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Arjun Mangalorkar trained Kensington pulled off an improbable win in the Gr 3 Deccan Colts Championship Stakes, a terms race for three-year-olds over a mile, the second classic of the monsoon season held at Malakpet on Sunday. All seemed lost for Kensington when the horse went wide in the straight and literally raced on the edge of the track but the persevering efforts of jockey Anthony Raj enabled the progeny of Win Legend to pull off a last stride win by a whisker. Everyone including the commentator missed the action unfolding close to the rails while watching the absorbing action close to the rails.
With the horses in contention not having an ideal lead up to the race with the corona induced restriction virtually ensuring that the Bangalore Summer Season being a non-starter. Among the local horses, Falcon Edge was an unbeaten horse while Knotty Dancer had enhanced his reputation with a smashing win over seven furlongs. There was a question mark about both these horses getting the mile-long trip though the former had won a mile-long race in a smart time racing against the comfort of the local opposition. In a more competitive environment and in adverse underfoot conditions brought about because of overnight heavy rain and intermittent rain during the course of the day, Falcon Edge, Knotty Dancer and Spinoza who were at the helm of betting finished poorly. The horses which were not expected to be in the thick of things were the ones who finished in a line in an absorbing finish.
Kensington who is a full brother to the Derby-winning Angel Dust, had run twice in his career. On the first occasion, he had finished a close second behind stablemate Pecanwood despite a lethargic beginning but had subsequently disappointed at Guindy. Kensington had the benefit of mock races at Bangalore and his trainer Arjun Mangalorkar chose to entrust him to Anthony Raj preferring to put the more experienced Neeraj Rawal on his other horse Stockbridge. Anthony Raj appreciated the trust of the trainer with a persevering effort though things went horribly wrong at the final turn when the horse ran out of control to the outer rail. Arjun Mangalorkar said that he had instructed the jockey to make his move in the middle of the track to get firm ground but the jockey was unable to control the drift once the horse shied away. To Anthony Raj`s credit, he kept himself to the task and did not give up which got him perhaps his first classic success.
After initially attempting to make his bid from the start, Knotty Dancer was eased into the second position behind Zuccarelli. Spinoza was in close proximity while the rest of the runners were spaced out behind. The fast pace ruined the chances of Knotty Dancer.
Under Pradeep Chouhan, Zuccarelli battled on in front with Knotty Dancer unable to overhaul the front-runner. It was clear that Knotty Dancer was not capable of lasting out the mile-long trip as he looked like a beaten horse a long way from home. Spinoza was handily placed but he too packed up to eventually finish a poor last. Falcon Edge too made no show. Fire Power who had flopped on the last occasion in a handicap race was given a good ride by jockey Zervan and the long shot managed to forge ahead along the rails with a ground-saving run and held off Zuccarelli. In the meanwhile, everyone appeared to have missed what was unfolding on the wide outside. After getting the support of the outer fence, Kensington had covered ground rapidly and had flashed past the post along with Fire Power. Since the two horses were wide apart, the commentator too missed the eventual winner. The photo revealed Kensington had indeed nosed out Fire Power to pull off an unlikely win. Zuccarelli was a close third while Angelico who was running for the second time in his career, ran on well to finish a close fourth. An elated Arjun Mangalorkar said that he had always rated Kensington high and was sure that the poor second run at Guindy was only an aberration.
Ananth Vatsalya trained Lockhart brought off an upset in the 1400 metres Shaphir Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Jockey Ajeeth Kumar brought Lockhart on the wide outside from way off the pace and the progeny of Sedgefield picked up speed in the stretch to surge ahead in the final furlong and then held off a strong rally by another long shot Dandy Man. City of Wisdom who raced up with the pace stayed on save place money. Favourite Private Empire was buried at the back. Balius from the stables of Shashikanth attracted one-sided betting in the lower division of the race. Apprentice jockey Gaurav Singh had Balius dictate the pace in front and the favourite was not hard-pressed by any of the contestants as she checked in by a comfortable margin of three lengths. Max ran on to take the second position ahead of Full Volume.
Hilton Sequeira trained Committed Warrior who lost supporters in the betting ring to eventually run at long odds, had no problem in accounting for the opposition in the 1400 metres Golden Baby Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Jockey Koushik had Committed Warrior swiftly improve places soon after turning for home. The lesser fancied runner produced strong acceleration to have the race sewn up in the final furlong, winning by a widening margin of four lengths over Mauser and Cosmic Run. Favourite Colachel Battle who was bidding for a hat-trick disappointed with a timid performance. In contrast, the lower division of the race produced a thrilling finish with Brisbane and Siyavash going past the post locked together. The Judge could not separate them and there ensued a dead-heat for the first position. Brisbane who had the first run on Siyavash appeared to have held off the late rally of the latter who finished aggressively but the photo finish image showed that they were inseparable. Star Dancer was a close third.
The day`s opener, the 1100 metres Blue Peter Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds was held in the pouring rain and quite a few horses were seen losing their footing on the wet track. Jockey Praveen Gaddam had a fall on Sharp Mind and the resultant Stewards enquiry saw Diziztymtowin being disqualified for causing the interference. Jockey Ajeeth Kumar was suspended for four race days for causing dangerous interference. Angelita proved too superior to the field to win at fancy odds at the expense of Hot Seat and Aarya. The lower division of the race too saw a rank outsider in Rising Queen from the stables of Robin Reddy winning, with a flourishing run on the wide outside, from way behind. Cosmico was second ahead of Sally.
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Angelita (Kuldeep Singh up) winner of THE BLUE PETER PLATE (DIV-I)
Rising Queen (Abhay Singh up) winner of THE BLUE PETER PLATE (DIV-II)
Committed Warrior (Koushik up) winner of THE GOLDEN BABY PLATE (DIV-I)
Lockhart (P Ajeeth Kumar up) winner of THE SHAPHIR PLATE (DIV-I)
Siyavash (A Ashhad Asbar up) winner of THE GOLDEN BABY PLATE (DIV-II)
Kensington (Antony Raj S up) winner of THE DECCAN COLTS CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES (GR.3)
Balius (Gaurav Singh up) winner of THE SHAPHIR PLATE (DIV-II)
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