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Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Sakura once again lived up to the expectations of being an unpredictable performer when she slammed the field in the Gr 3 1200 metres Rajyotsava Trophy, a terms race for three-year-olds, the feature event of Friday`s Bangalore races. Classic winner War Hammer made a winning return to the track after a setback had kept him out of action for a few months.
Sakura had been an outstanding performer whenever she was in a mood to gallop. She had failed in all her three efforts at Mysore and as such, she was the least fancied in a competitive field that lined up for the feature event. Knotty Ash who was carrying the top weight was expected to maintain the winning form though this time it was going to be an uphill task over a trip of seven furlongs. After Merlot led the field and weakened at the top of the straight, Areca Legend shot ahead. However, Areca Legend surrendered meekly when confronted with a challenge from Sakura who bounced clear in the final furlong to win by a margin of over two lengths in the hands of substitute jockey Pradeep Chouhan. Aeolus who lost some ground at the start ran on well to take the third position ahead of Knotty Ash who put up a disappointing performance.
The jockeys felt that the track was satisfactory after it was rolled extensively. ``The track was shifty at some places. Since the Clerk of the Course had not watered the track, it did not pose many problems. The track will always prove dicey if there is rain or excess watering,`` said one of the jockeys. ``We were always telling the Clerk of the Course to roll the track which he was not listening to,`` the jockey added. The authorities had hastened the start of the season when the track had not sufficiently dried up, another jockey said.
Classic winner War Hammer who had to skip the Bangalore Summer Derby due to a setback showed out in sublime form when making a winning comeback in the 1400 metres Karnataka Police Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 and above. War Hammer who was running after 145 days had the benefit of a mock race just before the season commenced. The progeny of Air Support was quoted at cramped odds. Jockey Srinath sat unperturbed in the fifth or sixth position as Side Winder set the pace. War Hammer shot through the space between Side Winder and Ambrosia with more than a furlong left in the race showing a remarkable turn of foot to go storming clear to win by a widening margin of three lengths over Ambrosio. Turf Magic necked out Buscadero to take the third position a distance behind the runner-up. If War Hammer stays sound, many classic races will be at the mercy of this Prasanna Kumar trainee.
Kirkwood from the stables of trainer Arjun Mangalorkar looked a cinch in the 1600 metres Dharmasthala Trophy, a race for horses rated 30 to 50 as the progeny of Win Legend had recorded back to back wins during the summer season against good quality horses. The bookmakers were rather generous in their quote on the favourite. Jockey John who has regained his old confidence, waited with Kirkwood in about the fourth or fifth position before angling out his horse in the straight to give a clear run for the favourite. Kirkwood picked up speed in amazing fashion and measured the front-running Electra without much fuss and went away for an easy win. King of the Wind who had raced up with the pacesetter Incitatus saved place money.
Satish Narredu trained Sir Supremo who had been a big disappointment after many eye-catching efforts behind horses which subsequently went on to accomplish bigger things finally made it good in the1400 metres Aihole Place, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Sir Supremo who had shed weight from his last effort was also ridden differently this time as he was held back in about the sixth or seventh position as favourite Star And Garter, in the hands of visiting jockey David Eagan ran freely in front. The only threat to Star And Garter appeared to be Cavaliere who gave a hot chase in the final furlong but the complexion of the race changed the moment Arshad Alam angled out Sir Supremo to get a clear run. The second favourite who had several lengths to cover on the front-runner devoured ground with big strides and gained the nod in the waning yards of the race. Cavaliere weakened to finish third.
Kishan Thomas trained Dagobert was an easy winner of the 1200 metres Master Key Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. From a handy third position at the final bend, the well-backed Dagobert took over the running inside the final 350 metres and skipped away to win the race quite capably in the hands of jockey Kirani Rai. San Bernardino gave a chase in vain and had to settle for the runner-up berth. Smile of Peace and Ispelldangertoall finished with a rush and occupied the next two slots behind San Bernardino.
Darius Byramji trained Sharp Response held on to win by the skin of his teeth in the1400 metres Altenburg Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Irish jockey Eagan who brought Sharp Response into contention with a flourishing down the final furlong had to survive the late onslaught of long shot Aleef who missed the berth by the proverbial whisker. Desert Angel who was sluggish at the start ran on to take the third position. Fancied Candlelightqueen who was handily positioned at the top of the straight failed to pick up speed and finished in the ruck.
Neil Darashah trained Dontbreaktherules broke his maidens rank in the 11th outing winning the day`s opener, the 1200 metres Belur Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Jockey Ryan Marshall had the five-year-old Dontbreaktherules take over the running with a furlong left in the race and the lesser fancied runner had enough legs to stave off the late bid of Master of War. Favourite Barog was a close third.
Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Malwa who was the highest rated horse in the fray for the 1400 metres Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup, a terms racer for three-year-olds, lived up to the expectations with a comfortable win in the hands of jockey David Eagan who thus had a double on his first day in Bangalore. After Palm Leader led the field well into the straight, Malwa showed up on the wide outside to grab the lead in the final furlong and stretched away. Here And Now fought a stiff battle with Commodus for the second position and managed to snatch it by a whisker.
Narayan Gowda had the winners of both the divisions of the Bidar Plate. In the Division I of the race, Depth Charge whose odds fluctuated in the betting throwing a confusing scenario led all the way and held off the late flourish of Alberetta who covered acres of ground only to find the front-runner escape to the safety of the post. Apprentice jockey Raghu rode the winner. Secretsuperstar who came in for big betting was slightly sluggish at the start and though she finished on strongly, the leeway was too much to bridge and could finish third. Land of Liberty had run 118 days ago in the summer season where the five-year-old had finished 17 lengths behind the winner. He was the medium of a big betting in the lower division of the Bidar Plate. The sea of money on Land of Liberty was justified as the horse swept past the field coming the widest of all and went away for a comfortable win over Varcasva and Scarlet Princess. Land of Liberty had a history of being a chronic bleeder despite which he came in for huge betting and the horse didn`t show any distress this time out.
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Dontbreaktherules (R Marshall up) winner of the Belur Plate
Sir Supremo (Arshad Alam up) winner of the Aihole Plate
Dagobert (Kiran Rai P up) winner of the Master Key Plate
Sharp Response (David Egan up) winner of the Altenburg Plate
Land Of Liberty (Rajesh Kumar M up) winner of the Bidar Plate (Div-II)
Kirkwood (S John up) winner of the Dharmasthala Trophy
War Hammer (Y S Srinath up) winner of the Karnataka Police Trophy
Sakura (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Rajyotsava Trophy (Gr.3)
Malwa (David Egan up) winner of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup
Depth Charge (Raghu K up) winner of the Bidar Plate (Div-I)
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