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Prasanna Kumar trained Astral Force who was backed to the exclusion of the rest based on his impressive debut run at Bangalore, did not meet any resistance en route to an easy win in the 1400 metres Mysore City Gold Cup 2018, a race for maiden three-year-olds, the feature event of concluding day’s races of the Mysore Winter Season on Thursday. Bobby trained Batman won the 1400 metres Aandolana Trophy, the other highlight of the day.
Astral Force had run a noteworthy second to Mr Handsome who incidentally went on to win at Chennai on the same day in a rich terms race. Astral Force was considered as unbeatable as the others in the fray did not inspire confidence. Jockey John who raced Astral Force in about the fourth position, got a good run along the rails to bring the favourite into contention with a furlong left in the race. Astral Force quickened well to skip clear to win easily from Poseidon who put up a good show. Garrison who was fractious on way to the gates, settled down well in the race and ran a fair third. Black Whizz ran too poorly for comfort after an encouraging effort at Bangalore.
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Two Mumbai imports cornered the betting in the 1400 metres Aandolana Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 and above, London had seen better days having placed in classics but had gone off the boil after that second placed effort at Hyderabad in Guineas two years ago. He had a run during the season and was widely expected to bounce back. The drift in odds indicated the lack of confidence of the connections in his imminent return to winning form. Batman who had come from Pune also had a trial run where his talent was not tested. Now backed to strongly to win, Hyderabad based jockey Sai Kiran kept Batman in a handy position till turning for home before pouncing on the front-running Excelonce and storming clear to record a very easy win. Phelps was second five lengths adrift. Benedetta was third.
Vishal Yadav trained Perfecto was well backed to win the 1400 metres Indi Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. The form also indicated that the support was well directed. Perfecto proved too good skipping clear in the final furlong for an emphatic win by a margin of five lengths. There was a cluster finish behind for minor placings. Five horses finished in close proximity with Leap of Faith staving off Flash Time to get the third place. The lower division of the race saw the odds drift on Ice Dancer indicating that the filly may not be a serious contender. There was steady flow of money on Don’t Trust Anyone who hadn’t been tried seriously for more than a year. In the event, there was an upset in the form of nine-year-old Anonymous pulling off a narrow win in the hands of Sai Kiran over Iconic Glory. This was the last run of his career for Anonymous who must be retired after this season. Good Earth was third while Don’t Trust Anyone, despite being goaded continuously by jockey John, failed to respond and ended up a poor fourth.
Bobby trained Be Bold flew in the final stages of the race to grab the 1200 metres Aperitivo Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Dare The Don was very much in contention till the race took a dramatic turn closer home. Three horses charged home and Be Bold managed to stave off Magnum Opus and late-finishing Unbelievable to land the spoils as a fancied runner. Favourite Natanza asserted his supremacy in the final furlong and won the lower division of the race without much ado. Atlantis was second while Rare And Bold necked out Accuracy to save place money.
Monnappa trained Sufficient Proof proved too good for the opposition in the 1600 metres Sriharikota Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Sufficient Proof got a stranglehold of the race going into the final furlong and eventually won by a widening margin of six lengths. Gracious was second while Sans Frontiers waged a stiff battle with Protector of Paris for the third spot.
Sajid Qureshi trained Eyez Hynotize chased Vroom Vroom deep into the straight before storming ahead to record an easy win in the day’s opener, the 1200 metres Spark of Life Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Sheer Luck who was in considerable betting, found foot late and could do no better than finish a tame third.
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Eyez Hypnotize (Sahanawaz up) winner of the Spark Of Life Plate
Sufficient Proof (Sunil Samson up) winner of the Sriharikota Plate
Anonymous (K Sai Kiran up) winner of the Indi Plate (Div-II)
Natanza (Imran Chisty up) winner of the Aperitivo Plate (Div-II)
Batman (K Sai Kiran up) winner of the Andolana Trophy
Astral Force (S John up) winner of the Mysore City Gold Cup 2018
Be Bold (Deep Shanker up) winner of the Aperitivo Plate (Div-I)
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