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Alaindair stands a chance in intriguing field

  July 12 , 2013
   

The Gr 1 Kingfisher Derby, Bangalore has an intriguing look about it. The drama preceding the running of the event has made things complicated. We have two overwhelming failed favourites of Fillies and Colts Championship in the fray after their catastrophic performance. There are others who have shown the potential to be a champion. Every contender in this race has a place to fill and how every horse fits itself into the big jigsaw puzzle holds the key to the outcome of the race.

The summer Derby has always been unpredictable though subsequent to the running of the race, the form of this mega event has a bearing on the classics that will be held all over India over the next nine months.

Without unraveling the mystery of poor performance of Starry Eyes and Murioi, one cannot get a clear cut picture of the race. Starry Eyes came to Bangalore with intimidating record. She at least looked a cinch in the Fillies Championship as she blazed the tracks but looked far from convincing during paddock parade and was a beaten cause well before the race came on the boil. The performance of Starry Eyes must be considered shocking to say the least. Trainer C D Katrak`s horses are unpredictable and the run of Starry Eyes could be put in this category. The filly has been working brilliantly in her preparatory workouts but whether she can bounce back after that dismal effort is difficult to predict. Such horses have rarely made a big comeback. The filly is showing plenty of speed and whether this trait of hers can be harnessed over the mile and quarter trip remains to be seen. Jockey Suraj Narredu who is yet to win this event partners the filly.

The son of Dubawi, Murioi was the highest rated three year old at the beginning of the season. He won his lead up race for the Colts Championship in tremendous fashion but he ran way below par in the Colts Championship, refusing to settle and was lost in the crowd at the final turn. Though on breeding he commands respect as his sire Dubawi has been firing big race winners with amazing consistency abroad, Murioi has many negatives. Murioi cannot be worked on the outer sand and his workout on the inner track does not inspire confidence. A complete turnaround in such circumstances is a rare occurrence on the race track though such occurrences make this sport a most difficult one as one cannot rule out such horses totally from the calcultion.

  
  Alaindair (A Sandesh up) winning the Colts Championship Stakes (Gr.1)

This brings us to the formidable contenders for the race. Alaindair won the Colts Championship in the manner of a true champion. The son of first season stallion Multidimensional, Alaindair has shown his adeptness in handling the cut in the ground. With consistent rains over the last few days, there will be lot of give in the track which is bound to favour Alaindair as evidenced by his previous win. The good looking horse has trained on well for this race and it is quite possible that his trainer Altamash Ahmed may well be leading his first ever Derby of his young career. Jockey Sandesh who rode last year`s winner Borsalino partners him. I am pretty impressed by his effort and though he is not so strong bred on the dam side for a race of this magnitude, he has proved to be an exceptional horse who can defy the odds.

The Fillies Championship winner Amelia is another progeny of Multidimensional who has advertised her class in no uncertain manner. She won her debut race over five furlongs in the manner of a sprinter but found her bearings over a mile with an aggressive effort in the front. She won with ease and given the strong pedigree that she has, Amelia is a worthy contender for the title. Pesi Shroff trains the filly. The champion trainer also has Marinsky in the fray. The daughter of Burden of Proof was unlucky in the Fillies Championship as she got chopped off in the early part of the race and fell behind. Even in the run in for home, she never got a clear run right through but nevertheless finished a mighty third. Being the progeny of Burden of Proof, she will find the underfoot conditions to her liking. She will be guided by Kolkata champion C Alford who is not consistent in the way he performs but fortunately for the connections of Marinsky, he has the experience to back him.

Bipin Salvi trained Ace Bucephalus was finishing well from the deep in the Colts Championship. The progeny of Rebuttal is strongly built and will relish the extended trip of 2000 metres very well. He was not given a good ride last time out, stuck at the back of the field and then finishing the race with a powerful surge. If he gets a quality ride, he can surely uncork a champagne performance.

Md Khan trained Turf Striker is another worthy challenger in the race. The progeny of Sedgefield, Turf Striker has impressed everyone with his consistent performance. This genuine customer is in with an outside chance of pulling it off.

There are up and coming stars like Charlatan, Highraz and Trance who also can rise to the occasion and can cause a flutter. In a big field like the one for the Derby which has the maximum permissible complement of 18 runners, the draw can also have a bearing though in the last five years, two of the winners had the widest draw and won in contrasting fashion. Aboline won from start to finish while Pronto Pronto came from way behind. So there is scope for a talented horse to overcome any adversity.

However, analyzing the past winners of the race, this particular Derby has shown a special bias for those who race with the pace and are ready to take over the running at the top of the straight. The tight Bangalore track gives limited opportunities for horses coming from way off the pace as the track is not broad enough and those coming from behind have to tackle the kick back as well as tiring horses, rapidly dropping back on them.

 
 
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