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M K Jadhav trained Governor General who was not in any serious betting brought off a big upset in the 1400 metres Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of the opening day’s races of the Mumbai racing season on Sunday. In a four-horse finish, Governor General made a big rally along the rails to snatch the race in an exciting fashion.
The first two days racing of the Mumbai racing season is being held on the Pune track as the delayed withdrawal of monsoon hampered the preparation of the track and stable area at Mumbai.
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After Holy Smoke led the field into the straight, Excellent took over the running at the top of the straight with Excellent Gold essaying a big challenge. Favourite Awesome One too rallied well but drifted out to the outer rail under pressure. Excellent held the lead till the closing stages of the race. Governor General who was several lengths adrift of those engaged in a serious battle finished with a rush along the rails in the hands of apprentice Pranil and surprised everyone by snatching the race in the dying moments. Excellent nosed out Awesome One to retain the runner-up berth. Excellent Gold was a close fourth. The last win of Governor General had come 326 days ago at Kolkata.
The classic aspirations of Hunt For Gold took a severe beating as the progeny of Leitir Mor who was expected to win her lead up race, the 1400 metres Snow Dew Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66, performed miserably and was well beaten by Pablo who built on the runner-up effort to record an emphatic win. Slam Dunk led the field into the straight before Notting Hill took charge at the final bend. Hunt of Gold showed up briefly but flopped miserably when Pablo essayed a strong challenge. Pablo went away for a comfortable win over Hunt of Gold who could only stave off Notting Hill to get the runner-up berth.
Visiting jockey David Eagan drove out favourite Questina to victory over Despatico in the 1200 metres Raza Ali Plate, a race for three-year-olds. Though this was the first ride for Eagan in India, he did not show any panic in the crowded field and in an unfamiliar environment as he brought the favourite into contention with a smooth run on the wide outside to have the favourite take charge inside the final furlong. Questina comfortably held off Despatico. Ron was third.
Malesh Narredu trained Auspicious recorded the third straight of the season when the progeny of Excellent Art accounted for the opposition in the 1000 metres Abeeta Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Wild Fire had the speed to lead from the start and held it till the final furlong. Auspicious produced a strong effort in the hands of jockey Suraj Narredu and managed to overhaul the front-runner close home and went on to win by a shade less than a length over Wild Fire. El Sabah Nur ran on late to end up a close third.
Narendra Lagad trained Julio Cesaro barely managed to stave off the strong bid of Wilshire to land the spoils in the 1200 metres Vesuvius Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated in the lowest category. Odessa ran on to finish third. Favourite Collegium was sluggish at the start and faded out after moving up briskly and staying in touch with the front-runners till the final bend to eventually finish last. Zervan drove out the short-priced favourite Tasch from the stables of Faisal Abbas to victory in the lower division of the Vesuvius Plate. Brave and Westeros disputed the issue going to the final furlong with Tasch some lengths adrift. The favourite produced a strong effort in the final furlong, rallied well along the rails, covered the leeway swiftly and surged ahead in the closing strides of the race. Westeros held off Brave to take the third position.
The heavily supported Revelator had no problem in obliging expectations in the 1400 metres Astral Flash Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category. Revelator shook off Resolute at the top of the straight and went storming clear to win the race by a widening margin of seven lengths over Shapath. On Va Danser necked out Resolute to save place money. Sunset who was in the betting lost all chances with a lethargic beginning. Adhiraj Jodha trained Dragonmoss who had lost narrowly to Gandalf in his last outing made amends swamping the opposition in the lower division of the race. Dragonmoss came up with a blistering turn of foot down the final furlong and left the field stranded for an emphatic win. Nusrat took the second position ahead of Whispering Queen.
Vishal Gaikwad trained Hokkaido came in for one-sided betting to win the 1600 metres Raza Ali Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46 and the got-abroad readily obliged the expectations getting the better of the front-running Seventh Mile in the final furlong. Sandesh on Hokkaido chased the front running Seventh Mile into the straight before driving out the favourite to measure the front-runner. The favourite stormed ahead in the final furlong and won with a measure of comfort. Power of Thor was third.
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Tasch (S Zervan up) winner of the Vesuvius Plate (Div-II)
Pablo (A Sandesh up) winner of the Snow Dew Plate
Governor General (K Pranil up) winner of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy
Revelator (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the Astral Flash Plate (Div-I)
Auspicious (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Abeeta Plate
Questina (David Egan up) winner of the Raza Ali Plate
Julio Cesaro (Dashrath Singh up) winner of the Vesuvius Plate (Div-I)
Hokkaido (A Sandesh up) winner of the Maple Star Plate
Dragonmoss (Santosh G up) winner of the Astral Flash Plate (Div-II)
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