Never count your chickens before they hatch—nowhere does that idiom ring truer than in horse-racing. Those who were speculating that a sunny afternoon would produce a fine day's racing, were in for a rude shock as the heavens opened up without notice prior to the start of the fourth race and truncated the day's proceedings on Wednesday.
The city had been experiencing quite a bit of rain during the past week but a clear sky from Monday led one to believe that the good weather would hold. But alas, it was not to be. It was particularly harsh on those stables that had flown in outstation riders to ensure better prospects for their runners.
Bangalore's ace light-weight KPG Appu made his presence felt on his very first mount of the day as he guided Entrepreneur to a smashing victory in the Bahrain Trophy, the afternoon's main feature. Currently under the care of Robin Corner, this colt by Brave Hunter out of Expensive Week has improved in leaps and bounds this season. Without any kind of showmanship, Appu merely ensured that the property of Bimal Khemka ran true to potential.
After letting top-weight and second favourite Fort Knox call the shots till the turning for home, Appu set his mount alight with a single reminder and then used the stick just once more to ensure that his the game galloper draws away. A furlong from home, it was all over bar the shouting.
Trainer Deepak Karki opened the afternoon's meet with a fine gamble on Pursuit of Power. The western India import made the mile race for the Snow Forest Handicap a start-to-finish affair. Jockey Chouhan left nothing to chance as he pulled away from Kriskav—one of Vikash Jaiswal's four runners in the field of seven.
Karki's next gamble, however, could not materialise as the even-money favourite Crystal Gazing did not get a chance to prove her mettle. Promising apprentice Tograllu from Mumbai had been pretty shrewdly declared to ride the grey but heavy rain was obviously not in the scheme of things.
Trainer Imtiaz Sait' Paddington (who was saddled by Vijay Singh in Sait's absence) appeared to have the Kariba Handicap in her sight till a challenge from unexpected quarters ended her aspirations. Imran Chisty brought Silent Hunter with an astonishing run after the colt had made a sluggish start and raced in the rear for most part.
The next race day is scheduled for Saturday. Local turfites will hope that the gloomy weather clears up before that, and the track dries up in good time.
