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Trainers Bharath Singh`s horse Agnostic (Trevor Patel-up) churned out another victory, his seventh in-a-row as the 4/10 hot favourite went on to win the 1,200m Calcutta Champions` Sprint Trophy, a Grade III race, that took the center stage in Wednesday`s seven-event card. The horse`s victory margin, of a length and a quarter, may not tell the entire tale but eye-witnesses and critics, too, to the massive show of power were left an impressive lot. Needless to say that the winner, a hot property, will spearhead the RCTC contingent in the Bangalore Invitational extravaganza for the sprinting event in the first weekend of March.
The three horses -- Awesome One (Neeraj Rawal), Cape Tanaros (Y.S. Srinath) and Dandi Satyagraha (Suraj Narredu) --, who were in contention for the remunerative berths, fulfilled the expectations but in different order. Cape Tanaros was best of rest, taking a narrow measure of the old but evergreen and trusted eight-year-old Awesome One for whom age is a mere number. However, the most sought and wagered for place money, Dandi Satyagraha proved as a big letdown as Suraj craved for a clear run all through the home straight, and finished in excess of a length behind the aging wonder.
Trainer Vijay Singh`s filly, Kind of Magic (Suraj), bagged the 1,200m Perin Dalal Alokananda Stakes. The Sir Cecil daughter won the way she liked. Held back behind the early leader, Jamaica (Neeraj) --from trainer Harvinder Bath`s stable -- till the top of the home turn, Kind of Magic stole a march over the opposition to fully justify her half-money odds. More importantly, she being a Sir Cecil`s daughter, it was a good advertisement for our native stallion.
After Agnostic, it was jockey Imran Chisty`s day. Holidaying in India, the Malaysia-based rider scored a creditable treble. His tally included two for trainer Javed Khan- saddled winners – Divine Chakra and Dr Doom, in their respective events the 1,600m Areonative Handicap and the 1,100m San Francisco Handicap.
Divine Chakra`s victory was very much on the cards. The six-year-old had to wait for two years before he was nursed back to a favourable handicap and in a winning shape. His last win was early in 2020-21 winter season. The even-money favourite may not have followed his earlier style of start-to-finish victory but was a handy third behind Vikash Jaiswal`s pair of Daddy`s Dream and Script; until turning for home. Once in lead, he drew away from the opposition. The late-finishing Toronero (Md Islam) was a good second in the race.
Dr Doom provided Javed with a quick double . Held back behind Jaiswal`s speedster, Nandini`s Pet (app Hasib Alam) till below the distance post, it was easy for the 7/10 favourite Dr Doom for rest of the journey.
In between the two Javed`s winners, the victory of Aashay Doctor`s 11/10 favorite La Dominate came as a bonus for Chisty, who just needed to ensure to sit straight on the start-to-finishing baby in the 1,100m H.H. Sookias Memorial Cup for a regulatory win.
Bharath and Trevor, too, notched up a brace of wins apiece. In the concluding event, the 1,400m Fire Flash Handicap, Trevor`s forceful riding, literally from the wrong end of the field, just about managed to guide Jawai to a last-stride victory over Vijay`s Tycoonist (app Hasib Alam) who had taken over the running about 600m from the winning-post.
Trainer B. Mahesh`s 7/4 favourite, Agostino Carracci (Neeraj Rawal), scored a decisive victory over an equally wagered Divine Hunt (Vinay Jaiswal) to claim the 1,400m Sans Pareil Handicap – no whip race. Chasing an early pair of D My Heart (Hindu) and Ember Glow (P. Tejeshwar) till 250m from home Neeraj decided to bisect the leaders to shoot in the winning lead for a length victory.
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