Knotty City just failed to materialise, the debutant who warmed up late finishing only a `neck' behind the winner Beautiful Oblivion. Leading pro John was at his best on the Prithviraj ward who was offered (7/2) after opening at (9/4) and this was largely due to the big betting on Knotty City  slammed down to (5/2) from (9/2) at the start. Magellan who at one stage looked good to seize the initiative and score finished a tame third ahead of Force Assault . 

Earlier, the lesser fancied Twinkle Feet from Imtiaz Khan's yard powerfully piloted by Ashhad Asbar comfortably beat the even-money favourite Unyielding from Darius Byramji's yard in the opener. Queen Regnant impressed most while finishing third and it will not be long before this six-year-old mare from Aravind Ganapathy's yard earns her cornbill. 

Livisilla from Neil Darashah's yard garnered the maximum support in the Ellora Caves Plate run over a mile, but the public choice piloted by John met a tartar in Eco Friendly who produced his best in the hands of Sai Kumar to romp home a convincing winner. Another Rainbow from M R Singh's yard finished third  ahead of Mrs Thatcher.