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Trainer Bharath Singh`s four-year-old horse, Tweedle Dee (Christopher Alford-up) cashed in on the current form on his way to winning the 1,200m Rahmathulla Memorial Cup, the feature event in Wednesday`s card. It was Tweedle Dee`s third win in a row. The afternoon also witnessed Jockeys Trevor Patel and Christopher Alford, and trainer Vijay Singh, notching up a double apiece. Trevor, in fact, helped Vijay saddle a popular double through Ashi Nangsey and Fabienne.
Tweedle Dee, a 14/10 favourite, could have handed a more convincing defeat to Vijay`s strongly fancied runner, Drops Of Jupiter (Trevor), had Alford not toyed with the opposition. Allowing Vijay`s pair of Zander and the Jupiter to call the shots, Alford preferred to wait in fifth before just niggling his charge into the lead to victory. Alford did need put some pressure on the winner, a 100m from home, it was more for the reason of safety as Trevor, is known, not only for his craftiness in the saddle but also for catching his rivals unaware.
Vijay`s Day started with the victory of his filly Ashi Nangsey, an 8/10 hot favourite, in the 1,200m Accuser Handicap. The fact that the Arabian Gulf daughter had more failures against her name, than wins, Trevor was, perhaps, asked to go all out and he did so to coast to a six-length-plus win, without bothering to look back until 100m from home when already four lengths clear. The change of stables, from Arti Doctor`s to Vijay`s, may have done her good and the filly may be counted upon to strike again, if treated judiciously by the handicapper.
In the same race, Bharath`s Atheist (Alford) was best of the beaten brigade, just edging out the long time leader Jester (Akash Rajput), from Vikash Jaiswal`s stable.
Vijay day`s tally was complete after his 16/10 favourite, Fabienne gave a good weight and the beating to Javed Khan`s heavily fancied runner, Pierce Arrow (Neeraj Rawal), in the 1,200m Alamito Handicap. Jaiswal`s Uptown Girl (Vinay Jiaswal) was an eye-catching third in the race and the mare warrants watching.
Arti, too, made her presence felt when her four-year-old filly, Washington, gave an armchair ride to jockey Prashant Dhege, a first timer on the RCTC`s race ground. The Phoenix Tower daughter seems to have matured considerably and could be trusted to strike again over trips not exceeding a metric mile.
Trainer James Mckeown let out another surprise from his bag in the form of Millenium Glory (app. Nikhil Naidu), a 4/1 chance in the open betting race for the 1,200m As Ever Plate. The Win Legend filly would have score more comfortably than the official verdict of three and a quarter lengths, had Naidu made a decisive move instead of shuttling between the rail-side track and the wide out. Vijay`s Levante (Trevor) was a good second in the race despite the fact that the Burden of Proof daughter needed the run. Equally impressive was the performance of Beatles Bible -- a debutante from Bharath`s yard – who troubled Levante.
A win a week, is keeping trainer Manvendra Singh`s stable in news. The Gaswar colt, a 7/2 chance in the betting, was another one who scored the way he liked in the hands of the stable-jockey Hindu Singh. In his last start, the four-year-old was an easy fourth behind Aquitania but had a pair of jets fitted on this occasion to beat his eight rivals, by six lengths in the Ballet Master Handicap.
Another one from a gamble a day brigade, trainer Vikash Jaiswal, missed the bus narrowly in the curtain raiser, the 1,100m Smart Charmer Handicap. Jaiswal suffered because of mis-judgement and the poor horsemanship of his brother, Vinay. Poor judgement because Vikash bestowed his faith in Jabble, instead of Royal One, who was presently better prepared. Jabble, however, got a poor assistance in the saddle as the five-year-old failed to maintain a straight line and the course to just loose by a short-neck to Dipak Karki`s 5/1 chance, Bournville, ridden by Alford.
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Tweedle Dee (C Alford up) winner of the S Rahmathulla Memorial Cup
Bournville (C Alford up) winner of the Smart Charmer Handicap
Washington (Prashant P Dhebe up) winner of the Alvarada Handicap
Ashi Nangsey (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Accuser Handicap
Fabienne (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Alamito Handicap
Millenium Glory (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the As Ever Plate
Midnight Star (Hindu Singh up) winner of the Ballet Master Handicap
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