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Srinivas Reddy trained Ashwa Yashobali who hadn`t won for a very long time, struck form about 14 days ago winning a race in spectacular fashion covering acres of ground in the stretch. Ashwa Yashobali repeated a similar performance in the 1400 metres Madante Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, the feature event of Monday`s races held at Malakpet. Punters struggled to win winners in half the number of day`s races.
The run benefit had perhaps sharpened Ashwa Yashobali who responded readily in the run-in for home and thwarted the late bid of favourite Private Empire who attempted the feat accomplished by the former two weeks ago. Even as Balius shot into the lead approaching the final furlong, Ashwa Yashobali, in the hands of apprentice jockey Gaurav Singh, came home with a big effort and surged ahead in the dying strides of the race. Private Empire who was anchored at the rear till turning for home, came wide, made rapid strides but found the front-runner escape to victory. Two horses of identical temperament ended up fighting at the finish while the others had a good outing among whom Balius is the one for the notebook.
The punters who had found picking winners easy by merely chasing the favourites in the first part of the race programme, were in for shocks as the day progressed. Ashwa Raudee came in for spirited betting to end up as favourite ahead of Hidden Hope to win the 1200 metres Royal Windsor Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. For one who could critically examine the trend in the ring, there seemed to be some flutter on Netto trained Days of Reckoning at longer odds. Ashwa Raudee had the lead going into the final furlong but Days of Reckoning, in the hands of jockey Deepak Singh, was in earnest and got the better of the favourite in the closing strides of the race. Lifetime ran on to take the third position while Hidden Hope, on whom Pradeep Chouhan was replaced by T S Jodha, ran below expectations.
Prasad Raju trained La Lady was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1400 metres Guindy Plate (Div I) giving one the impression that the four-year-old who had two runs to her credit was cut above the rest. However, La Lady cut an erratic course in the stretch, some problem obvious hampering her performance and the favourite was a lost cause well before the race came to a boil. Vittal Deshmukh trained Due Diligence who had the benefit of a good forward run, produced a stunning burst of acceleration in the home stretch to win by a widening margin of seven lengths to break the maidens rank in her tenth attempt. Hip Hop headed Sun Dancer to grab the second spot. Satheesh trained Exponent was the long shot who made her tenth appearance on the race track a winning one. Fancied Sacred Lamp led in earnest in the closing stages of the race but the finishing burst of Exponent put paid to the hopes of the Ravindra Singh trainee. Sheldon who had brought off a big upset against the run of expectations on the last occasion was backed strongly to oblige but ran like a dud.
Leo D`Silva trained River Song was backed as if her defeat was out of the question in the 1100 metres Abbots Royal Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds. River Song who was in the midfield approaching the final 300 metres, gained ground on the front-runner rapidly and sailed past the front-running Burano in the final stages of the race to provide an arm-chair ride to victory for jockey Akshay Kumar. Furious Fun stayed on to finish third. Favourite Show Me Your Walk from the stables of Sequeira was perhaps lucky to pull through as Thanks which came up with a threatening run faltered. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan seemed to be in some discomfort even as Thanks responded strongly with a late flourish. Chouhan did not ride in the subsequent races. Star Cruise was third.
The short-priced Limoncello from the stables of trainer Laxman Singh had it easy in the 1400 metres Ascot Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Limoncello raced prominently in front and skipped clear of Georgia Peach to win with a measure of comfort. Jockey Akshay Kumar looks good when riding straightforward horses but was clumsy on Georgia Peach who hung and the jockey was not of much help. Able Love was faraway third.
Deshmukh trained Francis Bacon recorded an encore with an easy win in the 1800 metres Tudor Jet Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Francis Bacon appears to have hit a purple patch after having performed listlessly in the early part of his career. His repeat win in 14 days augurs well for this five-year-old who seems to have found his bearings. Francis Bacon who led from the start skipped clear in the final furlong to win by a widening margin of five lengths in the hands of Nakhat Singh. In the form that he is in, Francis Bacon can repeat. King Roger was a beaten cause as he failed to make an impression on the eventual winner. Call of the Blue was third. Favourite Lightning Power performed dismally and finished down the field.
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River Song (Akshay Kumar up) winner of THE ABBOTS ROYAL PLATE (DIV-I)
Limoncello (P S Chouhan up) winner of THE ASCOT PLATE
Show Me Your Walk (Akshay Kumar up) winner of THE ABBOTS ROYAL PLATE (DIV-II)
Francis Bacon (Nakhat Singh up) winner of THE TUDOR JET PLATE
Days Of Reckoning (Deepak Singh up) winner of THE ROYAL WINDSOR PLATE
Due Diligence (Surya Prakash up) winner of THE GUINDY PLATE (DIV-I)
Ashwa Yashobali (Gaurav Singh up) winner of THE MADANTE PLATE
Exponent (Nakhat Singh up) winner of THE GUINDY PLATE (DIV-II)
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