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Cambridge, the western India challenger from Pesi Shroff`s stable, stamped his superior Class, on his way to winning the 1,600m
D. Khaitan Memorial Calcutta Gold Cup, the feature event in Saturday`s card. Christopher Alford partnered the Burden of Proof son to victory over Bharath`s ward, Sana, ridden by Dashrath Singh. The afternoon also witnessed another Mumbai challenger Oriana, ridden by Suraj Narredu, stumping the local brigade to present uncle, Malesh, the Ladies Derby, the 2,400m Calcutta Oaks. Suraj finished the day with a well-earned treble and so did trainer Bharath Singh.
Alford was at his usual best in the Gold Cup. It was a chance ride for the past champion of many seasons, as the declared jockey failed to report. However Alford made no mistake on the even-money favourite when he triumphed to a shade over a length victory over Sana. The verdict may sound flattering for the opposition, considering the fact that Alford hardly needed to test his muscles on Cambridge, who, too, was hardly needed to be hustled from the wrong-end of the field. The Gold Cup, in fact, was well sewn up in the horse`s kitty, far before of the winning post.
The 2,400m Oaks, too, was ridden in a similar manner but the filly faced a strong challenger in trainer James McKeown`s charge, Exception (Hindu Singh), who, too, was ridden in a check as Advika (P.S. Chauhan), Aggression (Ashhad Asbar) and Punjabi Girl made most of the runnings.
Earlier in the afternoon, Suraj had given a kick-start to Bharath`s Oak Brook, winning the 1,400m Kolkata Mounted Police Cup with ease. Held back in the mid-division till about 300m from home, Net Wizz son had to ward off a feeble challenge of trainer Vikash Jaiswal`s less-fancied runner, Dangal (Chauhan) and Javed Khan`s filly Sanvi (Alford).
Bharath`s Simon Templar, helped by jockey Dashrath Singh, spoiled a big gamble on Shivesh, a Manvendra Singh-trained horse, in the upper division of the 1,400m Police Commissioner`s Cup. The winner, a speedy customer was a 4/1 chance in the betting. The horse established a healthy lead from the start of the race and kicked on to another handsome victory over the favourite who was hard-pressed to retain the second berth from trainer Arti Doctor`s Mocha Loca.
Suraj atop Aquaracer, in the baby race, the 1,100m Calcutta Juvenile Stakes, provided Bharath another facile victory, the filly`s back-to-back. The Lord Admiral daughter had lost some ground at the start in her last assay and yet scored, albeit marginally over Vijay`s Shivalik Sigh. A prompt jump out, on this occasion, made her win half the battle in the stakes, and Suraj went on to do the rest for a six-length victory.
Vijay`s consolation victory in the afternoon`s eight-event card was provided by Splash Proof, a 5/2 favourite in the lower division of the Police Commissioner`s Cup. The Whatsthescript son virtually made a start-to-finish attempt to coast home by five lengths in the trusted hands of jockey Dashrath Singh.
Khan brothers – Shafiq and Sarfraz – lapped up the opener and the concluding events – the 1,600m Police Martyr`s Cup and the 2,000m Fire Flash Handicap with long shots, Lhotse (app. R.S. Bhatti) and Power of Freedom (Shezad Khan). Both winners were ridden well of the pace.
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Lhotse (R S Bhati up) winner of the Police Martyr`S Cup
Oak Brook (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Kolkata Mounted Police Cup
Simon Templar (Dashrath Singh up) winner of the Police Commissioner`S Cup (Div-I)
Splash Proof (Dashrath Singh up) winner of the Police Commissioner`S Cup (Div-II)
Aquaracer (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Calcutta Juvenile Stakes
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Cambridge (A Sandesh up) winner of the D Khaitan Memorial Calcutta Gold Cup (Gr.2)
Oriana (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Calcutta Oaks (2018) (Gr.3)
Power Of Freedom (Shezad Khan up) winner of the Fire Flash Handicap
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