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Satheesh trained Be Sure gave a bold show in the 2000 metres Raja Bahadur Venkatram Reddy Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 58 to 78, the feature event of Monday`s Hyderabad races. The day`s racing was a mixed blessing for the punters as the day`s six races saw favourites and rank outsiders share spoils equally. Jockey Akshay Kumar had his usual quota of two winners while trainer Laxman Singh too saddled a brace of winners.
Be Sure who had gone down fighting to Highly Acclaimed who subsequently recorded an encore, was the best-supported horse. Wave Rider was second in demand while there was muted support for Durango to upset. Doroteo showed plenty of speed to hit the front within the first furlong and led the field well into the straight. Wave Rider was placed in a handy third position while Be Sure was settled in the rear. Jockey Nakhat Singh perhaps panicked as approaching the final bend, he quickly moved up and was taken wide by Treasure Striker who was also trying to improve places. Be Sure was so good for the field that the horse covered up for the jockey as the progeny of Bush Ranger went sailing clear. Though she was faltering close home, the lead built up holding her in good stead. Wave Rider finished with a rush and came close to toppling her but found the winning post coming a wee bit early. Doroteo stayed on to take the third position.
Laxman Singh trained Marinetti appeared to have been well prepared to win the 1100 metres Palampet Plate, a race for maiden two-year-olds judging by the paddock looks as also the confidence exuded by those in the know which resulted in the got-abroad colt being backed to the exclusion of the rest. Akshay Kumar had Marinetti a handy second behind pacesetter Stepper before unleashing the favourite inside the final 300 metres. Marinetti quickly stormed ahead and went beyond the reach of the rest. The most experienced horse in the fray, Born Greek who is running week after week, finished with a flourish to take the second place a few lengths adrift of the winner. Cincia Azzurra was third.
Mir Faiyaz Ali Khan trained Shakespeare won the 1100 metres Solitaire Plate, a race for horses rated 26 to 46, at long odds. Musashi was backed to the exclusion of the rest but the favourite who was drawn on the inside was badly interfered by Jazz It up along the rails which caused the favourite to fall back and lose all chances. Shakespeare who enjoyed an uncontested lead came into the straight about eight lengths clear of the rest and had no problem in maintaining the supremacy in front, winning by a margin of over two lengths. Tiger of the Sea and Latest News disputed for the minor placings and finished in the order mentioned behind the winner.
A big upset was brought off by Laxman Singh trained Rose Eternal who won the 1100 metres Silky Baby Plate, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. Ikigai led in the early part of the race before falling to third or fourth position. Ikigai received a check which had a chain reaction as the horses behind had to take evasion action but jockey Ajit Singh lost balance on Shandaar and had a fall. Rose Eternal who had a trouble-free passage into the straight, stormed ahead with Indian Dreams in the chase. Rose Eternal was in no mood to relent as she skipped away in the final furlong to win easily from Indian Dreams and Poll Promise. It has also become a pattern for the outside horses to crowd on the inside causing dangerous interferences. The Stipes would do well to keep a tight watch on these interferences which needs a corrective action as they often are proving to be dangerous to both the animals and the jockeys who are on top of them.
Shivalik Arrow was troublesome at the gates but was loaded after being subjected to a routine veterinary check in the 1400 metres Pocharam Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 26 to 46. The heavily supported favourite did not show any ill-effects of the tantrums at the gates and settled in a handy third position as Carnival Express set the pace. Akshay Kumar brought Shivalik Arrow into contention with a steady run with a furlong left in the race and the favourite had no problem in bouncing clear to record an easy win. Vijay`s Empress was second ahead of a late-finishing Royal Hero. Arjun Anne trains the winner. Cash For Rank showed great speed as he sped into a big lead in the lower division of the race but was caught up with close home by lesser fancied Top Sprint from the stables of trainer Ravinder Singh. Vallee Tiger also came up with a late rally to neck out Cash For Rank to claim the runner-up berth.
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Marinetti (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the PALAMPET PLATE
Top Sprint (B R Kumar up) winner of the POCHARAM PLATE (DIV-II)
Shakesphere (Rohit Kumar up) winner of the SOLITAIRE PLATE
Shivalik Arrow (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the POCHARAM PLATE (DIV-I)
Be Sure (Nakhat Singh up) winner of the RAJA BAHADUR VENKATRAM REDDY MEMORIAL CUP
Rose Eternal (S S Tanwar up) winner of the SILKY BABY PLATE
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