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Pesi Shroff trained Manifold waged a resolute battle with Romantic Star and emerged victorious in the Gr 1 Fillies Championship Stakes, the first classic of the season, on Sunday. Pesi Shroff who has been winning this race with amazing regularity was successful for the fifth time in his career as a trainer. It was a one-two for Usha Stud Farm whose resident stallion Multidimensional once again proving his mettle as a sire of classic horses.
The day`s races did not run kindly for those backing the horses in the betting as long shots dominated the day`s proceedings, with the jackpot pool among several other pools being carried over. Interestingly, Trevor Patel who had never gone blank in recent times failed to win even a single race despite being on many strongly backed runners.
Manifold had showed out in a mock race and had the experience to be considered as a frontline contender for the race. Until Romantic Star burst on the scene with a smashing win last week, the race was considered a formality for Manifold as the other fillies at this center hadn`t distinguished themselves. The big made Romantic Star was running within a week of winning her maiden race and her relative inexperience and the short time span between the two runs was bound to have a bearing on her chances. The market trend indicated that the outcome was expected to be only between these two horses and quite justifiably so.
In a race run at a good clip, Kolkata challenger Sana set the pace with Angel Touch racing up with the pacesetter while Romantic Star and Manifold were settled in about the fifth and sixth position. Rounding the final turn, Sana was beginning to fade out and Romantic Star emerged on the horizon with a strong run. Manifold who chased Romantic Star produced a strong effort and managed to overhaul the favourite in the closing strides of the race. Romantic Star hung in badly and her lack of experience saw her being intimidated by the presence of the horse on the outside. Trevor Patel could not ride out the horse to the full in the last 100 metres as he had to work hard to keep the horse on a straight course. Romantic Star rolled in and with Manifold closing on her, Windsor Forest who was attempting to take a narrow gap had to be checked and pulled out to get a clear run. Windsor Forest finished third ahead of Kangra.
Jockey Suraj Narredu who rode Windsor Forest put an objection against Trevor Patel who was astride the runner-up stating that his horse could not get a clear run in the last 300 metres and was completely blocked in the final 100 metres due to which he lost a certain second place. The Stewards were not impressed with Suraj`s contention and overruled the objection. The luck of the race did not go in favour of Windsor Forest but in the fitness of things, it was hard to believe that the result could have been any different even if the horse had not run into rough weather. The Derby would be the obvious target for both the first two placed horses. Pesi Shroff said that Manifold was maturing nicely and justified his belief in the potential of the horse. Trainer Padmanabhan felt that lack of experience hurt the chances of his ward.
Sharat Kumar trained Smile Stone has time and again won the race from impossible positions. The seven-year-old doesn`t have the speed to be up there with the pace but has a strong finishing dash which has seen the consistent performer win a bagful of races and lose an equal number by arriving on the scene rather late. However, this time out, Smile Stone got his act right and sailed across Accolade to win the 1200 metres Managing Committee Gold Cup, a race for horses rated 75 and above. After Side Winder expended his energy running freely in front, Accolade cruised past the front-runner in the final furlong and shaped to score an easy win. However, Accolade slackened after going into the lead and Smile Stone who came up with his patented late burst of speed managed to get the nod close home. Rule Downunder too finished with a flourish to claim the third spot. Dazzling Bay was a noteworthy fourth with a late rally from the rear of the field.
Trainer Leo D`Silva who had hit a rough patch in the last one year is currently enjoying a good run in Bangalore. He recorded the third win of the season when Tootsie Roll came up with a big effort in the final furlong to swamp the opposition in style in the 1400 metres Justice P Medappa Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 30 to 50. The fancied Autocratic was off colour, galloping in snatches and was not able to justify the expectations and finished miserably. Psychic Warrior who chased Southern Crown into the straight, shaped like a winner going into the final furlong but faltered unexpectedly. Tootsie Roll not only covered the leeway but also sped past the fancied runner to win by three lengths in the end. Vallee Sceptre ran on to finish third.
Pesi Shroff trained Anacapri who was coming on the back of a win recorded at Ooty, was totally neglected in the betting ring as the filly had also faltered on two occasions before winning in a relatively less competitive centre. As such, the got abroad filly was available at big odds in the 1200 metres Y S Surender Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 45 to 65. Anacapri had the speed to overcome the wide outside draw and was in front within the first furlong. Anacapri quickly established her supremacy in the straight to win quite capably from fast-finishing Pearl City who got into the rhythm rather too late in the day to make any difference to the outcome of the race. Duke of Clarence necked out Queen Credible to get the third place. Favourite Gypsy was given too much to do in the straight and her cause was a hopeless one.
The concluding race of the day saw Satish Narredu trained Tarini win the 1200 metres Lumbini Stud Plate, a race for horses rated 30 to 50, at odds of 80 to 1. The long shot stayed put in front from the top of the straight and held on gamely to win from late rallying Don`t Dilly Dally. Favourite Lord Buckingham moved up with a flourish in the final furlong but surprisingly petered out after giving hopes and even lost the runner-up berth in the closing strides of the race. This perhaps summarized the day`s proceedings where horses unaccountably ran below par in most races.
Padmanabhan trained Aaron The Baron was the only strong favourite to win during the day`s action in the 1400 metres Cape Dance Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Aaron The Baron came into strong contention as the race progressed towards the final stages. Aaron The Baron got stronger close home to get the better of Afrikaner who had led resolutely from the straight. Spotlight was a faraway third.
Trainer Narayan Gowda`s horses always defy expectations because the form is not a guiding factor for the performance of these horses but the weight of money flowing in the betting ring elsewhere and the subsequent slump in the odds on the tote in Bangalore. Princess Holly was the recipient of sustained support in the ring and managed to oblige huge expectations in the 1200 metres Mahalakshmi Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class, staving off the late bid of Celtic Mist. Brunesco was not seen in serious contention and was a tame third.
Aravind Ganapathy trained Flicka appeared to have a strong grip on the 1100 metres Fire Haven Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35 but closer home began to slow down. Aerospeed who was struggling to get the rhythm right suddenly began to devour ground and got past the favourite in the nick of time to land the spoils by half a length. Limato headed Grey Hound to get the third place.
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Manifold (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of The Fillies Championship Stakes(Grade I)
Tootsie Roll (Suraj Narredu up) winner of The Justice P. Medapa Memorial Cup
Tarini (Rayan Ahmed R up) winner of The Lumbini Stud Plate
Smile Stone (Naveen M up) winner of The Managing Committee Gold Cup
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