| |
Nazak Chenoy trained Lucas who had recorded an impressive win over a sprint at Mumbai, did not show any ring rustiness when swamping the opposition over the extended trip of 1600 metres Iran Cup, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Saturday`s Pune races. The day had its share of nasty surprises.
Lucas was strongly fancied to win as the progeny of Phoenix Tower had run against a good lot of horses in his career. Though the four-year-old gelding was lethargic at the start, apprentice jockey Santosh quickly brushed up to be in touch with the front running bunch. Ship Rock led aggressively in front with Exodus in close proximity. Lucas moved up smoothly with a furlong left in the race and stormed clear to win with a measure of comfort. Exodus was driven out to nose out Ship Rock from the runner-up berth. Congressional ran below expectations.
Vishal Gaikwad trained Auburn sprang a big surprise when the got abroad filly led all the way and comfortably checked ahead of favourite Ice Dancer in the 1600 metres Ascot Lass Plate a race for maiden three-year-olds. Auburn led from the start and Ice Dancer was unable to bridge that gap in the homestretch as the front-runner expanded the lead to over five lengths. In It To Win It was faraway third.
Noshir Cama trained Gazino had won impressively his last outing and looked good enough for an encore in the 1200 metres Sixth Element Salver, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Gazino won without fuss, leaving the field stranded in the final furlong for an emphatic win. Sparkling Eyes ran on to finish second ahead of Sparkling Eyes. Oracle who came in for good betting, packed up the moment he came under pressure in the straight.
M K Jadhav trained Bunting prevailed by the skin of her teeth in the 1400 metres Pune Cantonment Board Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Bunting led from the start but closer home, was strongly pressed by Kodiac Queen. The bobbing of heads at the finish saw Bunting prevail by the shortest of margins. Marvel held off Knight`s Quest to save place money. Oslo Court was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the lower division of the race but the favourite from trainer Altamash`s yard ran like a dud and finished down the field. The race was won by long shot Golden Weaver who stayed on resolutely in front to finish well ahead of Way Ahead and Anniversary Girl.
M P Jodha trained Rain Dance finally broke the maidens` rank in her 18th outing. The progeny of Arabian Gulf, despite encountering a rough passage before making her run, produced a winning gallop in the final furlong to get the better of Time of My Life in the shadow of the post to win the 1400 metres Spark of Gold Trophy (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category. Sail Past was third. Vitesse came in for big support in the lower division of the race and the flow of money indicated that the five-year-old mare who hadn`t won for 599 days would be in serious business. Apprentice jockey Nadeem had Vitesse take the lead from the jump out and without any apparent aggression in the saddle, the favourite broke clear to win by a widening margin of four lengths over Forever Free and late rallying The Other Song.
Last start winner Loire from the stables of trainer Narendra Lagad had no problem in recording an encore with tremendous ease in the 1000 metres Personify Plate, a race for horses rated 14 to 40. Loire showed up strongly inside the final furlong and stormed ahead beyond the reach of the rest. Saffron Flower came from way a long way back to neck out Majestical and True Grit for the runner-up berth.
Pradeep Chouhan drove out favourite Star of Harmony to a decisive win over Bold March in the 2400 metres Macchupicchu Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Star of Harmony led from the start and though the filly was inclined to run out, Chouhan had her firmly in control and was able to bring her back to take the support of the rails. Bold March threatened briefly in the straight before running out of steam. Square Moon was third while Al Shamsheer seems to have lost his zest for racing and ran way behind.
*******************
Lucas (Santosh G up) winner of the Iran Cup
Star Of Harmony (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Macchupicchu Plate
Loire (Raghuveer Singh up) winner of the Personify Plate
Vitesse (N Nadeem up) winner of the Spark Of Gold Plate (Div-II)
Auburn (N S Parmar up) winner of the Ascot Lass Plate
Gazino (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Sixth Element Salver
Golden Weaver (J Pradeep up) winner of the Pune Cantonment Board Trophy (Div-II)
Bunting (N S Parmar up) winner of the Pune Cantonment Board Trophy (Div-I)
|
|
Top
