Shiraz Sunderji trained Kildare maintained his winning streak with an easier than expected win in the 1400 metres Republic Cup, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of the Mumbai races held on Friday. The expected tussle for supremacy with Iron Age did not materialize as the favourite who had proved invincible over a sprint flopped miserably and did not raise any kind of a gallop and finished way down the field.

One did not know why Iron Age flopped the way he did. For the benefit of racegoers, a query was sent to the Chief Stipendiary Steward but he said that one had to wait till the race day report is given out as he had an unpleasant experience of replying to individual journalists whatever it meant. So much for transparency and the fact that often we have heard authorities asking us to verify facts from them before putting out. Maybe he has his own reasons for his decision. One hopes that the Stipes report will be elaborate enough.

Be that as it may, the favouritism alternated between Iron Age and Kildare who both had their strengths. While Iron Age had proved invincible over six furlongs and had just one to his credit over seven furlongs, Kildare has proved his strength over seven furlongs. Jockey Zervan who came in place of Srinath took Iron Age to the front with Kildare hot in the chase but it was clear well before the final turn that the former was struggling to keep the lead. Much to the chagrin of the supporters of Iron Age, he began to fall back and Sandesh had no problem in pushing Kildare to take charge. Kildare burst clear inside the final two furlongs and won by a comfortable margin of over three lengths. Flying Visit nosed out August Caesar for the runner-up berth. Iron Age finished a dismal last.

Dallas Todywalla trained Hidden Gold was another horse to maintain the winning form with a resolute performance in the 1200 metres Shantidas Askuran Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Stablemate Golden Quest who was the preferred horse in the betting came up with a strong run in the final furlong but drifted out under pressure and went across to Revelator and lost all his chances. Hidden Gold held on to the lead to win from Golden Quest. The objection by jockey Sandesh who rode Revelator against Neeraj Rawal who was astride Golden Quest was upheld and Revelator was elevated to the second position.

Hoshidar Daji trained Sunrise Ruby readily justified the favouritism in the 1400 metres Icebreaker Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Apprentice jockey Nazil had Sunrise Ruby race a handy second behind Guarnerius till turning for home before storming clear to win by a widening margin of three lengths over late rallying Dreams. Princess Annabel was a poor third.

Cellini from the stables of Bezan Chenoy appeared a cut above the rest and the betting trend too highlighted this aspect in the 1200 metres Adolfito Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Trevor had no problem in steering Cellini to a win by a widening margin of nine lengths outclassing the opposition in taking style. Dumas held off Jetfire to keep the runner-up berth. The lower division of the race saw the first-timer Tanhaiyaan coming for big support to end up as the heavily backed favourite. The outside draw and the inability of Trevor Patel to manoeuvre a handy position ensured the defeat of the favourite. Tanhaiyaan was drawn 13 and travelled wide for the first furlong before Trevor decided to push him in. Thereafter, Tanhaiyaan who conceded too much of the leeway to the others was pulled out very wide in the stretch and despite this, the favourite was full of running and covered acres of ground before losing by 3/4ths of a length to Beemer. Thunderclap was a close third. Tanhaiyaan was a good thing beat.

Pesi Shroff trained North Star was strongly favoured to win the 1600 metres Radical Force Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. However, North Star was done in by stablemate Arcadia who was at long odds. Arcadia had the fist run on her opponents and by the time North Star began to make his move, the former had a good cushion which turned out to be a winning one. Black Cherry headed Monarchos to claim the third position. Sunderji trained Live By Night had no problem in keeping stablemate White River at bay to win the lower division of the race. Evangeline who came in for solid support could not quicken enough in the stretch and looked a beaten horse well before the final furlong.

Narendra Lagad trained Red Merlot was driven out strongly by jockey Dashrath to get the better of on-money favourite Multiencrypted to win the 1000 metres Cabriolet Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. The favourite Multiencrypted looked like justifying the favouritism as he led strongly into the final furlong but closer to home began to slacken which enabled Red Merlot to pinch the verdict on the post. Ginsburg was third.

Nine-year-old Ame from the stables of trainer M K Jadhav proved too good for the field in the 1000 metres Victory March Plate, a race for horses rated 4 to 30. Ame produced a strong run down the final furlong to snatch the lead and had no problem in keeping the challenge of Nusrat and Brave at bay. Favourite Colosseum gave hopes but weakened in the final furlong after doing all the front-running.

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Live By Night (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Radical Force Plate (Div-II)

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Cellini (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Adolfito Plate (Div-I)

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Hidden Gold (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Shantidas Askuran Trophy

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Red Merlot (Dashrath Singh up) winner of the Cabriolet Plate

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Sunrise Ruby (K Nazil up) winner of the Icebreaker Plate

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Arcadia (S Mosin up) winner of the Radical Force Plate (Div-I)

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Kildare (A Sandesh up) winner of the Republic Cup

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Ame (N S Parmar up) winner of the Victory March Plate

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Beemer (A Sandesh up) winner of the Adolfito Plate (Div-II)

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