Jasbir Singh-trained Arkhos caused a major upset in the Motivation Handicap as the six-year-old quite easily got the better of the favourite Royal Charter. The winner had inconspicuously crept down the handicap scale and caught many unaware. Jockey Pawan Sharma had to scrub him to hold position at the bend. Once he hit the front in the straight, it was Javed Khan-trained Party Celebration who proved to be the greatest threat but Sharma’s hard riding won the day. Entrepreneur showed some of his winning sparkle to finish third.
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The second race, the five-and-half furlong sprint for the Tel-Asur Handicap was perhaps the most difficult race of the afternoon. Daniel David’s Knights Emperor looked as if he may pull it off in the straight but Nirmal Jodha atop the Javed Khan-trained Charulata brought her with a late run on the wide outside to land the spoils. Despite shouldering top-weight, Burst Of Speed made a start to finish affair of the mile race for the Archer Handicap. In this race, the pitiful Brave Move was again installed as the firm favourite. If there was tag such as ‘Bookies favourite horse of the season’, Brave Move would be one of the top contenders with Yuhina a close second. Needless to say that both are defective horses and finished in the ruck.
The Easter Parade Handicap should have been Maznavi’s for the asking. It was another case of poor handling which cost a certain race. The great opportunist that he is, Imran Khan applied relentless pressure on Island Warrior to bring home the bacon close home after Extraordinaire seemed as if he may pull it off. As for Maznavi, she was dead last till the turn, then took the bend miles wide with too much left to do. Nevertheless, she finished a good third.
Imran completed his treble with Fly For Sure in the upper division of the Silver Handicap. Tracking, Aesthetics till the bend, the sprinter easily sailed ahead to win without being troubled. Though he was initially available at 7/2, the MAM runner closed as the 6/4 favourite.
Though Kuhaylan and Iora were the only two runners seriously backed in the lower division of the same race, it was Vijay Singh-trained Arizzano who made a start-to-finish affair of the sprint to give apprentice Ajoy Roy his maiden win. Kuhaylan ran on to occupy the ruuner-up berth.
