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The Western Aristocrat daughter, Izzy (Suraj Narredu-up) scored an authoritative victory over the South India challenger, Abira (David Allan-up), on her way to claiming Saturday' chief attraction, the 1,600m Calcutta 1,000 Guineas. As expected, the Aashay Doctor-trained filly, also exposed the visiting challenger ‘s limitations in the winter Classics as there was no hard luck story in the race. The Win Legend filly had always given the impression that she was a classy sprinter who could last an extra furlong, in a slow run race and over a flat course.
The winner, on the other hand, cashed in on her monsoon season’s form. A fluent winner of the Fillies’ Stakes, Izzy had also performed fairly well in Trafalgar’s monsoon Derby over 2,000 meters. The fact that Trafalgar’s Classic-form during Bangalore summer was quite creditable, it hardly came as a surprise when the always improving Izzy cashed in on it at nourishing odds of 7/2 while the Arjun Mangalore’s charge, Abira, got a plenty of public support at 12/10.
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Allan had the favourite settled in the mid-division but improved along rails nearing the home turn to be at the helm close to the distance post.
Abira looked like drawing away from her seven rivals inside the final 150m but Suraj knew about his well-oiled machine that has been playing the same kind of trick when left alone in the first of the trip. From sniffing the tail of the favourite, to taking a circuitous route to come abreast of the leader in final 250m, was a big ask but Izzy made it easy by gaining ground with big strides to make sure she accomplished the task at hand with 75m still to traverse. However, some observers viewed, the last furlong-contest, differently, that Abira had started shortening her strides, about 150m from home. Incidentally, Mangalorkar failed to show up on the big day to express his point of view.
In the rest of events, trainer Javed Khan, Vikash Jaiswal and his engaged jockey Pradip Chauhan, were the other professionals who performed to expectations during the afternoon with a brace of wins apiece.
Javed got going after the failure of his two fancied runners – Script and Perpetual Winning – early in the afternoon, in their respective events but his new arrivals from western India – Arrowfield and Rather Tippy made ample amends for losses suffered. Arrowfield (Imran Chisty), in particular, produced a champion-like performance when ridden in check, understandably with a Herculean impost of 62-kg on his back to win the 1,600m Romantic Notes Handicap was not an easy task. The horse was ridden well off the pace before displaying his superior Class. Rather Tippy, too, performed in almost a similar fashion but scored a belaboured victory to beat Arti Doctor’s Starofhollywood, over an identical trip to claim the Star Angel Handicap.
Jaiswal, on the other hand, could have finished the day on a high with a treble but the crafty trainer’s heavily fancied charge, Knight Gambit faltered in the day’s opener, the 1,100m Liberty Handicap as Chauhan, atop the even-money favourite was a trifle late the catch-up with the long time leader Rolly Polly (app P.Tajeshwar) and the ultimate winner, Swanlite (Y.S. Srinath) who took over the running, from mid-division, about a 100m from home, to provide trainer Bharath Singh his only winner in the day’s seven-event card.
Half-an-hour later, The Vikash-Chauhan pair were back in the winners’ enclosure when the stable’s another heavy fancy, Shivayy, delivered the goods, carrying his top-weight to win the 1,200m Colombiana Handicap.
The combinations brightest moment followed in the 1,200m Touch Of Silver Cup that was picked up easily by Capricious with ease, taking another of Javed ‘s fancied runner, Perpetual Winning (Imran Chisty) in his stride.
The afternoon also witnessed trainer James McKeown’s long shot, Novikov (app. P. Vikram) recording a fluent victory to claim the Cameron Handicap. Vikram rode a well-judged waiting race on the 10/1 shot Mr Fogg’s (app R.S. Bhati) tried to steal a march from the start of the race.
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Swanlite (Y S Srinath up) winner of the Liberty Handicap
Shivayy (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Colombiana Handicap
Novikov (P Vikram up) winner of the Cameron Handicap
Capricious (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Touch Of Silver Cup
Arrowfield (Imran Chisty up) winner of the Romantic Notes Handicap
Izzy (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Calcutta 1000 Guineas (2019) (Gr.3)
Rather Tippy (A Sandesh up) winner of the Star Angel Handicap
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