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Trainer Aashay Doctor`s heavily fancied runner, Awesome One (P.S. Chauhan-up) scored a hard-earned victory over Vijay Singh`s ward, Prince Satsuma (Suraj Narredu), in the 1,400m Adjudicate Cup, the feature event in Wednesday`s card. The two named horses have been fighting exciting battles during the current season and Wednesday was not an exception. Incidentally, it wasn`t Vijay-Suraj`s day. Even their hottest favourites had a mixed-day, leaving them to be happy with a solitary winner – Cliffhanger.
Awesome One was always in close attendance of the early leaders – Amorous White (Neeraj Rawal), Prince Satsuma (Suraj) and Hartnell (Rupal Singh) in the early-half of the journey. Closing up along rail and looking for a passage the shortest way home, Chauhan had to switch the course as Prince Satsuma, too, was getting stronger, ahead of the favourite while Amorous White blocked the rail-side route. Awesome One`s victory was delayed until 75m from the target as ‘Satsuma` and Suraj tried their utmost to do so. However, the fighting pair turned out to be way superior, compared to the rest who were left to defend minor placing that was ultimately bagged by Hartnell by a narrow margin over the white horse.
Cliffhanger`s mettle was somewhat exposed in the 2,000m Archer Handicap for horses in Class III. The Top Class son had gained the second berth in the Derby by default after the unseating of two jockeys in the four-horse Derby field. Agreed Suraj`s approach in the race was quite casual on Cliffhanger who was ridden well off the pace in the five-horse field. The four-year-old just about managed to beat the top-weighted stable-mate, Ghost (Hindu Singh), who was taken to a start-to-finish mission.
Vijay`s hot-favourite, Vallerysthal was not so lucky when ridden with similar tactics in the 1,200m Secret Fire Handicap, by Suraj. The 7/10 public-choice failed to respond in the manner that had earned her an impressive victory in the previous outing. As a result of this Vallerysthal found herself at the receiving end at the wire when challenged by Arti Doctor`s last outing winner, Shimmering Star (P.S. Chauhan). Vijay`s other runner in the race, Gaurish (Hindu) was a bottled up third at the finish.
Jockey Nikhil Naidu helped trainer Chrisopher Alford notch-up a priced double in the seven-event card. Starting off with the start-to-finish victory of the top-weighted Treasure Hunt (Nikhil Naidu) --the filly`s back-to-back – in the 1,200m Romantic Notes Handicap, the emerging rider was at his best on Portofspain in the 1,400m Cascades Handicap. Almost out-classed by trainer James McKeown`s fancied runner, Right Move (app. P. Vikram), in the home straight, Naidu seized the opportunity along the rail-side route to score in the closing stages as Vikram failed to stop his drifting out charge in the final 100m of the race.
Apprentice Sujit Paswan rode a well-judged race on the 8/1 shot Spring Valley in the Love Is Blind Handicap. Allowing Jasbir Singh-trained Tripple Distilled (app Rupal Singh) to call the shots till about 300m from home, Paswan sent the Win Legend filly in the winning lead to score comfortably over the late finishing Vikash Jaiswal`s runner Wandering Angel (Vinay Jaiswal) and Javed Khan`s Tomorrow Dream (app. P. Tajeshwar).
The curtain opener, the 1,100m Obligado Handicap, too, witnessed the downfall of the favourite, Adorinda (B. Mahesh) -- from McKeown`s stable. The race was won by a less fancied Vikash Jaiswal`s runner, Buddyholly who was brought with a late run by apprentice Tajeshwar to score.
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Buddyholly (P Tejeshwar up) winner of the Obligado Handicap
Spring Valley (Sujit Kr Paswan up) winner of the Love Is Blind Handicap
Cliffhanger (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Archer Handicap
Treasure Hunt (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the Romantic Notes Handicap
Shimmering Star (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Secret Fire Handicap
Awesome One (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Adjudicate Cup
Portofspain (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the Cascades Handicap
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