| |
Trainer Malesh Narredu makes another foray to the City of Joy, and again a successful one, with his charge, Whomakestherules (Nikhil Naidu). The six-year-old had an easy measure of the opposition in the 1,800m Alternator Cup, Wednesday’s feature event. The afternoon also witnessed Naidu partnering trainer Vijay Singh’s lesser fancied horse, Sniper, outsmarting, the opposition, including the stable’s hot favourite, Smith And Wesson, ridden by another one from Narredus’ clan, Suraj. Nothing new to score with ‘doosras’ that have been a fashion in vogue on the Indian turf in recent years.
Whomakestherules expanding odds, from odds-on to 3/1, may have sent different signals to the new brigade of punters but the old hats were too smart to read the game plan of the stable that would benefit the off course connections. Again nothing new as every owner enjoys such rights.
|
|
| |
Whomakestherules was ridden well off the pace and the Multidimensional son was brought with a good acceleration in the home straight to have the measure of a quietly fancied Breezeofthesouth who has also joined the issue past the distance post. Incidentally, Whomakestherules takes the credit of winning on his every visit to the city in the past.
Sniper, on the other hand, led a merry dance from the start while Suraj, on the stable’s hot favourite was left to play the policeman’s role in the 1,800m Adriana Handicap. There is no point discussing the race as it looked like a tailored-made one.
Lady luck was on Vijay’s side as his 18/10 favourite, Vrishank (Suraj) found the going easy in the 1,800m Whiplash Handicap. Vrishank’s main rival in the race, Avebury (Hindu Singh), from James McKeown’s yard, nearly came a cropper, in the early half as the three-year-old badly ducked-in, leaving the jockey to save his soul than to ride his heart out.
It wasn’t McKeown’s day. The trainer had a few potential winners, including Avebury, in the seven-event card but all of them disappointed. Novikov was declared a non-starter on the race day and in the same race – 1,200m Rockfellar Handicap – while Millenium Glory (Hindu) was never in the race to do anything worthwhile. The race was picked up by a heavily fancied Javed Khan’s runner, Tough Enough (app Sujit Paswan), a seven-year-old, who, however, was a good fourth in his previous outing.
McKeown’s Manzoni (Hindu) brought about the biggest disappointment, in the 1,200m Grey Wings Plate for maiden three-year-old horses. The top-weighted odds-on favourite was found struggling for a favourable position but failed. A nearly two-month layoff, combined with 61-kg on his back may have been the reason for his downfall on a wet-track. The colt deserves another chance.
The race was easily won by trainer Aashay Doctor’s Popcorn (Dhanu Deora) who produced an impressive acceleration in the home straight to take the measure of Vijay’s Miami (Nikhil) who had build up winning lead in the home straight.
Half-an-hour earlier Deora had also displayed his riding talent on trainer Vikash Jaiswal’s fancied runner, Fantasia in the 1,400m Bold Display Handicap. Fantasia, too, was brought with a late run to pip Javed’s Vice Admiral (app Rupal Singh) at the post.
The day started with trainer Farley Rodrigues’ Gramercy Park (app P. Vikram) delivering the much needed goods in the 1,400m Not Too Much Handicap – a no whip race -- that the 2/1 favourite won easily when taken to the front, the horse’s natural style of running -- from the start.
*******************
Gramercy Park (P Vikram up) winner of the Not Much Handicap
Fantasia (Dhanu Singh Deora up) winner of the Bold Display Handicap
Popcorn (Dhanu Singh Deora up) winner of the Grey Wings Plate
Tough Enough (Sujit Kr Paswan up) winner of the Rockefellar Handicap
Whomakestherules (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the Alternator Cup
Sniper (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the Adriana Handicap
Vrishank (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Whiplash Handicap
|
|