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Trainer Javed Khan`s aging horse, Copernicus (Akash Rajput-up), recorded a shocking but impressive victory in the 1,400m Shri Charan Memorial Cup, the feature-event in Wednesday`s race card. The afternoon witnessed many a doubles. Akash helped Monaco win a race for trainer James McKeown who had, already saddled Mizuno (Hindu Singh) to victory, early in the afternoon. Hindu Singh, too, had a profitable afternoon, having guided trainer Manvinder Singh`s Interstellar to victory, and finally trainer Vinay Jaiswal also led in two winners – One Man Army and Uptown Girl – in their respective events. The afternoon, on the whole, was ruled by less-fancied winners.
Copernicus found his rhythm after the front running lot of Captain Cook (Trevor Patel) the 9/4 favourite -- Falcon (B. Mahesh), Cadman (A. Imran Khan) and Sporting Trainer (Vinay Jaiswal) ran short of gas, allowing the seven-year-old Copernicus to produce an electrifying run to a facile victory.
If Copernicus found the going easy, trainer Manvendra Singh`s Interstellar (Hindu) had to fight every inch of ground to down Shafiq Khan`s improving Bang Bang (app. Ranidan Singh) in the 1,400m Hokaido Handicap. The grey filly, though wore a dry-coat in patches, gave no indication of any discomfort, though the verdict was close and it was only half-a-length that separated her from Bang Bang. The improving weather conditions may further help her cause as she was considered to be a live contender for the plums in her Classic year.
Shafiq`s Be A Star (Sameer Khan), however, brought about a big disappointment in the 1,400m Replicate Handicap which was easily claimed by Mckeown`s Mizuno, his back-to-back. The 8/1 chance in the betting, was always in a close touch with the front running Simply Royal (H.G. Rathod) who retired nearing the distance post to leave the winner was in full control. Trainer Bharath Singh`s pair of Athletico and Rachmaninoff (Trevor) was best of the rest while the 2/1 favourite Be A Star finished in the ruck after raising hopes in the first-half of the race.
Monaco`s victory was more emphatic, compared to his stable-mate`s, Mizuno, thanks to an interference met by Top Gun (Trevor), early in the race. The three-year-old was taken to the front right from the flag-fall and never looked back as Top Gun had to take a circuitous route to make a head way.
One Man Army was another one who scored in his successive starts. The horse provided trainer Vikash, more importantly to apprentice P. Vikram, his maiden victory, as the 6/4 favourite made every post of the 1,100m Brusg Aside Handicap a winning one.
In the 1,200m court Ministrel Handicap, Vikash`s Uptown Girl, ridden by brother Vinay, ruined chances of Bharath`s and Trevor`s last hope in the day`s card, a strongly fancied Forest Dunes. In the same race the 5/4 favourite, Stellanova (Neeraj Rawal) also performed like a dud after showing some urgency early in the race.
Neeraj`s afternoon, however, started with the made to order victory of trainer Daniel David`s Adamantium who claimed 1,800m Golden Praise Handicap as none of his seven rivals in the race looked to be keen.
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Copernicus (Akash Rajput up) winner of the Shri Charan Memorial Cup
Adamantium (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the Golden Praise Handicap
One Man Army (P Vikram up) winner of the Brush Aside Handicap
Mizuno (Hindu Singh up) winner of the Replicate Handicap
Interstellar (Hindu Singh up) winner of the Hokaido Handicap
Monaco (Akash Rajput up) winner of the Anticipator Plate
Uptown Girl (V Jaiswal up) winner of the Court Minstrel Handicap
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