The afternoon’s biggest shocker was Succeeding Star who lifted the Queen Elizabeth II Cup with a marvellous run in the straight. Nirmal Jodha bided his time in the fifth slot for most part of the race before setting alight the Darius Byramji-runner who responded magnificently despite carrying a heavy impost and conceding weight to several fancied horses. Rather incredulously, top-weight Grand Madame ran on well to occupy the runner-up berth. The over-raced favourite Raghuvansh may have found the mile-and-three-quarter trip too gruelling for his liking. He was content to lie in the rear of the field till the 600m before finishing a tame seventh. Nitrous led till the 600-metre marker with Aemilia in close attendance. In the straight, it looked as if Aemilia may pull it off before the two top-weights came with brilliant runs to occupy the top two spots. Incidentally, Succeeding Star is a full brother to Alterity who is known to be a fairly trustworthy miler.
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Trainer Arti Doctor has been enjoying a fairly successful stint this season. She completed a lucrative treble during the afternoon with Southern Angel, Kestrel and Thundering Hooves. The last named won The Metropolitan sprint to complete a hat-trick of wins and hand Malesh Narredu a rare winner at this centre. The Doctor had three runners in the line-up with Pocket Rocket being the favourite. The Rocket never took off while the winner was just what the doctor ordered. Impressive Wish was in the front bunch till the straight but failed to match strides with the winner.
Aided by a mock race, Southern Angel won the upper division of The Germany Cup without being stretched. The widening margin of victory suggests that she will win again. The lower division of the same race was picked up by Bath-trained Secret Gallop, atop whom Afzal Khan rode a predictable race. From an outside draw, he hugged the rails in second spot behind speedy Thundering Hooves and waited for the latter to veer out as he is wont to do.
The opening event, The Arterial Cup for the lowest category of horses, showed what punters could expect for the rest of the afternoon. A gamble on Italian Glory was not enough to bring home the bacon as the unfancied Witness romped home while top-weight favourite Firing Power was a good third. Heavily fancied by punters once again, Yuhina finished in the ruck and is fast running out of excuses.
The aged Cosmos proved that he can still produce a winning gallop when he bagged the Saddle Up Cup. The top-weight favourite Corazon was a creditable runner-up considering he was conceding 12kg to the winner. Javed Khan-trained Generous Thought was cleverly piloted by Nirmal Jodha to land the spoils in the Fillipine Cup. He was covered up till the straight as he is known to hang out. Thereafter he was taken on the outside for a hammer and tongs race with Malikah who was along the rails. Jodha pulled off a miraculous win in the last stride.
