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Another major upset followed Grand Pere when Wile Wench won the Hello Brother Handicap. Royal County Down collared front-running Scorsese and looked like he might pull it off. However, Pawan Sharma on Wile Wench had other ideas. With sustained use of the whalebone, he ultimately succeeded in getting her to raise a winning gallop on the wide outside. The favourite Island Warrior found his weight a stopper but finished third nevertheless.
A recent import from Mysore, Daniel David-trained Star Bright quite easily accounted for her two closest rivals – Glamorous Spirit and Terrazas. The last named was in fact all at sea although he was the second favourite. Star Bright followed the pacemaker Apostrophe and sailed away for a facile triumph. Though Glamorous Spirit did issue a challenge, she was never in with a chance. With the 1000 Guineas a fortnight away, Star Bright’s chances appear pretty bright as none of the other three-year-old fillies have hoisted a winning flag thus far.
A trio of three-year-old colts were seen in action in the Flying Saucer Handicap. They were Spectacular Style, Arctic Force and Secret Whispers. The manner in which Arctic Force won the race suggests that he will be a live threat in the 2000 Guineas. Secret Whispers had all the chances but despite a poor ride by Vivek, it would be fair to say that he would never have beaten Arctic Force on this day. Spectacular Style set a fast pace and appeared to use the mile race as a preparation for a future event.
By bringing western India’s Kamlesh as her retained rider, Arti Doctor has done an extremely wise thing. By depending on local talent she was losing out quite a bit. It was Kamlesh’s hard riding and use of the whip in the left hand that won the day on Asiatic Star. The well-gambled King’s Desire was a worthy second. Kamlesh thus took his tally for the season to four – a good start indeed.
