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Malesh Narredu trained Storm Breaker showed a tremendous improvement when slamming the opposition in the Gr 3 Juvenile Sprinters’ Million, a terms race for three-year-olds, the feature event of Saturday’s Bangalore races. The progeny of Leitir Mor who had recorded a debut win on this track advertised his class in this effort indicating that he belongs to the highest class.
Sitara who had run a forward race last time out and last start winner Storm Breaker were supported in good measure to win the race. The former had clocked a faster timing as compared to Storm Breaker and both had run on the same day. This perhaps influenced the minds of the majority of the racegoers who plumped for Sitara who was backed down spiritedly with the odds on Storm Breaker shooting up due to the volumes of money that the former attracted. The expectation of a close fight between these two market fancies did not materialise as Storm Breaker proved too superior.
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Sitara was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Trevor Patel with Storm Breaker in hot pursuit. Inside the final furlong, Storm Breaker went on to Sitara due to the left-handed whipping of jockey Yash Narredu and hampered the progress of the favourite. However, Storm Breaker proved too good after the minor skirmish as Yash Narredu steadied the horse and the challenger from Mumbai then bounced clear to win by a margin of over three lengths. After being checked, Sitara could not regain her momentum and barely to managed to keep the second position ahead of Mzilikazi. Trevor put an objection against Yash for squeezing his horse for about10 strides which cost him a certain race. The objection was overruled as it was clear that the interference did not make a material difference and Storm Breaker was the superior of the two horses.
Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Into The Groove managed to neck out Bora Bora thanks to the driving finish of jockey Suraj Narredu. Bora Bora who had missed the kick last time out showed great alacrity to lead the way. Into The Groove was hard-pressed to catch up with the front-runner and it took an all out effort on the part of the jockey to get his horse to put her neck in front in the closing strides of the race. Haedi’s Folly stayed in touch with these two front-runners but failed to show the spark of his last effort and had to settle for the third slot.
The most impressive winner of the day was Prithviraj trained Slice of Heaven who showed amazing improvement when winning the 1100 metres Rare Gem Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Slice of Heaven and Indian Democrat were the market fancies. Jockey Darshan took Slice of Heaven on a start to finish mission with Will To Win in the chase. In the stretch, Slice of Heaven skipped away to win by a widening margin of eight lengths in a new course record time of one minute 5.94 seconds. For the second week running, the progeny of Usha Stud Farm’s new stallion Speaking of Which are winning in such tremendous fashion which should be great news for the promotors of the stud farm. Siroco edged out Schafenberg to get the third place while Indian Democrat ran poorly.
Trainer Irfan Ghatala brought off a smart touch on debutant Bernardini in the 1200 metres Bhishma Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. The progeny of Tazahum was making his debut as a four-year-old against a modest lot of horses in a race where jockeys were not allowed to carry the whips. Assigned to apprentice Shamaz Shareef, Bernardini was backed down spiritedly from a higher quote. In the race itself, Bernardini was always travelling handily and inside the final furlong burst through the pack to record an easy win. Industrialist held off favourite Cosmic Feeling to get the runner-up berth.
One other horse which obliged huge market expectations was Pradeep Annaiah trained Morrane Gabriella in the 1100 metres July Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Backed down to strong favouritism from a higher quote, Morrane Gabriella managed to justify the support in the hands of jockey A R Pradeep with a late dash which saw the five-year-old mare get the better of Mischief Flying in the dying moments of the race. She’s Super who was also in the betting, was not in with a serious chance but eventually saved place money.
Neil Darashah trained Brothers In Arms was widely expected to have it easy in the 1400 metres Noble Prince Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. But Blarney Stone who had showed out in a mock race refused to budge from his position in front but the persevering efforts of Suraj Narredu enabled the favourite to get the nod in the shadow of the post. Last start winner Shivalik Kiss was a tame third.
Chula Vista who had finished second best in her last effort managed to go one better in the 1400 metres Mahalakshmi Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class. Desert Angel who has often been sluggish from the gates, took a brisk start this time out and led all the way before being overhauled in the closing strides of the race. Phoenix Reached ran on to take the third position.
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Brothers In Arms (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Noble Prince Plate
Slice Of Heaven (Darshan R N up) winner of the Rare Gem Plate
Chula Vista (S John up) winner of the Mahalakshmi Plate
Into The Groove (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Karnataka Police Cup
Storm Breaker (Yash Narredu up) winner of the Juvenile Sprinters' Million (Gr.3)
Morrane Gabriella (A R Pradeep up) winner of the July Plate
Bernardini (Shamaz Shareef up) winner of the Bhishma Plate
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