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Strategic Move shocks in Turf Club Trophy

By: Frankel   August 7 , 2016
   

Karthik Ganapathy trained Strategic Move brought off the biggest upset on a day marked by surprise results by winning the Gr 3 Pune Bookmakers` Association Turf Club Trophy, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s Pune races from late rallying Colombiana. A combination of factors brought about the upset.

Strategic Move had last run and won in a handicap race about 140 days back. As such, he was attempting a quantum jump when taking on stalwarts who have had fair share of success in graded races. The weight was no doubt in his favour though the rating was not. With so many accomplished runners in the fray, the bookmakers and punters were unable to pinpoint with any accuracy the group of horses that could be fighting at the finishing line. The odds reflected this confusion with Dancing Smoke who had won five races in a row and Apache enjoying marginal favouritism.
  
  


The big unwieldy field of 15 runners on a tight track was bund to pose problems as the pace of the race was going to be frenetic with positioning of horses posing a dilemma. Those who went with the pace were in danger of expending their energy in such scenario. This is exactly what happened as all those who went like scalded cats in front, all packed up in straight. The ones from behind were involved in the thrilling finish with Colombiana who raced detached last, circling around the field and covering tremendous leeway on fast tiring horses. However, Strategic Move for whom everything fell in place, escaped to victory as the winning post was sighted a fraction earlier.

Solomon showed plenty of speed to hit the front from the wide outside draw followed by this year`s Sprinter`s Cup winner Adam, Your Royal Majesty, Forest Flair, Holy Smoke, Dancing Prances, Strategic Move and the rest while Colombiana who was a bit sluggish from the gates, walking out from the post, was hopelessly outpaced and was tailed off last. Yash Narredu had no other go but to wait with Colombiana and then work his way on the wide outside. The versatile performer produced his best under the circumstances but fell short by a whisker. Strategic Move who showed up prominently in the final furlong managed to edge past Dancing Prances and held on grimly to win. Dancing Prances necked out Your Royal Majesty by a neck to get the third place. A short head, half a length and neck separated the first four placed horses.

Cooji Katrak trained Cheerleader who had won as an unfancied runner in her debut run, coming from way off the pace, was strongly backed to win the 1400 metres August Handicap, a handicap race for three-year-olds. Sky Mine played up at the gates and was withdrawn from the fray. The speedy Ice Angel showed the way even as Cheerleader was settled in about the fourth or fifth position. Cheerleader did not get a run along the inside and jockey Suraj Narredu had to shift him out to make his bid. The horse veered in under the use of the whip but the jockey corrected the drift immediately. The progeny of Phoenix Tower got great momentum in the final furlong and sped away for an effortless win over Good Thing who had displaced Ice Angel from the lead. The latter stayed on to finish third while Rainbow Dash who was in the betting, made no show and was a tame fourth. Most of the horses belonging to Pesi Shroff looked far from ready and needed the outing they had.

Vishal Gaikwad trained Magnolia looked a good thing in the 1800 metres Storm Tracker Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66 after her last run where she had narrowly failed to collar Fearless Nadia. Backed spiritedly to win ahead of the rest, Magnolia chased Starry Brook into the straight before storming clear to win easily in the hands of jockey Sandesh. Multiglory was third more than 9 lengths behind Starry Brook.

Malesh Narredu trained Jigsaw swamped the opposition in the 1600 metres Goodness Gracious Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Jigsaw and Shadowfax were both well supported. The latter looked far from ready which accounted for his poor performance. Jigsaw led all the way and skipped away from the rest in the straight to record a handsome win. Vixen nosed out Shadowfax to claim the second spot.

House of Commons was backed spiritedly to make a winning debut in the 1200 metres Novotel Pune Trophy (Div I), a race for three-year-olds. The favourite who led from the start, started sending distress signals in the final furlong and Pugnacious who came home with a powerful run overhauled the front runner easily and went away for a comfortable win. Minstrel Heights impressed when edging past the favourite to claim the second place. Another favourite Fury too failed to oblige in the lower division of the race. Backed to the exclusion of the rest, Fury found first-timer Kodiac Queen hard to beat. For those watching the subtle movement in the ring, it was obvious that Kodiac Queen was the medium of a quiet touch. King of Killen showed the way before Dashrath Singh drove out Kodiac Queen to take charge inside the final furlong. Despite a strong challenge from Fury, Kodiac Queen had enough legs to pull through by a shade less than a length.

Malesh Narredu trained Artificial was the preferred horse in the 1200 metres Moosa M Hoosein Trophy (Div I) despite the fact the trip was too sharp for him. Artificial`s half-brothers and half-sisters had all excelled over long trips and some of them went on to have a big say in the classics. Artificial ran out of ground as the lesser fancied Pierce Arrow had shot ahead with about 300 metres left in the race and established a winning lead. Artificial failed to cover the leeway despite an all-out effort by Yash Narredu. Marcus Aurelius was third. Pesi Shroff trained Franz Ferdinand who was running in the lower category, justified the big money that he attracted by easily getting the better of front-running Indus Prince to land the spoils. Mr Ford who missed the kick, rallied well to grab the second place. Unlike Bangalore where three-year-olds get their rating only after running three races or for winning, the system has been changed in RWITC with three-year-olds being rated even after just a run. One is not sure whether this is a good practice because one is tempted to run good three-year-old in lower category races spoiling the chances of older horses.

Shiraz Sunderji trained Traherne fought out a resolute battle with Celtic Prince and managed to prevail in the 1400 metres Rajasthan Royals Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. On money favourite San Martino failed to oblige expectations as he packed up approaching the final furlong. Celtic Prince held the initiative but was overwhelmed by Traherne in the shadow of the post. Star of Babylon got past Phoenix Fire to take the third place.

 
 
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