The piping hot-favourite Aboline won the 1,600m Casino Royale, Goa, Calcutta 2,000 Guineas on Saturday but the victory failed to justify the Arjun Mangalorkar-trained colts` crammed odds. The Burden Of Proof colt barely managed to spare half-a-length to trainer Daniel David`s Fair Option, raising hope of reversal of form in the more important 2,400m Calcutta Derby billed for January 10, next year. Christopher Alford rode the colt to victory.

Aboline, apparently, looked like short of preparations after his five months lay-off since winning the 2,000m Bangalore (summer) Derby. Arjun did pump in plenty of track works during the last six weeks but the morning exercises just about proved inadequate to supplement a race run. Aboline`s Guineas ` victory, therefore, did leave a nagging doubt in punters` mind if the colt would be a safe bet in the Derby .

The jockey and the trainer, however, viewed it as a gutsy performance coming from Aboline despite the horse`s long lay-off from the track. They were of firm belief that Aboline would be close to his known form in the next four weeks.

	File Photo - Aboline

The Guineas was run on expected lines with Aboline hitting the front with a two-length lead over Spectacular Style while Fair Option was close behind, third. Aboline, though going a double-handful, increased the lead to five lengths at the halfway stage, forcing the entire field to be off their bridles. The favourite entered the home-stretch four-length clear of the field, and Alford promptly used the stick just once to keep the horse going. The jockey retuned to the use of hands and heels and kept on do doing son even as jockey A. Imran Khan made a frequent use of the stick on Fair Option to gain the advantage.

The afternoon`s eight event card was otherwise ruled by less-fancied winners and it also witnessed a number of close finishes. The 2,000m Maharajadhiraja Uday Chand Mahtab of Burdwan Memorial Cup was, therefore, no exception to the rule. In that race, jockey A Imran, riding the strongly fancied Grand Madame, was again as a receiving end while the verdict went in favour of trainer Vijay Singh`s friendless runner Silver Fox.

Trainer Patrick Quinn`s Running Hero, a joint favourite at 3-1 with Grand Madame, tried to win from the start but it boiled down to a straight contest between the two favourite in the last 350m of the race. The race turned exciting inside the last furlong when Silver Fox jumped into the fray after galloping in the six berth till the final turn. The Vijay`s ward unleashed a good turn of foot to settle the issue 50m from home to score his first ever victory over the 2,000m galloping course.

Trainer Javed Khan`s Amar Kaku set the ball rolling in the opener, the 1,600m Aphroze Handicap. Jockey Nirmal Jodha, who had changed the fortunes of stable, was again associated with the victory of Aamar Kaku, having partnered the horse twice earlier to make it three in-a-row. Riding the horse off the pace till the final turn, Nirmal made his bid on the wide out of the course to draw away from the field. The horse seem to be liking the galloping course and he could be trusted to strike again even over a middle distance trip.

The 1,200m Mica Emperor Plate, for two-year-old babies, witnessed another long-priced winner in Debonaire Girl, ridden by P, Kamlesh. The Arti Doctor-trained filly really looked like a matured performer, coming from way behind to overhaul the fancied runners Hall Of Glory, the 2-1 favourite, Kayadhu and Arbroath-- who were next in demand.

Arti and Kamlesh paired to strike again in the lower division of the T. N. Banerjea Cup when Asiatic Star won the race almost from the start but in a close finish from trainer Pesi Shroff`s runner, Extraordinaire.

Shroff`s 15-10 favourite Castle Queen followed the afternoon`s trend, winning the 1,600m Sunray Handicap in a close finish from Vijay`s Andeana. In fact, C. Ruzaan, who rode the winner, tried to do Aboline. Starting off with a length lead, the filly zoomed into a five-length lead only to shorten her stride 200m from home. Apprentice B. Mahesh, atop Andeana, tried to grab the chance but fell short by a long-neck at the wire.

Ruzaan`s day was wrapped up with the victory of trainer G. Vinayak`s Cyclades in the Robin Hood Handicap. Ruzaan sent the 3-1 second favourite into the lead, within a furlong from home, and maintained the advantage throughput. Trainer Bharath Singh`s 13-10 favourite was a poor fourth in the race.

The long-priced specialist, John Stephens` Foot Tapper recorded the biggest upset on the day. In the upper division of the T. N. Banerjea Cup, jockey Malcolm Maseyk rode a well-judged race on Foot Tapper to down a calculated gamble on Palme Dor and spoil trainer Shafiq Khan`s party.