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Sathyanarayana had a back-to-back double, leading in Set Me Free, in the concluding race. With jockey Laxman, who doesn’t get to see the winning bracket very often, being declared to ride, it was a good gamble that paid off for the stable. Backed down from fives to 9 – 4, Set Me Free made it a start-to-finish affair over the six-furlong trip. Turning Point, Trigger Happy and Booster were withdrawn before the race.
Trainer Anupam Sharma who moved to Hyderabad just a year ago has been having one of the best seasons of his career. With a double on Monday his tally has gone up to fifteen. Yakshagana won the higher division of the Allez Vite Plate. Going into the front right from the word ‘go’, Yakshagana, cleared the winning post comfortably. Celestina chased the winner throughout. Smrithiman picked up the lower division of the Makalu Cup. Surging past the tiring Democracy in the final furlong Smrithiman went clear to score an easy victory. Victory Signal finished third ahead of Bentota. Both the winners of Anupam were ridden by R.Parmod.
Donald Netto continued his winning streak picking up two winners, both with Samuel Fargeat. Mr.Don clinched the higher division of the Makalu Cup. Almost on a start to finish bid, Mr.Don, was challenged strongly by Iki Tombi and Emerald Bay in the last 200 metres but with his head down, Fargeat, rode a neat race to keep his mount on even keel and win. The odds-on favourite, Firebird literarily ran away with the lower division of the Brown Sugar Plate. Indian Storm was in futile chase throughout.
T. Srinagesh’s Peasgus Belle scored an upset in the lower division of the Allez Vite Plate beating Firstandforemost on the last stride. The favourite Craven Cottage failed to respond to her rider’s urgings and finished fourth behind Esperanza.
Imran Khan won two more to stabilize his position on top in the jockey’s tally. He started the day with Jaan Baaz in the opening race. With Combined Force and Jaan Baaz in a fight for supremacy in the last 150 metres, Imran prevailed over the apprentice P. Venkat. The apprentice, just on his third mount of his budding career, rode a neat race and made Imran sweat it out for a win. The punching of the hands in the air by Imran Khan on winning the fight with the apprentice could not be digested by many race goers and definitely does not compliment the sportsmanship of the experienced rider.
Imran rode Prasad’s Bella Coola to a fine win in the higher division of the Brown Sugar Plate. Bella Coola drifted out in the betting as a lot of money came on Leading Light. It was a straight fight between the two in the last 200 metres and Imran managed to ward off Fentiman’s challenge on Leading Light.
