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Holding Court proves his class

By Sharan Kumar | 30 Mar 2005 | BANGALORE


Holding Court (Appu up) winner of the Nanoli Stud Bangalore Juvenile Million (Gr 2) being led in by trainer Mr. Padmanabhan & owner Mr. Haresh N. Mehta

The well-built Holding Court effectively tackled the opposition to lift the Gr.2 Nanoli Stud Bangalore Juvenile Million which featured the concluding day’s Bangalore Winter Season on Wednesday. Holding Court looked invincible on the basis of his blazing workouts but there were a few skeptics who believed that Amazing Striker could prove more than a handful and as such, both were spiritedly backed in the ring. In the event, the Padmanabhan trained Holding Court was not hard-pressed to claim the event from Amazing Striker and Turbo shot. Now that he has won a race of this nature in only his third run, Holding Court should be in limelight during the Summer Season and going by his style of running, he can tackle the mile long trip too if he learns to settle better during a race. Holding Court’s victory gave first season sire Royal Kingdom a great boost. Royal Kingdom already boasts of a high strike rate from his first crop. Owned by Messrs Shyam Ruia, Khusroo Dhunjibhoy and Shapoor Misty, Royal Kingdom along with Burden of Proof, another son of Fairy King, have caught the imagination of Indian race horse buyers. The Nanoli Million, traditionally held on the concluding day of the season, gives scope for horses which have missed out on the plums earlier in the season due to some setback or the other. However, the disappointing field of six runners did not do justice to the high stake money offered for the race. Holding Court who had been hitting the headlines for his workouts was expected to translate those expectations into a winning performance. Amazing Striker had won in splendid fashion at Chennai during the Invitation Cup weekend races and as such a battle royal was on cards. Steed Stack hit the front as the starter dispatched the field for the seven furlong trip, with Appu struggling to settle Holding Court who was fighting for freedom to run the way he wanted. Appu managed to restrain him in the second position but not for long and the favourite bounced into the lead on turning for home, with Amazing Striker in close attendance. Holding Court quickened nicely and was traveling comfortably in front and he was in no danger of being overhauled by Amazing Striker. Turbo Shot finished on from behind finishing third while Scintillating Skill, once rated as a top prospect, disappointed. The winner clocked an excellent time of one minute 25.9 seconds. Padmanabhan signed off the season with a double as three-year old Aashirwaad came out of the maiden’s ranks in taking style in the 1400 metres Madhugiri Trophy. After tracking Worth A Gold into the straight, Aashirwaad burst clear to win by a widening margin of over five lengths from Grantown who was flat-footed. The Jayanagar Stakes (Div I) went the way of favourite Linette who easily had the measure of Cellisima while in the lower division, trainer Inayathulla trained Power of Gold gave no chance whatsoever to favourite War Head to win in a smart time of one minute 13.9 seconds. In fact, Inayathulla who had only a solitary win to his credit until the final day, ended the season on a happy note with a treble. Breeze Dancer won at fancy odds at the expense of Aspen Bay when She’s A Bird, the favourite, played truant. She’s A Bird has been waited with for well over a year and under the circumstances, expecting a good price on her is going to be an exercise in futility. Inayathulla’s other winner of the day came through Sporty who managed to edge out Reach Out and Green Park. Lancaster towered over the opposition in the Kudremukh Trophy, a mile race for horses rated 40 and above, the supporting event of the day. However, Jumping For Joy and Mystic Heights shared the market support. In the event, Lancaster proved too good for the duo, winning with a great deal of ease in a brilliant time of one minute 38.4 seconds despite carrying 64 kgs on his back. The track no doubt was hard but then there is no denying Lancaster’s class. Sandokan was available at nourishing odds and the four-year old too seemed to enjoy running to potential under such circumstances. Sandokan moved on the wide outside to easily collar the front-running Kartikerri. Favourite Auberge was not up to carrying the top-weight. In the day’s other action, Silver Victress recorded an encore, winning at nourishing odds. Favourite Maggie Thatcher was not sighted.