Going Heavy? No Problem for Top Performers |
| Horses performing true-to-form in the morning try-outs came out to the top in the Tuesday afternoon races at Delhi. Katania, Outstanding, Opera Royale, Zabardast and King of The Ring were the impressive winners. Magan Singh celebrated the day with three wins, while jockey Shadab Khan earned a double. The third day of the season was once again conducted under heavy going caused by torrential rain on Saturday. Like the previous day, the sky was overcast and there were intermittent spells of rain during the first half of the meeting. The humidity level was also very high. As a result, it’s not just the spectators, but horses were also seen perspiring profusely. Taking a lesson from Katania, whom he gave company in the latest try-out, Zabardast had all the reasons to be at the post ahead of the rest in the class field of the Magic Momento Plate. As the colt came to terms just before half way down the six furlongs trip, the other front-runners Salandra and Paramont fell far behind. The favourite Dream Debut got into action only after straightening for homestretch to complete the journey at the runner-up slot after coming from fifth position. Shadab, who rode the four-year-old colt victor, had opened his account on Young Anna in the Moonlight Drive Plate. The young jockey had an armchair ride on the victorious filly who completed an encore making every post a winning one over seven furlongs. Interestingly, both the horses made the favourites victim of their strides. The run of Silver Girl, who ran second to Young Anna, is best ignored. "It was in the middle of the previous season when Zabardast and Young Anna joined my stable. I did not pay full attention towards them, but with time going by they came up well and succeeded in few races," Magan Singh told me. "The break of season certainly made me know their strength and seeing their current form, I must say they should not bother about class," he said. The class of Mumbai horses was once again proved by Katania, opera Royale and King of The Ring. Katania brought cheers on the faces of the gathering in the upper division of the Lady Be Mine Plate. She never allowed anyone to dare her supremacy en route to victory in a pillar-to-post affair. "She was brought here only in May and the way she has improved, she may carry a lot of hope for becoming one of the top-notched horses from my brigade," Magan said. Jockey Rajinder, who flew in from Kolkata, helped the regular stable (A Khan) to earn its first win through Outstanding in the Lower Division of the Lady Be Mine Plate. She should complete a double. Opera Royale cantered the field in the Running Flame Plate. Gurpreet, who was in the saddle of the six-year-old mare, had nothing to do when she pulled herself away from the pack at the top of the two-furlongs straight. Though she drifted out alarmingly and the jockey lost his quirt around 100m from the winning post, she may be able to achieve an encore soon. King of The Ring proved to be too good for the local contenders in the concluding event Great Expectation Plate. Jockey Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was so confident that he started peeping over his shoulder as soon as he brought the field into the straight. The gelding may set his sight for another victory. |
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