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Silver Bracelet, a classic filly in the making, fully justified her short odds on her way to winning the 1,400m Acorn Stakes, Saturday`s main attraction. Suraj Narradu, who partnered the Vijay Singh trained ward to victory, also helped the trainer notch-up a popular treble in the day`s eight-event card. Trainer Shafiq Khan was the other professional who recorded treble, albeit a priced one, through Artiste Royal, Artful and Christiana.
Suraj rode a waiting race on Silver Bracelet, known to relish front running tactics. The champion jockey preferred to settle the Win Legend filly behind her speedy stable-mate, Mystic Wonder (Rupal Singh) as Around The World (app Sujit Paswan) also showed the way to the half money favourite while the 3/1 second chance, Namiki (C.S. Jodha), another of Vijay`s charge, race behind in close proximity. Silver Bracelet was shown the daylight, 250m from the winning-post, and the favourite was home and dry.
Vijay`s Inca and Suraj were also expected have the measure of the opposition in the day`s opener, the 2,400m Zeeba Handicap. The 2/1 favourite also scored he had to be stretched out fully to beat the southern challenger Roll Call (Nikhil Naidu) and the James McKewon`s charge, Avellino (Madassar Nazar) in the closing stages of the race.
Inca had once again adopted pillar-to-post tactics. The colt`s better class, combined with Suraj`s well-judged pace and power-packed riding had got the horse a narrow verdict in his favour. Waiting tactics and a marginally shortened trip may ensure the Air Support son another win.
Having missed the bus twice with front running tactics, Suraj decided to test Vijay`s twice failed favourite , Advait, with a holding back trick in the 1,200m Twilight Handicap. The outcome was a big success as the 18/10 public choice Advait retuned triumphant handsomely, too.
Shafiq was man in a hurry as he made a short work of his treble. The victory of his first winner, Artiste Royal (app Sujit Paswan), in the INS Hooghly Cup was a bolt from the blue. The seven-year-old got the verdict in a five-horse blanket-finish. But the trainer`s 2/1 favourite Artful was ridden by apprentice Tejeshwar in a matured and well-judged manner to convincingly beat Vikash Jaiswal`s Dil Mangey More (app Rupal Singh) and Arti Doctor`s Shimmering Star (R.S. Bhati) to claim another Trophy event, the 1,100m Navy Cup.
Shafiq third winner followed half-an-hour later as jockey Bhati got the best out of another long-priced winner, Christiana, in the upper division of the Own Ability Handicap. The winner was ridden well off the pace as Jasbir Singh`s Luna Lucinda (Rupal) made most of the running but almost the entire opposition came crowding on the leader inside the final furlong.
The lower division of the race was claimed by another shocker named Caledonia, Jaiswal`s charge, ridden by apprentice Hasib Alam. The horseracing being a game of uncertainties one has to accept the bitter outcome at times.
Trainer Manvandra Singh`s Fortune Express (app. P. Vikram) won the Mayor`s Cup and the victory of the speedy horse was not unexpected as he has been running forward races of late.
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Inca (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Zeeba Handicap
Artiste Royal (Sujit Kr Paswan up) winner of the Ins Hooghly Cup
Artful (P Tejeshwar up) winner of the Navy Cup
Christiana (R S Bhati up) winner of the Own Ability Handicap (Div-I)
Caledonia (Hasib Alam up) winner of the Own Ability Handicap (Div-II)
Silver Bracelet (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Acorn Stakes
Fortune Express (P Vikram up) winner of the Mayor`s Cup
Advait (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Twilight Lady Handicap
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