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Dallas Todywalla trained Excellent proved too classy for the opposition in the Gr 2 1400 metres F D Wadia Trophy, a terms race for three-year-olds, the feature event of Saturday’s Pune races. The progeny of Excellent Art is a good type of youngster and it was highlighted by the ease with which he swamped the opposition. The beaten brigade doesn’t appear to have great career prospects.
Longshot Eden Rock led the field with Adjudicate in close proximity while jockey Neeraj Rawal had the 10 to 1 shot Excellent in a handy third position. Approaching the final bend, Excellent moved swiftly and overhauled the front-runners with a minimum of fuss and sped away for an effortless win by a margin of three lengths. Favourite Bernice managed to head Adjudicate at the post to claim the second position.
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Karthik Ganapathy trained Grand Accord swept past the other runners at the top of the straight to record a handsome win in the 1600 metres Dr K Vasudevan Memorial Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Bunting led from the start but had no answer when the well-backed Grand Accord swooped on her in the straight. Bunting held the second position ahead of Sawgrass.
Vishal Gaikwad trained Adonijah pulled off a narrow win in the 1800 metres Timeless Beauty Plate, a race for horse rated 20 to 46. Smart N Noble led from the start but in the final furlong, lost precious ground when he began to drift out under pressure. Adonijah got a good run along the rails and jockey Umesh was able to push his horse to draw level. Flashing Honour too joined the fray on the wide outside and in the battle between these horses, Adonijah held off the others by a neck to win the race as a fancied runner.
Mansoor Shah trained horses are a terror in the lowest category races. His horses are generally held back and their performance is hard to determine unless the right money comes on them. More often than not they will be the starting point of the career of most of his horses. It was the case with Lorraine in the 1000 metres War Command Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category horses. The Saturday’s card was lacklustre and it was made worse by providing three divisions of the lowest category race. True Grit led from the start and tried to draw clear in the final furlong with Lorraine some lengths adrift. Under the forceful riding of Chouhan, Lorraine covered the leeway and, in the end, stormed clear to record an easy win.
Waheed trained Questionable was the betting rage in Division II of the race. Questionable took command of the situation after racing a handy second into the straight and then spurting clear for an easy win. Gandalf edged out Highland Wind to get the second position. Lesser fancied Eternal Dancer from the stables of Rehanullah Khan won the Division III of the race. Eternal Dancer stormed ahead inside the final two furlongs and faced no threat from the opposition while winning by a margin of more than three lengths. Solo Mission gave chase in vain while finishing second. Forever Free was third.
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Eternal Dancer (N S Parmar up) winner of the War Command Plate (Div-III)
Adonijah (C Umesh up) winner of the Timeless Beauty Plate
Grand Accord (A Imran Khan up) winner of the Dr K Vasudevan Trophy
Excellent (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the F. D. Wadia Trophy (Gr.3)
Questionable (P S Chouhan up) winner of the War Command Plate (Div-II)
Lorraine (P S Chouhan up) winner of the War Command Plate (Div-I)
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