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Pesi Shroff trained Denny Crane scored an emphatic victory in 1200 metres Governor`s Cup, a terms race for three-year-olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s Hyderabad races. The progeny of Arazan had won a sprint at Bangalore against a good company and subsequently had flopped beyond expectations. As such the turnaround came as a surprise with the more fancied Adam flopping miserably
It is no longer easy to follow even top trainers with any degree of conviction because form fluctuation is beyond one`s reasoning. Racing has slipped badly with the races in the lower class throwing punters into despair. Trainers like Pesi Shroff had provided a silver lining in a gloomy scenario in the past but even his horses are showing erratic form so much so that the sport has become more of a chance than as a game of skill.
Denny Crane had failed to show sparkle during the Ooty season but in Bangalore beat a quality field. Then against almost the same opposition albeit with difference in weights, he was nowhere to be seen. As such, Denny Crane bouncing back for an emphatic victory was hard to explain.
Veteran horses like Adam and Smile Stone were more preferred than the rest to have a say at the finish. The speedy Dancing Phoenix led the way with Vijay`s Joy, Denny Crane in close attendance with the others spaced out behind. Inside the final furlong, Denny Crane shook off his opponents and marched ahead. The only threat for his supremacy on the horizon was local challenger Rahul`s Pet who put in a game performance while occupying the runner-up berth. Castle Key ran on from behind to take the third place while those in strong betting including Smile Stone and Adam playing truant.
Leo D`Silva trained Asteria showed quantum improvement when trouncing the opposition in the 1100 metres Astronomic Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 26 to 46. Amazing Response was backed strongly at cramped odds but the favourite found Asteria too strong for comfort. Amazing Response hit the front from the outside draw within the first furlong and led deep into the straight. However, by the final furlong it was clear that Amazing Response had no extra gear left when Asteria came home with a lightening run. Asteria bounced clear and won with a measure of comfort from the favourite. Khan Sahib was third. Apprentice jockey Ajit Singh on Shandaar lost his stirrup soon after the jump out the fancied runner lost whatever chances he had as a result. The lower division of the race saw on money favourite Arc of History fail even more miserably. After leading into the straight, Arc of History gave up too easily in the straight when the others pounced on her. Celtic Queen shaped to cause an upset but in the end, it was Laxman Singh trained Top Link who emerged the winner at the busy end. Prime Time was third.
The first dead-heat of the was seen in the 1400 metres Manchiryala Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated up to 30. Dear Friend led strongly in front and refused to budge from the place when Wonder Star edged closer. In the dying moments of the race, Wonder Star got a slight edge even as Icing On The Cake finished with a rattle. The three went past the post locked together. Wonder Star and Icing On The Cake could not be separated by the photo-finish camera as both horses had clocked identical timings. Thus, the season`s first dead heat ensued with trainers Ananth Vatsalya and Zoheb Shaikh sharing the honours. Dear Friend was a neck behind the dead-heated pair. In the lower division of the race, jockey Akshay Kumar was alert to the task throughout the race on favourite Sir Legend which effectively helped the five-year-old to record an encore in a close finish with Pretty Star and Wine N Dine who were closing in menacingly at the finish.
Satyanarayana trained Might Wings won the day`s opener, the Deccan Queen Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds without encountering stiff resistance from the others at long odds. Mighty Wings took charge of the proceedings inside the final furlong and kept the rally of Turf Legend at bay. Favourite Limousine disappointed with a timid performance. Netto`s other horse Phenomenal Cruise, however won the lower division of the race, showing great improvement over his previous effort. Phenomenal Cruise shook off favourite Reunion and marched towards victory. The late flourish of Zelus had no effect on the eventual winner who went on to win comfortably.
Laxman Singh trained Mirfield was a cut above the rest in the 1400 metres Charminar Trophy, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. The favourite won as expected though not with the authority envisaged. Juneau was the only possible threat but she lacked the aggression at the finish to make a difference to the outcome of the race. Optimus Commander headed Gayle Force to take the third place.
Satheesh trained Handy Man was backed strongly to win the 1600 metres Own Opinion Plate, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. Handy Man covered enormous ground in the straight to get the better of last start winner Supremo closer home. Kalinda headed Al Sadr to grab the third place.
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Denny Crane (J Chinoy up) winner of the Governor`s Cup
Wild Wings (K Mukesh Kumar up) winner of the Deccan Queen Plate (Div-I)
Mirfield (S S Tanwar up) winner of the Charminar Trophy
Phenomenal Cruise (Deepak Singh up) winner of the Deccan Queen Plate (Div-II)
Icing On The Cake (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Manchiryala Plate (Div-I)
Handy Man (Nakhat Singh up) winner of the Own Opinion Plate
Asteria (Md Ismail up) winner of the Astronomic Cup (Div-I)
Top Link (Kuldeep Singh up) winner of the Astronomic Cup (Div-II)
Sir Legend (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Manchiryala Plate (Div-II)
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