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Inayathulla trained Pinyada justified the strong favouritism while thwarting the spirited bid of Rum Runner to win the 1600 metres Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above, the feature event of concluding day`s races of the Bangalore Winter Season on Wednesday. Jockey Arshad Alam who had a relatively quiet season, had a profitable day booting home three winners.
Pinyada had failed as a favourite last time out and was widely supported to make amends. The strong challenger for him was Rum Runner who was running in a short span of time after recording his second straight win. Rum Runner had all the credentials to win unless the short gap blunted his sharpness. In the event, Srinath who had Pinyada relaxed in the early part of the race in about the fourth or fifth position as Mickey Mouse set the pace in his customary fashion, got busy approaching the final furlong. The progeny of Lord Admiral readily responded to the urgings and produced a powerful burst of speed which took him past the front-runner and helped him establish a winning lead. Though Rum Runner finished with a rush, Pinyada had reached the safety of the winning post. Mickey Mouse stayed on to take the third position.
Neil Devaney trained Gumption brought off an upset win in the 1400 metres Irupu Falls Plate (Div II), a race for horses in the lowest category by rarely lasting out. Santa Fe who was making a strong bid shifted out under pressure. My Valentine who was coming up from behind changed course in anticipation of the front horse coming in his path. In the three-horse finish, Gumption won from Santa Fe and My Valentine. There was an objection by jockey Irvan Singh against Sunil Samson for interference. There was no interference as Irvan himself had changed course even before he could be affected. The Stipes unanimously felt that the objection should be overruled but one of the Stewards said that the objection should be upheld, and the other two Stewards went with him. It was a bad decision on the part of the Stewards because the outward drift of Santa Fe did not affect the progress of the third placed horse who himself changed course as he had enough time to do the same. All the horses had equal chance to win notwithstanding the outward drift of Santa Fe. But then in Bangalore, the Stewards can never be expected to take a correct call if they have to use their discretion. To put it bluntly, it was yet another among the series of bad decisions that the Stewards have been taking. Every time there is an objection, they flounder. The upper division of the race was won by Inayathulla trained Ted With Me who cantered home by a margin of over four lengths. Last week, the same horse had finished more than 10 lengths behind the winner. It is here that the Stewards are expected to exercise their authority to find out how the horses sported wings in such quick time. Favourite Purity got the second place by a neck from Aqua Blessing with a late effort.
Satish Narredu trained Kingsfield was backed to the exclusion of the rest to make a winning debut in the 1200 metres Becket Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Jockey Suraj Narredu who was back in action after a minor hiccup due to a fall in the morning track work at Mumbai, had no problem in guiding the favourite to a resounding win. Kingsfield was so good to the field that he had the field stranded in the final furlong to win by a margin of over four lengths. Keevah and Spiritous occupied the next two slots with Tiger Returns losing out the chance of saving place money by weakening after having the lead in the final furlong.
Azhar Ali trained Harley Quinn defied the penalty by winning the 1200 meters Malpe Trophy, a race for horses rated 30 to 50 in a tight finish. Princeazeem had the lead going into the final furlong but in the final 100 metres, three horses Mint, Noah`s Art and Harley Quinn charged home with powerful efforts. Harley Quinn managed to prevail at the expense of Noah`s Ark and Mint who occupied the next two slots.
Blue Blazer had lost last time out due to poor handling by its jockey made amends in the 1400 metres Master Key Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 30 to 50. Blue Blazer was baulked for an opening along the rails, but jockey Arshad Alam waited for the gap to materialize. When there was sufficient gap, Blue Blazer shot through to record a facile win over Del Porto and Frenemee. Birchwood came in for big support to win the lower division of the race, but the favourite faltered after leading the field into the final furlong. Opening Act got stronger and stormed ahead and easily won from late-rallying Tarini.
Trainer M P Mahaesh trained Good Times Indeed swamped the opposition in the 1600 metres Magod Falls Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35 with a start to finish mission. Jockey Jagadeesh had no problem in steering the long shot to win by more than four lengths despite drifting out of a straight course. Dynamism ran on to occupy the second place ahead of Scarlet Princess.
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Gumption (Darshan R N up) winner of the Irupu Falls Plate (Div-II)
Kingsfield (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Becket Plate
Tea Wid Me (T S Jodha up) winner of the Irupu Falls Plate (Div-I)
Harley Quinn (Arshad Alam up) winner of the Malpe Trophy
Pinyada (Y S Srinath up) winner of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup
Blue Blazer (Arshad Alam up) winner of the Master Key Plate (Div-I)
Good Time Indeed (V R Jagadeesh up) winner of the Magod Falls Plate
Opening Act (Arshad Alam up) winner of the Master Key Plate (Div-II)
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