|
Orient Glory set the pace with Kuchipudi, Aprillia and Rapture of Victory in tow, till approaching the 600 metres marker. As the four rounded the final turn, Aprillia was quick to hit the front and Rapture of Victory gave his supporters a glimmer of hope, coming alongside Aprillia for a brief while. Tom Mclaughlin had to just niggle the daughter of Burden of Proof and she quickened instantly to win the race.
The Secretariat Cup, for horses in the highest category was the supporting event and the race had a field of twelve. Trainer J. Silvester’s Greek Fire justified the favouritism winning from Nano War in a well fought out race. Greek Fire raced close on the heels of the early leader, Bernardo, till the top of the straight and took charge to establish a lead of over two lengths approaching the distance marker. Nano War had taken a good jump at the start but had fallen back early in the race and improved gradually along the rails and once on the straight Ruzaan decided to pull his mount on the outside and challenged Greek Fire very strongly only to go down by a ‘head’.
Trainer Donald Netto was in the limelight once again, winning three races. The first win came in the higher division of the Step Aside Plate, the opening race of the day. Jockey Vivek took Alexander Square on a start-to-finish mission and stayed clear of Hard Kingdom, who was in futile chase throughout the race. Bold Brothers was withdrawn after he refused to move into the gates.
Jockey Harish who replaced Vivek, steered Netto’s Yippee to a well-deserved win in the concluding race of the day. Having placed in all his previous four runs and losing a winning berth by a short head in his last essay, Yippee was ignored in the betting, offered at eights. Shooting ahead on the straight, Yippee kicked on gamely to upset. Armada finished second ahead of Stately Don and Ruffiano.
Star Favours was a winner on her previous outing but was neglected in the betting, in the Mossy Banks Plate. Settling in third position till the top of the straight, R.B. Shinde guided the Netto trainee to the front and the five year-old mare did the rest. Golden Sabot was in futile chase throughout the straight while Citi Dancer covered places from the rear to finish third.
Trainer K. Satheesh and Jockey Imran Khan picked up a back-to-back doubleon Star Composer and King Size. Star Composer set out on a start-to-finish exercise in the higher division of the Lady of Surana Plate. While Star Composer kicked clear by two lengths, Habituated, Pavarotti and Kohinoor King fought a fierce battle for the minor placing. Pavarotti suffered a massive cardiac arrest in the unsaddling enclosure and died instantly.
King Size won the lower division after an intense duel with Pythagoras in the final 100 metres. Smarty Prince and Air Bender drew closer to fill the frame.
Trainer Laxman Singh, who is having a lean season, scored a brace through Armador and Lalaczar. Armador outclassed the field in the lower division of the Step Aside Plate, for maiden three year-olds. Star Experience took over the running briefly on the straight but Mclaughlin rode out Armador confidently and clinched the race convincingly. Star Experience finished second while Vijay Trishul moved to third, ahead of Dream Deal.
The favourite, Prince of Hebashe had established a big leeway within the final furlong and was turning out to be a clear winner, when Lalaczar produced a stunning turn of foot to beat the ‘Prince’ at the wire. Fleeting Wish finished a close third with a sustained run.
