|
Another fancied runner, Succeeding Star from Darius Byramji’s yard, failed to show any sparkle at all and finished a bad last. At least Compton Star produced a good run in the straight to finish a fairly decent third.
One race earlier, Christopher Alford had ridden Art Doctor-trained Sparta to her fourth win of the season. The ante-post favourite Chief’s Dream ran like a dud as he is wont to do while Shes Superb’s race was destroyed by speedy Diomedes who hit the front soon after start. Alford sat tight on the form horse Sparta till heads turned for home while the others jostled to get ahead. Near the distance post, he piled on the pressure and Sparta responded magnificently.
Rank outsider Royal County Down set the ball rolling for a dramatic afternoon of racing when he made every post of the Ex-Servicemen’s Handicap a winning one despite not displaying any kind of form in his earlier runs. The favourite Italian Beauty came with a late run on the wide outside to finish third while the aged Arrayal plodded on behind the winner to be a good second. Bullet Proof was a disappointment in this sprint as like Royal County Down, he too is an above-class horse more suited to sharp distances.
High Regard was backed down to favouritism in the 1,800 metres race for the Amar Jawan Handicap. Top-weighted Chinatown was a close second favourite. Loughborough and Srinivas Rao hit the front as the gates opened. Alford on Chinatown was riding a forward race while A Imran Khan astride High Regard was content to sit in the rear of the field. As heads turned for home, Chinatown was the first to see daylight but his happiness was shortlived as Imran brought High Regard with a great run at the distance post. Nevertheless, Chinatown will be better for this run and will be worth keeping an eye on.
Three-year-old filly Carmen was the half-money public choice in the race for the Defence Forces Cup. She was however all at sea, receiving no help from the saddle whatsoever. This being her first run at this centre, one would have to excuse her shoddy show. Supreme Attraction called the early shots but went into reverse gear once passed by Elegant Road. This mount of Imran Khan was a facile winner while top-weight Appertain ran on to be an impressive second.
Thankfully for punters, form held good in the last race of the day as Vinay Jaiswal brought the favourite Areology with a fluent run in the straight to land the spoils. The connections of Orlando Bloom decided to make a dash for it on this occasion but found one better in the deserving four-year-old. Perhaps, in his own age group, Orlando might fare better.
