Rock Ing Star Finds Her Winning Shoes |
| Stung by her loss in the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Cup which was earmarked for the top class runners, Rock Ing Star vented her ire on the age-group fillies while annexing the first classic event of the season - North India 1000 Guineas at the Delhi races on Tuesday. Jagatjit Industries sponsored the race. It was the second back-to-back 1000 Guineas success for Rajesh Sahgal and Sultan Singh, whose Stunning Rose was the previous season's winner. Saddlers M Ahsan and Alim Khan shared a brace each. The hour-long drizzle on Monday night did not affect the turf, and the going was as usual on the lighter side - good. In fact, a hazy climate made the set perfect for the first blue riband competition. Keeping in view the lower calibre of the fillies, the highly ranked Rock Ing Star had already made her mark on the title. However, for formality, she had to run. Rock Ing Star’s earlier defeat against the class one runners a couple of weeks ago had left some topic for the racing fraternity to talk about. Moreover, putting the top-notched jockey Suraj Narredu on the back of Enya made the followers keep their fingers crossed. The turf accountant’s offer of quoting a quarter higher than the champion filly made the gathering further confused. However, once the seven competitors made a journey towards the starting marker, the betting on the favourite changed the whole scenario. Going toe to toe after breaking out with Dazzling Wise, local hero Rajinder soon forced Rock Ing Star to let the former breathe freely till the top of the home stretch. Once she gathered momentum, the rest had no other option but to play the role of onlooker. Enya, who once looked to have been matching strides in the early furlongs, had to work hard to beat Mrignainee for the runer-up berth. The daughter of Greensmith and Scarborough, who had left nothing for the counterparts in the previous season, had to survive narrowly against Red Cat in her lone appearance in the class two event. Howevver, she had to bow down to be close fourth in the very next outing with disadvantageous handicap. The filly, who has been triumphant in seven outings in eight starts, has now stepped closer to achieve success in the second classic (2000 Guineas) to be held in the next month. Alim Khan, who earned his second consecutive fillies Guineas after Stunning Rose, was jubilant as his trained juvenile Rock It made an impressive winning debut while trouncing the opposition in the Divine Comedy Plate. Lagunillas, full sister to Zarin who is well known for the speed, showed a staying power finishing second. Another filly, who showed some stamina, was Dancing Babe, who necked Ashwa Pakhee out at the post for the minor placings. Real Smasher bears watching. Subroos, whose jockey fell down in the last outing, completed an encore getting the three-parts-of-a-length better of the public fancied Lightning Bolt. M Ahsan, who saddled Subroos, also led Choice For Ever, who made it every post a winning one in the upper division of the An's Black Plate under apprentice jockey Pradeep Kumar. In the lower division of the plate, Mysterio registered an impressive and long overdue victory. The gelding should complete an encore. Another apprentice reinman, Faraz Waheed landed spoilsports through Game of Talent in the Milkfood Plate. The five year-old chestnut gelding has the potential to repeat. |
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