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The visiting South India challenger, Tenno Show (Trevor Patel-up) took a narrow measure of the local challenger, Jaivant (Suraj Narredu) in the 1,600m Calcutta 2000 Guineas, the second Classic of the season, and the major attraction in Saturday’s eight-event card. Neil Darashah saddled the winner -- the trainer first Classic win in the RCTC. The race, however, had become a two-horse affair after an unruly hot favourite, Trafalgar (David Allan) refused to be loaded and was declared a non-starter; The afternoon also witnessed Trevor, atop, St Andrews, having to use all his riding experience to clinch another narrow verdict while taking the measure of Bharath Singh’s Castlebridge (Neeraj Rawal) in the 1,200m Indian Gold Vase.
The unruly Trafalgar, was withdrawn, after the horse unseated his rider and also had a big fall. The news was rather welcomed by the followers of the 13/20 hot favourite as the injury suffered by Trafalgar after the fall may have affected the horse’s winning chances.
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The victory for Tenno Sho, however, did not come easy as there was a long tussle between the two inside the last furlong. Trainer Vijay Singh’s Jaivant had taken over the running, nearing the home turn from the long time leader, and his stable-mate, Abhya Gama (Nikhil Naidu). He also looked like heading for the Guineas’ victory; until Tenno Sho changed the gear and released those extra reserves, inside the last furlong.
The story was marginally different in the Indian Gold Vase. St Andrews took over the running from the top-weighted Amorous White, below the distance post, but faced a big challenge from trainer Bharath Singh’s Castlebridge (Neeraj Rawal), inside the final 100m of the race. However, grey horse fell short at the wire by a short-head.
The afternoon also witnessed a champion in the making in Vijay’s debutant baby, Black Pearl (Suraj) who claimed Hong Kong Jockey Club Cup the way he wanted. Although the Planetaire-Alvarita son was inconvenienced for a galloping room in the early part of the home straight, yet he fashioned his ‘distance’ victory in an impressive manner.
Vijay’s other impressive winner in the eight-event card was Hukumat (Hindu Singh) who treated his nine rivals in the 1,200m Treasure Land Cup, with little regards after taking over the running from early leaders, Lumenac (Dashrath Singh), Angel Grace (Naidu) and Beatle Bible (Satish Nayak).
Hindu’s winning efforts started early in the afternoon when Manvendra Singh’s Midnight Magic fought a close battle with trainer Jaiswal’s fancied runner, My Lady Luck (P.S Chauhan) and Bharath Singh’s Solo March (Dashrath Singh) to victory in the 1,200m Cavalary Cup, the day’s opener.
Trainer Javed Khan and jockeys Imran Chisty also notched up a brace of wins apiece. Javed’s saddled Dancing Lord, the least fancied runner in the 1,600m Army Sevices Corps Cup. The horse trailed the field till about 300m from home before, eating up ground on the wide out to have an easy measure of Arti Doctor’s fancied runner, Sabrejet (C. Alford).
Half-an-hour later, Chisty again combined with Javed to complete a mere formality of winning atop Arrowfield in the 2,000m Eastern Command Cup. Chisty, once again, rode a waiting race on the winner, a 13/20 hot favourite, who showed promise to strike again.
Trainer Jasbir Singh’s Beat The Bank (Anil Bandal) land a big gamble in the early afternoon to claim 1,200m Lt. Gen. Jameel Mahmood Memorial Cup with a degree of ease. The horse was backed down from 10s down to 5/1.
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Midnight Magic (Hindu Singh up) winner of the Cavalry Cup
Dancing Lord (Imran Chisty up) winner of the Army Service Corps (Asc) Cup
Arrowfield (Imran Chisty up) winner of the Eastern Command Cup
Beat The Bank (Anil Baandal up) winner of the Lt Gen Jameel Mahmood Memorial Cup
Black Pearl (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Cup
St Andrews (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Indian Gold Vase
Tenno Sho (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Calcutta 2000 Guineas (2019) (Gr.2)
Hukumat (Hindu Singh up) winner of the Treasure Land Cup
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