| |
Laxman Singh trained Southern Legacy fought hard with Riddari and then held off the late flourish of Be Sure to win the 1400 metres Nawab Khaja Moinuddin Khan Memorial Plate, a race for horses rated 42 to 62, the feature event of Friday`s Hyderabad races held at Malakpet. Suraj Narredu was forceful on the winner.
Though the race looked competitive, Southern Legacy was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the belief that the Laxman Singh trainee was of much better class. In the event, Southern Legacy could only pull it off in the closing moments of the race. Trump Girl led deep into the straight before Riddari took charge and battled on resolutely. Southern Legacy who was shadowing them, then gained the upper hand. Be Sure came home with a big effort but fell short narrowly. The long-time leader Trump Girl weakened to finish fourth.
The 1200 metres Durgaraja Cup, a race for horses rated 42 to 62, also produced an exciting finish with the fancied Shandaar asserting his supremacy in the dying moments of the race. Shandaar raced a handy second as Sketch of Beauty set the pace with the other contenders also in close proximity. It was difficult to guess as to who could pull it off inside the final 50 metres as four horses were in a line. However, Shandaar made a decisive surge to get the verdict from late-flashing Mighty Swing. Sketch of Beauty stayed third ahead of Magical Skill who nosed out Big Flash to secure the place in the frame. Such was the closeness of the finish.
Hilton Sequeira trained Amazing Elegance was considered a cinch to win the1100 metres Deccan Prince Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds despite making her debut because the preparatory workouts were such that it gave in invincible aura to the debutant. Jockey Akshay Kumar had no problem in taking the favourite on a start to finish mission and the progeny of Chevalier kept on expanding the lead in the straight to win by a margin of four lengths over Doubly Sure without having to be extended. Latest News was third. Srinivas Reddy trained His Excellency pulled off a dramatic win in the lower division of the race. Holy Healer lead the field into the straight with Max and Bombastic in close proximity while His Excellency was racing way off the pace. Inside the final furlong, Max got the upper hand and shaped to win but the powerful finishing effort of the favourite in the hands of jockey Hannam put paid to the hopes of Max who was collared in the closing stages of the race. Bombastic got the better of Holy Healer to save place money.
Donald Netto trained Shiloh had no problem in recording an encore in the 1200 metres Forest King Pate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Apprentice jockey Rohit Kumar brought Shiloh to take charge from front-running Royal Gift inside the final 300 metres and the on money favourite sped clear of the field to record an easy win. Drogan came late on the scene to take the second position ahead of Mr Bruss who edged out the long-time leader Royal Gift to save place money. Laxman Singh trained Kamyar was considered a cinch in the lower division of the race though Honest Hunter`s last run indicated that he too was a formidable contender. The one-sided support for Kamyar in the lower division of the race came to grief as the favourite who led all the way was beaten in the final stride of the race by 10 to 1 shot Honest Hunter. Ashad Asbar was persevering on the winner. Dancing Doll was faraway third.
In a tight finish, Prasad Raju trained Brave Warrior who was well backed to win the 1400 metres Deccan Prince Plate, a race for horses rated up to 25, managed to pull it off with a late dash, getting the better of long shot Sisco to land the spoils. All-Star General who held sway for the most part of the race weakened, in the end, to finish fourth with favourite Hollister grabbing the third position.
*******************
Shiloh (Rohit Kumar up) winner of the Forest King Plate (Div-I)
Amazing Elegance (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Deccan Prince Plate (Div-I)
Honest Hunter (A Ashhad Asbar up) winner of the Forest King Plate (Div-II)
His Excellency (R J Hannam up) winner of the Deccan Prince Plate (Div-II)
Shandaar (Ajit Singh up) winner of the Durgaraja Cup
Southern Legacy (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Nawab Khaja Moinuddin Khan Memorial Plate
Brave Warrior (Koushik up) winner of the Mr Prospector Plate
|
|
Top
