|
Thanks to the failure of Apyrous, punters could lap up the odds on Aksinya which expanded to 11/10 in the race for the Anticipator Handicap. This full sister to Real Excellence (Steinbeck-Allaire) treated the nine-horse field with utter disdain as she swept past the front-runners in a trice. Jockey Christopher Alford realized that the youngster was still new to the game and reminded the Darius Byramji ward in the straight that the task was yet to be completed.
The slender filly is built like a true stayer and like her sibling will relish the extra distance. More races are in store for her. Darius had a plane to catch and was not present for his second winner, Top Of The Class. The five-year-old mare won the last race of the day, The Pentagon Cup, when she collared front-runner Queen Of Hearts and the favourite Arnatta without too much trouble. Carrying a crushing impost of 62kg, with apprentice B. Mahesh unable to claim allowance as it was a sweepstakes race, Top Of The Class lived up to her name under Darius’ magic touch. She was available at 10/1 in the ring.
The disappointment in the race was Arti Doctor-trained Pocket Rocket, with Wayne Smith astride. The retros must have been fixed the wrong way as the ‘Rocket’ was travelling backwards. Wayne rode a much better race on Asiatic Star who finished second to Credit Squeeze in the Juvenile sprint. The fact that he finished ahead of the likes of seasoned campaigners like Cascades and Galashiels speaks volumes of his potential.
Credit Squeeze on the other hand made a mockery of the field as he made every post a winning one. The poor run of Cascades has been in keeping with the stable’s performance this season thus far. Javed Khan-trained Fighting Star was piloted by Wayne Smith in a businesslike manner to lift the Too Hot To Touch Cup. Available at 4/1, Wayne had the chestnut racing three deep at the bend, on the outside of Conquering Love and Diomedes. Once the sprinter saw daylight, there was no looking back. Normally, a forward runner, favourite Axiology graced the wrong end of the field till the straight. He moved well in the final furlong to occupy the runner-up berth.
The Stewards have opened an enquiry into the run of Axiology. Fashionably bred Grace N Grit (Razeen-Allinda) came good in her maiden start this monsoon when she quite easily collared Smiles to bag the Arezzo Handicap. The favourite Flaming Comet continued to play bridesmaid while the other fancied runner Firing Power ran like a dud.
