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Time To Celebrate Wins Day's Feature

By Pearcey | 13 Feb 2008 | MYSORE


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Last outing runner-up Time To Celebrate made full use of the allowance claimed by apprentice Praveen, and lasted out to lift The Smt. Satyavati V Char Memorial Cup, which happened to be the feature in a long ten event card framed for Wednesday's racing at Mysore. The field of a dozen runners included quite a few well fancied horses led by the Appu ridden World Peace. This filly was the only four year old running in this race and had been heavily penalised for her last effortless victory in the lower class. Her connections obviously thought that she would be able to handle that penalty, and accordingly backed her down to first favouritism. It was the Vinod Shinde ridden Sandokan, who made all the running with Time To Celebrate in close attendance. These two opened up a huge gap ahead of the rest led by World Peace. Appu had perhaps imagined that in this mile event the front runners would come back to him, but on seeing that they were not relenting, brushed up his horse round the final bend. Time To Celebrate got the measure of Sandokan in the last furlong and lasted out to win from him, while World Peace ended a close third. The rest were totally outclassed. The use of an apprentice by Dinesh Pujar on this horse was a clever move. This trainer was able to successfully use the same tactics in the last race of the day when he again declared Praveen and claimed an allowance on his last outing winner Ride And Shine. By doing so, he negated the penalty given to him by the handicapper for his previous victory. The youngster took the speedy Ride And Shine to the front, and although Gnaneshwar challenged them strongly with Irish Whispers, was able to hold on to his lead and won by half a length. Fire Brigade was an impressive third. Gnaneshwar had three wins this afternoon, and in doing so, took his winning tally to twenty. With three more days of racing this season, he is bound to set a record which may not be broken in a hurry. The well bred Special Gallery (Steinbeck-Blue Gardenia) was an even money favourite to win the sprint race for three year olds. This Darashah trained colt gave an armchair ride to Gnaneshwar, who had the pleasure of easing his mount much before the winning post. His nearest rival was Fit For Fray, who finished quite a few lengths ahead of Mellbourne lady. Most of the others performed poorly are expected to be racing in the lowest class in the near future. Mint Royal and Worth A Gold were his other two winners for the day. Both of them were backable at 6's and over and were easy winners of their respective races. Mint Royal loves to race in front, and in doing so, used to get beaten in the last hundred metres in his previous starts. Gnaneshwar decided to change the style of riding this time ,and decided to bide his time till well into the straight. It paid him rich dividends as Mint Royal quickened nicely and held on from a hard ridden and well backed Satin Slipper. Appu ride a neat race on the runner-up, but was unlucky to find one better on this occasion. His third winner, Worth A Gold won a mile event with a degree of comfort. The two market fancies in this race, namely, Snow Leopard and Star Of Paradise were not sighted. The early leader Berkeley Square was easily passed by the winner, and just held onto the second spot from a fast finishing Haley's Comet. Trainer Sharat Kumar started the day’s proceedings by winning the first two races of the day. These were the two divisions of a sprint race for horses in the lowest class. Wellington was the favourite to win the opener, and did so, but not before giving anxious moments to his backers. He got up on the last stride to nail a front running Gemsbok. Much More won the second race with a degree of comfort by getting the measure of Adventurous World and Sunlaa in the last 300 metres. Monappa's ward Everblazing had a second successive win within a fortnight when he came with a long stretch run and smoothly passed the frontrunning Ambiens. Ho Chi Minh came from further behind to finish a creditable third. The two market leaders in this race, Pal Joey and Zooming, were seen gracing the rear end of the field as the runners went past the winning post.