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Some riders get accustomed to the tricky ‘Devil’s bend’ at Calcutta faster than you would imagine. Bangalore-based S. De Sousa proved to be from that category as he rode an absolute gem of a race astride Excellent Ability to get the better of the favourite Secret Whispers in the mile race for the Pearson Surita Memorial Cup. He slipped the Darius Byramji-trained runner through a gap along the rails to take up the running in the straight and staved off the persistent ‘Whispers’ rather well. The other fancied runner Party Celebration appeared never to be in with a chance as he was scrubbed from the half-way mark.
Jockey Imran Chisty rode a powerful trademark finish astride Bright Blossom to peg back the runaway Grand Pere in the upper division of the Aayush Handicap. The rage-of-the-ring Blazing Angel failed to collar Grand Pere and retired from the fray. This run will stand him in good stead. The disappointment in the race was Swiss King who finished a tame third.
Kuhaylan won the lower division of the same race without too much trouble. The favourite Enzo finished runner-up under Rajendra’s constant urging. He is known to prefer a longer trip and will be worth following. Mark Reuben’s mount Big Thrillz was withdrawn from this race but the promising rider more than made up for it with an absolutely astonishing win astride Entrepreneur in the Regal Connection Cup. The property of Bimal Khemka won in the final stride from Elegant Road. The on-money favourite Trigance struggled all the way, disproving the ‘theory’ that Mumbai runners are ‘inevitably superior’. This was Reuben’s first win of the season.
Touch Of Magic defied his penalty to get the better of Dybbuk once again in the Racing Pulse Cup. The latter did head his adversary in the straight but the top-weight came on with a second wind to strike close home. Anastasia was an unimpressive third.
Owner Gautam Sengupta had decided to give his wards Cameo and Focus a little more than a fair chance of winning their respective races. He had thus engaged crack Bangalore rider Suraj Narredu for the job. While Cameo failed miserably in the Champions Sprint, Focus won the Artwork Handicap with consummate ease to make trainer Deepak Karki and his patron a happy lot. The fancied runners in the last race, Areology and Bold Babe’ both finished in the ruck.
