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Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Anjeze recorded a thrilling win in the 2400 metres Stayers Trial Stakes, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of Friday`s Bangalore races. The progeny of Win Legend prevailed in a tight finish over Sporting Memories and favourite Salazaar to record a win after a longish wait of 398 days.
There were just four runners in the fray for the Stayers Trial Stakes. In racing the smaller the field, the greater is the uncertainty and the race lived up to this oft proven fact. The eight-year-old Salazaar who had won twice during the season was made the strong favourite to win though the progeny of Burden of Proof had won just once over this trip from his 32 outings which had seen him finish ahead of the rest on 11 occasions. The form of Royal Crystal had dipped. The only emerging horse was Sporting Memories whose sire Leitir Mor yet to see his progeny come up trumps over this trip. Moreover, his rating did not suggest that he had a realistic chance.
Jockey Trevor Patel took Sporting Memories on a start to finish mission followed by Anjeze, Royal Crystal and Salazaar. The pace of the race was modest and as such, the tactic of holding Salazaar back perhaps boomeranged. Sporting Memories battled on resolutely in the face of a relentless pressure applied by Anjeze in the hands of jockey Akshay Kumar all the way in the homestretch and held the lead till the final strides of the race. In the meanwhile, Salazaar too had joined the fray from behind but could not produce a strong gallop to overwhelm those in front. Anjeze shook off Sporting Memories to win by a head while Salazaar was another short head behind. Many felt that Suraj Narredu was not at his best.
Half an hour earlier, a full brother to Anjeze, Angelino too had registered a win after a gap of 413 days in the 1600 metres S V Subramaniam Memorial Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 and above. Though there were many well-performed horses in the fray, all of them hadn`t won a race for quite a long time. The only horse in form was Alexander Dumas who had recorded two wins during the season but was running in this class after moving up in the scales rather swiftly for a stable which waits for an eternity to get a chance for a gamble. Angelino was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Akshay Kumar and the Win Legend-Angelique six-year-old gelding stayed put there and managed to win with a measure of comfort. Thailand who showed some promise chased the front-runner but in the closing strides of the race was overhauled by Velocidad. Alexander Dumas who came in for big support to win for the third time during the season, was not too well positioned, having conceded ground in the stretch and the late rally went in vain.
The day`s card was pretty run of the mill with most of the races having runners who hadn`t won for ages. As such, winner-picking became a tricky exercise. Pradeep Annaiah trained Harmonia hadn`t won for 614 days but the market suggested that the six-year-old mare could be in contention especially since four kg claimer Arun was declared to ride. The market trend indicated that Musterion and Debonair could be the horses to fight for the spoils. In the event, Harmonia who hit the front from the inside draw enjoyed an uncontested lead and it was clear at the final bend that it would take a big effort from those coming from behind to get the better of her. There was none as Harmonia enjoyed the big lead and drew clear in the stretch to win by a margin of five lengths over Musterion who found the eventual winner too speedy for comfort. Stroke of Genius was third.
Quite often in racing, horses with impressive credentials perform below par under the pressure of being a favourite. One such horse was Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Bellator who had won by a big margin early in the season and besides that, had run a creditable third to Ashwa Bravo in the Golconda 2000 Guineas. As such, Bellator was expected to have things his way in the 1400 metres Amazing Grey Plate, a race for horses rated 30 to 50 but the favourite flopped badly. Narayan Gowda trained Colonel Harty which came in for noticeable support in the betting, led all the way and won by a margin of three lengths in the hands of jockey Tauseef Ahmed who himself may not remember when he won a race last. Cavaliere was second ahead of Karadeniz while Bellator was an intriguing fourth.
Arjun Mangalorkar trained Allamanda recorded a smashing win in the 1200 metres Icebreaker Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. After the impressive second behind Scruples who was a subsequent winner, Allamanda looked set to record her maiden win. Jockey Suraj Narredu took the short-priced favourite on a start to finish mission. The daughter of Speaking of Which put daylight between herself and the rest to win as she pleased. Mitsuro nosed out Tommy Shelby to pinch the second spot.
The 1400 metres Gadag Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category was like a minefield. A few horses in the fray had won in the past but a long ago. Typically, in a race of this nature, the ones who are in the betting are not necessarily the best. For the record, Gazebo Talk was the favourite ahead of Altair and Azeemki Princess. Predictably, the race resulted in an upset, with rank outsider Aerospeed who perhaps was waited with for a touch, producing a winning gallop after a gap of 553 days. Apprentice jockey Naveen Kumar brought Aerospeed with a powerful run down the final furlong and the long shot easily sailed past those in front, with Proudwish rallying late to take the second slot ahead of favourite Gazebo Talk.
Azhar Ali trained Memoriter came in for big support in the 1400 metres Malaprabha Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35 along with Another Rainbow and the rest. Jockey Chetan Kalay had Memoriter chase Mrs Thatcher the first 300 metres before storming ahead at the final bend and then having enough reserves to stave off the challenge of Chantelle and Mrs Thatcher. Narayana Gowda trained Tyto Alba had not broken the maiden status in his 16 outings but the one-sided betting on him in the betting gave a clear indication that he would win against the run of form. Tyto Alba was hopelessly placed at the final bend but the horse was so superior that jockey Trevor Patel took his own time to get the horse to gallop. Tyto Alba had no problem in collaring the front-runners to win by a widening margin of three lengths over Super Gladiator and Sir Piggot. It is hard to explain how these horses get left often and finished poorly but yet get their act right when the money is on them. There is no system that can keep a check on this practice.
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Aerospeed (Naveen Kumar V up) winner of the Gadag Plate
Allamanda (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Icebreaker Plate
Tyto Alba (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Malaprabha Plate (Div-II)
Colonel Harty (Tauseef Ahmed up) winner of the Amazing Grey Plate
Angelino (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the S.V.Subramaniam Memorial Trophy
Anjeze (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Stayers Trial Stakes
Harmonia (Arul J H up) winner of the Glass House Plate
Memoriter (Chetan Kalay S up) winner of the Malaprabha Plate (Div-I)
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