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Gangasani Nityanand trained The Invader scripted a fairy tale win in the Gr 1 Catalyst Properties Bangalore Derby, the star event of the races held on the Republic day at Bangalore. The Badal Stud Farm produce, boasting of modest breeding credentials once again affirmed the fact that performance decides the pedigree of the horse and not vice versa. Though Trevor Patel kept the favourite in the rear and brought him into contention on the very wide outside to make his bid, the progeny of Total Gallery proved to be a revelation by covering the leeway in a spectacular manner and then beat the challenge of Isn`t She Lovely with ease. This was the first Derby win for the connections of the horse.
The Invader had won the Bangalore 2000 Guineas in splendid fashion and maintained his zest as evidenced by his preparatory gallops. As such, he was a strong challenger in the field which did not boast of too many top performers in the fray. Isn`t She Lovely who had bled in her last run and performed below her potential in the Indian 1000 Guineas, was expected to give a better account of herself on her home turf. She was blazing the track and looked to be in good shape. The rest of the runners did not look like making the cut. The betting in the ring indicated that in the market perception these two were the ones expected to be seen at the busy end.
The pace of the race was slow which saw the runners in the mid to rear group cramped for space. Isn`t She Lovely was shuffled back to the rear group while Trevor on The Invader elected to settle his horse in the rear. Play Safe set the pace for the gruelling 2400 metres trip followed by Eagleinthesky, Mea Culpa, Superb Success, Kennedy, Knotty Ash, Velocidad, New Moon, Isn`t She Lovely, The Invader, Air Command and Multifaceted. The action was frenetic as the runners approached the final bend. Jockey David Allan on Isn`t She Lovely got a dream run along the inside and he slipped the filly in the gap between Play Safe and Eagleinthesky. Isn`t She Lovely headed the field into the final furlong. However, her lead was short-lived as The Invader came home with an intimidating run on the wide outside. The progeny of Total Gallery covered the leeway swiftly and drew clear in the end to win by a margin of over two lengths. Isn`t She Lovely was in the second position five lengths ahead of New Moon who grabbed the third place. Eagleinthesky tired out to finish fourth. The other runners in the race made no show.
Trainer Nityanand had exuded confidence that his ward can get the extended trip of a mile and a half in the same fashion as he had done over the mile-long trip. ``I always said he will stay, and he proved me right,`` he said. Trevor Patel said that he was confident throughout the race. ``My horse was cruising all through the trip and I was not perturbed by the fact that I had to come wide and essay my challenge.``
Arjun Mangalorkar trained Courage who had been sparingly raced due to physical niggles appeared spot on for the 1600 meters Kempe Gowda Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above. Courage had run 97 days back at Mysore and finished second best. His only win of the career had come in his formative years 623 days back after which he had one issue or the other. Now nursed back to top fitness, Courage was the strongest supported horse in the fray. After Super Dart led the field into the straight, Star Tracker led for a while before Robert Downey brought Courage with a well-timed run. The progeny of Western Aristocrat covered the ground swiftly and beat Star Tracker into the second position. Pinyada who lost considerable ground at the start, made a good rally to take the third position.
Sharat Kumar trained Perfectgoldenera who had come to the class he had won earlier in his career, was well backed to win the 1200 metres Saddle Cup, a race for horses in the lowest category. Moving from the rear bunch with a strong run in the stretch, Perfectgoldenera left the field stranded to win by a widening margin of five lengths over Bold Runner. Kruger Park who led from the start weakened in the homestretch to eventually finish third. Perfectgoldenera had last won 479 days ago and had finished ten lengths behind in the higher category in his last effort.
Prasanna Kumar trained Indian Empress just about held on by a whisker to thwart the bid of more fancied stablemate Invicta in the 1200 metres Mysore Race Club Trophy, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Speaking of Stars who was working well in the morning track work, was made the favourite. The favourite, however, did not get a forward position from the outside draw and was a beaten cause well before the horses took the final turn. Indian Empress led from the start and battled on resolutely to keep the challenge of Southern Ruler at bay. Jockey Akshay Kumar too was relentless on the long shot. In the closing strides of the race, Invicta flew home only to miss the berth by a whisker. A head and neck were the margins between the first three finishers.
Praveen Jassu trained Optimistic Approach landed a confident touch in the1400 metres T B Hanumantharaj Memorial Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 30 to 50. Though Optimistic Approach was in the last position till approaching the final bend, the favourite improved tremendously on the wide outside and easily overtook the front-running Emidio to record a handsome win. Reczai ran on late to take the second position ahead of Emidio who stayed on to save place money. Prithviraj trained Spirit of London who was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the lower division of the race obliged with a late flourish. There was a cluster finish for minor placings with Call Me Maybe and Bluejack occupying the slots behind the winner.
Prasanna Kumar`s Prodigal led all the way and held off the challenge of Armin to win the 1200 metres Totalizator`s Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Jockey Akshay Kumar took the long shot to the front and had a good cushion going into the final furlong. Though Armin rallied well, he could not cover the leeway. Armin`s chances were adversely affected when Lovely Sierra moved out at the final bend which resulted in Armin taking the turn wide and conceding ground as a result. Candlelightqueen took the second place at the expense of the heavily backed Kimera. Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Santamarija Festa who had finished more than 14 lengths behind the winner over seven furlongs perhaps appreciated the drop-in distance and just about held on to win the lower division of the race. Jockey Neeraj Rawal had the fancied runner chase Tico Rico into the straight before scooting ahead. Santamarija Festa established a good cushion which held her in good stead when a host of horses closed with a rush. Duxton who finished with a powerful dash fell short by half a length. Songkran and Regal Force finished in close order.
Pradeep Annaiah trained Aeisir won the 1200 metres Indian Republic Trophy at nourishing odds at the expense of Silver Dew and Poseidon. Favourite Castaway failed to get a favourable position and Trevor had to bring the hat-tricker on the wide outside to make her bid. Though the favourite ran on strongly, the leeway was too much to bridge. Areca Legend who was well backed was withdrawn at the gates on veterinary grounds.
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Santamarija Festa (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the Totalizator Cup (Div-II)
Perfectgoldenera (K Nazil up) winner of the Saddle Up Cup
Courage (Robbie Downey up) winner of the Kempe Gowda Cup
Indian Empress (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Mysore Race Club Trophy
Optimisticapproach (K Sai Kiran up) winner of the T.B.Hanumantharaj Memorial Trophy (Div-I)
Prodigal (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Totalizator Cup (Div-I)
The Invader (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Catalyst Properties Bangalore Derby (Gr.1)
Aeisir (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Indian Republic Trophy
Spirit Of London (P S Chouhan up) winner of the T.B.Hanumantharaj Memorial Trophy (Div-II)
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