Rabi Kounga Defies Handicap in Higher Class |
| Picking up momentum from where he left in the Delhi Race Club President Cup, Rabi Kounga left the top-class contenders dancing to his tune in the Royal Western India Turf Club Cup at the Delhi races on Monday. Trainer Roopendar Singh Shekhawat and jockey Gurpreet Singh booted home a double respectively. Making a back-to-back double within a week wasn’t expected from Rabi Kounga. Seeing a close shave against Afea over the seven-furlong trip in the previous trip and racing against odds on promotion were the main factor for the race goers to ignore him in the ring. But, the Magan Singh's trainee had something else in his mind and the able guidance of Gurpreet Singh made things easy. Gurpreet adopted a copy-book tactic of wait and watch travelling second last in the field of six till the half-way mark. Momentarily, Gurpreet looked to have been losing patience as he tried to shift the track but the insufficient room forced him to let the opportunity come by. As soon as the stablemate speedy Gin And Tonic and Black Chetak swung into the straight, he angled for a clear passage between them and zipped ahead to dominate the final furlong with authority. Gin And Tonic managed to neck out late galloping Middle Man for the runner-up berth. Roopendra Singh Shekhawat's charge Varun found his winning shoes while making every post a winning one in the day's opening event, the Mumbai Plate. The six year-old gelding was in after a gap of almost a year. The imported horse from the western India had his last victory over the eight furlong's contest in Mumbai during the season 2007-08. However, considering his record of over the longer distances, he was overlooked by many but the connections and followers who always prefer outstation horses over the local runners. Though he looked tired in the closing stages, but there was hardly any competition. Roopendra and his nephew jockey Gajendra saw Sunehree Parinda making amends in the upper division of the Mahalakshmi Plate. The chestnut gelding, a failed favourite in the last attempt over the shorter trip, was kept on alert after the jump by Gajendra and the beautiful horse took command at the final curve over the 1,400m event. However, a late burst of Trusted Friend only allowed him to win by a length. Subroos, who ran third, should soon spring a surprise. Exotic Star, who was not able to live up to expectations in several occasions, landed a spoilsport in the lower division of the plate. For the Irfan Ali-trained chestnut gelding it was in the pillar-to-post affair. Mohsin Khan-saddled Opera Royale gave Gurpreet Singh his second win on the day in the Gateway of India Plate. With full of confidence after the victory of Rabi Kounga, Gurpreet again showed his prowess on the seven year-old mare. He rode the mount in the similar fashion under which he stood tall in the previous race. Visiting reinman Deepak Kamble Ashish earned his long-awaited win through Theodros in the Hazi Ali Plate. |
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