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Laxman Singh trained Realmoffantasy asserted her supremacy despite running after a long lay off in the Gr 2 Golconda 1000 Guineas, the first classic of the season at Malakpet on Monday. Jockey David Allan rode a splendid race, nursing the horse in front and then packing punch in his finish which enabled the progeny of Excellent Art to record her second classic success at the expense of Mumbai challenger Merlot.
The light framed Realmoffantasy can only be raced sparingly because she is small made and each run takes a toll on her. Laxman had given her an easy mock race which perhaps misled many to believe that her preparation to the classic was not up to the mark. This could be the reason why she was at odds of over even money when she should have been at cramped odds given the fact that the rest in the fray did not have impressive credentials. There were two final entries in the form of Merlot and Bangalore challenge Sakura.
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David Allan had no hesitation in taking Realmoffantasy to the front as there was no pace in the race and dictated the pace cleverly. Merlot raced in the second position ahead of Sakura, Miss Lilly and Once More. The last named trailed the field. Rounding the final turn, Sandesh made his move on Merlot, but the inexperience of the horse showed as the filly drifted out under pressure even as Realmoffantasy established a useful cushion. Sandesh corrected the outward drift of Merlot and brought her with a ferocious run, but the favourite had enough legs to reach the safety of the post quite comfortably. Sakura ran on to be third.
Reunion was left to tackle a poor lot of horses in the1800 metres Chaitanya Chakram Cup, a terms race for three-year-olds and over and as such, the four-year-old gelding from the stables of trainer Hilton Sequeira was quoted at unbackable odds. Reunion’s stablemate George Cross led from the start with jockey Sandesh easing the favourite in the rear group and stayed there till turning for home. In the stretch, George Cross put up a fight before Reunion asserted his undoubted supremacy. Western Wind ran on to take the third position ahead of Bangalore challenger Point To Prove. The last named is still a maiden but in the absence of many long-distance races in Bangalore, the trainer was perhaps forced to try his luck in Hyderabad.
Shezad Abbas trained Cape Kidnappers recorded a narrow win over the battling duo of Born Greek and Versailles in the 1200 metres Royal Tern Plate, a race for maiden two-year-olds. Born Greek led from the start but could not breathe easy in the final furlong as Versailles essayed a strong challenge. Even as these were disputing the issue, Trevor Patel brought the fancied Cape Kidnappers with a strong run. Cape Kidnappers got the better of the battling duo in the closing moments of the race to win by half a length. Born Greek held off Versailles by a whisker to keep the runner-up berth.
Anant Vatsalya trained Cash For Rank had been pretty consistent and he profited by this fitness as he beat the opposition in the Ming Dynasty Plate, a race for horses rated 26 to 46 quite comprehensively. Quoted at lucrative odds, jockey Ajeeth Kumar took Cash For Rank on a start to finish mission and the progeny of Verenar skipped away in the final furlong. Vijay’s Empress, Perfection and favourite Take A Bow finished in a line with a short head each separating them in the order mentioned.
Laxman Singh trained Athenaeus enjoyed favouritism in the 1100 metres Amarnath Gupta Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. Though the horse had the history of being a chronic bleeder, punters believed that since he had run a fair race in a tough company without bleeding, he could be expected to be a force with in a modest company. But unfortunately, the horse bled through both his nostrils and finished down the field. Stablemate Rahil brought off a big upset with a spirited run down the final furlong and was in the vicinity of the post when the fancied Riddari made a strong move. Nayadeep took the third position.
Leo D’Silva trained Max had been running consistent races but could run at lucrative odds in the 1200 metres Windscale Plate, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. Though the trip was reckoned to be sharp, Musashi was backed strongly to oblige. In the event, Max who produced a strong run in the final furlong sped past stablemate Air Salute and had enough cushion with Musashi finished a powerful burst of speed.
Satyanarayana trained Apowerx chased Heaven Can Wait into the straight before emerging clear of the rest in the final furlong to win the 1100 metres Flying Treasure Plate, a race for horses rated 26 to 46 in the hands of apprentice jockey Rohit Kumar. Apowerx readily justified the strong support she received in the betting ring. Heaven Can Wait stayed on to take the second position ahead of Snow Castle.
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Cape Kidnappers (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Royal Tern Plate
Reunion (A Sandesh up) winner of the Chaitanya Chakram Cup
Apowerx (Rohit Kumar up) winner of the Flying Treasure Plate
Cash For Rank (P Ajeeth Kumar up) winner of the Ming Dynasty Plate
Rahil (S S Tanwar up) winner of the Amarnath Gupta Memorial Cup
Realmsoffantasy (David Allan up) winner of the Golconda 1000 Guineas (Gr.2)
Max (R Ajay Kumar up) winner of the Windscale Plate
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