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The western India intruder, Windsor Forest (Suraj Narredu-up), scored a belaboured victory over the local challenger, Sana (Dashrath Singh), in the 1,400m Calcutta Fillies Trial Stakes, Wednesday`s star attraction in the seven-event card. The Pesi Shroff-trained filly was made to fight every inch of ground to beat Sana by a head, and thus failing to fully justify her 11/10 odds. The afternoon`s other major event, the 1,200m Calcutta Monsoon Sprint was, however, an easy pick for trainer Vijay Singh`s mighty half-money favourite, Multitude, on whom jockey Neeraj Rawal rode a well-judged race.
Sana adopted her usual start-to-finish tactics in the Trial Stakes but never had the luxury of a comfortable lead as James McKeown`s charge, Occitan (Neeraj) galloped close on her heels while Windsor Forest was thereabouts along the rails in the company of Ayra`s Pet (Hindu Singh).
Suraj scored the Brownie Points right at the home turn when Sana shifted out marginally, allowing the Phoenix Tower daughter some galloping room, and a-length-half lead which worked to the favourite`s advantage. Although Sana came with a second wind to catch-up with the favourite, in the final 100m, she fell shy by a head at the all-important end. The tiring Occitan also hung on to the third slot as Ayra`s Pet, once again, found the seven-furlong trip beyond her compass.
The situation looked almost similar in the Monsoon Sprint as Neeraj found himself boxed in-between the front runner, Constantine (C. Alford) and Hindu Singh, atop Shivalik Storm, covering the exit passage from rails for the half-money. The favourite baulked for an opening for nearly a furlong, early in the home stretch. Neeraj literally forced a galloping room, between the two rivals, in the final 150m to accelerate for a convincing victory.
The afternoon also witnessed an exciting finish in the 1,200m Verge Handicap, with a desperately close verdict, of a nose, going in favour of a friendless runner from Raunak Banerji`s yard, King`s Crown (app. Jorawar Singh). The 11/10 favourite, Ambleside (Y.S. Srinath), a migrant from Bangalore, in training of Patrick Quinn, was at the receiving-end. Ambleside was in full control of the race; until about 70m from the winning-post, when Banerji`s long-shot decided to put his best foot forward. Srinath may have made his winning move a shade too early, from the third berth, on a mare who is known to perform better with a late run.
Patrick`s another newly acquired filly Amicus Curiae (A. Imran Khan), however, started her innings on a promising note. The Phoenix Tower daughter delivered the goods comfortably, and at handsome odds of 7/2, too, in the 1,200m Annihilator Handicap. Held back in close attendance of the top-weighted Shining Melody (Shezad Khan) and 5the /2 favourite, Monaco (Hindu), the winner negotiated the home-turn five horses wide, and yet retired as an easy winner after taking the charge of running, inside the last furlong of the race.
Srinath had another disappointment in stores early in the afternoon -- in the 1,600m Sir Aali Handicap – as the jockey failed to make Bharath Singh`s fancied runner.
Stevalena jump out with the field and was content to trail all through. Manvendra Singh`s Theo, too, found the mile circuit beyond his compass. The situation helped McKeown`s Everybreakingwave (Neeraj) to the hilt to trot home after allowing the speedy Adzukis (Alford) to call the shots till about the distance-post.
Trainer Rutherford Alford, too, was a disappointed man early in the day. His two runners – Antiquarian (Anil Baandal), in the 2,000m Slade Valley Cup, and Milford Sound (Afzal Khan) in the curtain raiser, the 1,200m Avaglow Handicap – performed below expectations. Milford Sound was never in the race, won by a quietly prepared four-year-old Sicaro (Mohit Singh) while Baandal was man in a hurry to catch-up with trainer Vikash Jaiswal`s Mariska (app. Nikhil Naidu) who won from the start.
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Sicario (Mohit Singh up) winner of the Avaglow Handicap
Mariska (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the Slade Valley Cup
Everybreakingwave (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the Sir Aali Handicap
Multitude (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the Calcutta Monsoon Sprint
Windsor Forest (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Calcutta Fillies Trial Stakes
King`s Crown (Jorawar Singh up) winner of the Verge Handicap
Amicus Curiae (A Imran Khan up) winner of the Annihilator Handicap
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