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Irfan Ghatala trained Watchmyscript finally won over a trip of a mile and a half easily containing the challenge of Fabulous in the 2400 metres Stayers Trial Stakes, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of Friday`s Bangalore races. In his 22 runs before this effort, Watchmyscript had run once over this trip once and had failed while all his previous eight wins had come over shorter distances.
The race was in danger of going void due to the paucity of runners but thanks to Darius Byramji agreeing to run Booker Jones, the race could go through. Watchmyscript was quoted at cramped odds as the others hadn`t won for a long time. Azzurro had always been an unsound horse. Since he was also getting old, his performance was dependent on him staying sound. In the event, Azzurro who stayed in touch with the field until the final 300 metres suddenly fell behind and faded out of the reckoning. Possibly his jockey Suraj Narredu felt that something was amiss and stopped riding. The long-time leader Fabulous led deep into the straight before Sandesh brought Watchmyscript with a well-timed run in the final furlong. The favourite bounced clear to win by a margin of over two lengths. Fabulous stayed put in the second position while Booker Jones who has seen better days, was third. Interestingly, the quality of the field well highlighted by the fact that Azzurro hadn`t won for 335 days, Booker Jones for 529 days and Fabulous for 565 days! Only Watchmyscript had a win 34 days ago.
Prasanna Kumar trained Lofty Thoughts recorded his third straight win when prevailing by the proverbial whisker over Australis in the 1600 metres Narasimharaja Trophy, a race for horses rated 45 to 65. Lofty Thoughts was the favourite marginally ahead of Set To Win who was an impressive last start winner. Masada set the pace followed by Australis who after a sluggish beginning swiftly moved up to be in a handy second position. Set To win was in about the fifth or sixth position followed by Lofty Thoughts. Inside the final 300 metres, Australis shot ahead with Set To Win essaying a strong challenge while Lofty Thoughts was some lengths behind, making his bid on the wide outside. It looked like Set To Win would measure Australis especially since Srinath known for his powerful riding was on astride the second favourite. But it did not happen, and Australis held the initiative till the post. Lofty Thoughts moved up strongly on the wide outside and nosed out Australis in the final stride of the race to get the top spot in the hands of apprentice jockey Anthony Raj. Set To Win was third another short head behind.
The 1400 metres February Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds also went the way of Prasanna Kumar trained War Hammer who made a smashing winning debut slamming the opposition in tremendous fashion. War Hammer came into the reckoning in the final furlong with a blistering turn of foot and stormed ahead to win by a widening margin of five lengths. Sir Supremo managed to snatch the second place from Alexander Dumas while the well-backed Ozark faded out after being prominent till midway through the stretch. The winner appears a good type of youngster.
Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Lady Legend recorded the fourth straight win of her career when trouncing the opposition in the 1200 metres Bull Temple Plate, a race for horses rated 60 and above. The progeny of Lady Legend who was running after 56 days and had just one light workout was backed to the exclusion of the rest. Sandesh had Lady Legend race behind Side Winder well into the straight before asking the favourite to quicken. Lady Legend easily established her supremacy by storming clear to win the race with a great deal of ease from Hot N Fire who managed to stave off Noah`s Ark by a whisker to get the runner-up berth.
Prithviraj trained Maybe Forever was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1200 metres Jog Falls Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. The favourite had no problem in obliging huge expectations. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan took Maybe Forever on a start to finish mission and the front-runner had things in control, skipping clear in the final furlong to win by a margin of over four lengths. Odyssey ran on to take the second place ahead of Master of War.
Arjun Mangalorkar trained Vail had run a suggestive third behind Royal Resolution and based on that run, was backed strongly to oblige in the 1400 metres Forever Elegance Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. The favourite took a long while in the straight to get the better of the front-running Tinderella who put up a fight before weakening close home. Chinese Princess who was running for the first time in her career, came up with a late dash to finish third, narrowly failing to get the better of Tinderella for the second position.
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War Hammer (Y S Srinath up) winner of the February Plate
Maybe Forever (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Jog Falls Plate
Lofty Thoughts (Antony Raj S up) winner of the Narasimharaja Trophy
Watchmyscript (A Sandesh up) winner of the Stayers Trial Stakes
Lady Legend (A Sandesh up) winner of the Bull Temple Plate
Vail (Antony Raj S up) winner of the Forever Elegance Plate
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