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A Hat-trick Performance By Young Soldier

By Mirror Image | 10 Jan 2011 | HYDERABAD


Col.S.B.Nair & trainer Anupam Sharma leading Young Soldier (P S Chouhan Up), winner of The Ch.Sathyanarayana Rao of Itkyal Memorial Cup

Anupam Sharma-trained Young Soldier (Hymn-Spirit of Patxi) lifted The Ch. Sathyanarayana Rao Of Itkyal Memorial Cup, the feature of Monday’s races at Hyderabad. Having won his previous two outings, Young Soldier completed a hat-trick of wins. Pitched against horses in the highest category for the first time, Young Soldier chased the leader Fabulous Crown till mid-way up the straight from where P.S. Chouhan got into the act and the four-year property of Col. S.B. Nair galloped resolutely, to storm ahead and win. Above The Line and Dancing Touch warmed up late to finish second and third respectively. Tristar was withdrawn before the race.

L. D’Silva, trainer of Above The Line raised an objection against the rider of Young Soldier for coming in sharply immediately after jumping out, thereby unbalancing his charge. After reviewing the race, the stewards overruled the objection and stuck to the original order of placing. Col. S.B.Nair’s Rohini Star (European-Cindy Lou Two) made a smashing debut, in the division I of The Galactica Plate. Ektto Ektto Ektto failed in his attempt to run away with the race, from start to finish. Rohini Star put in a strong challenge inside the last 300 metres and surged clear in the last 50 metres. A Horizontal Urge and Grande Comore were withdrawn before the race.

The lower division, which was the opening race of the day was won by M. Sathyanarayana-trained Stadium Of light (Black Cash-Porche Too), denying the hot favourite Dazzling Princess a victory on the last stride. Dazzling Princess was on a start-to-finish mission and with a furlong left it looked like he would have it easy, but Stadium Of Light started the bridge the gap and got the better by a ‘head’ on the last stride. Trainer Donald Netto reaped it rich with a good double, through Alexander Square and Gabriel.

Alexander Square (Ajaad-Celeste) surged ahead of the top-weighted Gallant Prince on top of the straight and cruised away for a three-length victory. Flash Of Emerald fought out with Gallant Prince to finish second. Gabriel (Epicentre-Grand Destiny) was ably ridden by apprentice Kiran Naidu to claim The Nilgiris Plate, run over a metric mile. Craven Cottage, who was in the lead showed signs of veering out in the final furlong and Naidu quickly changed his course to make a run along the inner rails and moved strongly to win by a ‘head’.

Kiran Naidu rode a double, booting home trainer Faiyaz Shaikh’s Narwhal (Western Verse-Café Society) to a comfortable win, in the higher division of The Concordial Plate. Settling well in third, behind Avon Gorge and Zone till the top of the straight, Narwhal streaked through the two in front and skipped away fluently. The Parliament finished second ahead of Mighty Power. The lower division was won by the public fancy, Amber Rose (Kly Green-Fine Glance).

Cannon Act was quick to take a good position after the start and led till beaten by Amber Rose inside the final 100 metres. Aneres finished third with a late run. Zoheb Shaikh’s Glen Gyle (Eljohar-Turkish Dancer) managed to hold on from the late-finishing True Future, in the lower division of The Musical Morn Plate. Hot Favourite Ashleen State had to bite the dust after leading till the last 250 metres, finishing fourth behind Sun Strikes.