Realism produces an unreal effort

PUNE

WITH THE first week-end meetings, Pune racing got under full steam with well-filled fields and competitive action. Diane In Demand became the first runner to repeat this term. A 7 kg. jump in her assignment did not deter the Todywalla trainee from pegging back Fiery Angel and favoured Pink Floyd.

The next inmate of Todywalla's stable to make a second start this season was Stone Ridge, but this luckless brother to Archimedes once again found one too good in the shape of Crowning Moment. The latter, a brother to Cape Dance, from Narendra Lagad's active yard, ran a shade green but managed to eke out a neck victory. Both Cozumel and her rider, B. Prakash, appeared a shade indecisive about taking a gap and hence had to be content with third. She will win soon enough.

From some reason, Mandeep Mann took Russian Czar into a tearaway lead over 2000m., but instead of flagging the game son of Tecorno kept going. However, he did not have enough in reserve to withstand the challenge of The Midnight Sun, who swooped on him in the last 200 metres. C. Rajendra's pairing with the last-named was indication enough of the well being of Sandeep Mangalorkar's charge. For some reason, the bulk of the funds were directed at Enharmonic, who got left at the start.Bon Apetit crawled under the gate, leading to her withdrawal, leaving ten in contention for the juvenile event, which was open to winners. Despite giving weight all round, the finish was confirmed to those carrying the most lead in their saddle-cloths in the shape of Daring Don and Safarando, both offspring of Don't Forget Me. The former was presented with a wonderful opening on the rail as his rivals fanned out, and gained the day with a fine turn of foot. Vijay Khanna's ward has now completed a hat-trick. Phenom was fancied and ran well in third, but just lacked the extra burst. Master Honey will be too good to miss if confined to a maiden event.Having returned from a successful sojourn to Bangalore, Absolute Hit proved what could have been surmised earlier, namely that offspring of White Crown will be much improved in the second half of their three-year- old careers. Despite being burdened with 61 kg. - reduced by 3.5 kg. by virtue of the engagement of Daniel Bast - the Mansoor Shah-trained gelding unwound a sparkling run after being under pressure rounding the turn. He will certainly do better over further. Earlier, Infuriate provided some light comic relief by getting loose and completing a riderless circuit of the track, hurdling two barriers in the process!

Not the most consistent of runners, Realism produced an unreal effort in the Class II event over 1400m. No doubt the booking of Mallesh Narredu on an inmate of Anita's yard was a pointer - 5 wins for the rider from 11 mounts offered by the trainer. Still, few were prepared for the unusual turn of foot the five-year-old Riyahi gelding displayed. He came around on the rail, then threaded his way out, and powered home in record time, toppling Silent Fox in the process. Third-placed Victory Waltz was the rage but might have missed Aslam Kader, who was in Japan.

After Mountain Wind had led for over half the metric mile trip in the race for the Tosca Trophy, Reflecting was the first to show. Fire Girl then loomed up threateningly, but neither could stave off the smooth effort of Mariella on the outside. The talented Nagpal-owned four-year-old is hard to keep at the top of her form, but Sunderji has manged to get her into good shape, although she will never be an oil painting.

Unheralded Peace March took a long lead in the straight, but the effort told on her and Free Gold's move on the outside took the mare a neck clear. With another complete outsider in the shape of Special Crown in third, the tanala paid Rs. 44,259. No one can satisfactorily explain the lemming-like urge to throw away money on Attia In Sunlight, a runner with no credentials whatsoever.

A long afternoon concluded with a clever piece of placing on the part of Sanjay Kolse. He placed his ward, Neelanjana, who just about lasts out over 1,000m., in this weak set and ran her effectively off a rating of 0 as Aadesh Kumar claimed 5 kg. With a wire-to-wire effort, the five-year- old lasted out from the hard-ridden Coronado, who definitely needs further. Daniel Bast fell from Chocolate Chip and was concussed. He could be out of action for a while. For the benefit of the few who return to Mumbai after each Sunday's races during the Pune meeting, the last race is framed at 4:45 p.m. With ten races on offer this week, the opener got under orders at the early hour of 12:15 p.m. Only four took part in the August Handicap, and Piccolina lived up to the promise of her debut effort at Mahalakshmi by easily accounting for National Velvet. The dark grey with the ``Birdcatcher spots'' was steered by Pesi Shroff, and is a progressive type.Why those who bet on horses choose Dreadnought as the vehicle for incurring losses, only they know. What else can one say about a runner who failed as the favourite no less than four times at Mahalakshmi? Again backed down as the public choice, the Tecorno filly lacked the foot required to figure on the board. One suspects she might do better over twice as far. Retaining S. N. Chavan astride Reap The Bounty, Irene Patel sent out her brother's six-year-old to a surprise win.

Narendra Lagad pulled off a quick double through four-year-olds Immaculate and Sound Of Whisper. The former had a hat-trick to his credit at Mumbai, but failed at his last start there, perhaps because of the strain of a long season. Refreshed by his long rest, the immaculately-bred chestnut got the better of Emmanuel's Pet. His stable-mate, Sound Of Whisper, cut a smashing time for a Class IV runner - and a maiden at that - of a shade under 1:12 for the 1,200m.! Now that he has found his galloping shoes, the Placerville gelding can go on from here.

Imtiaz Sait was quite confident that Majesty Of Law would bring home the bacon, despite which the grey mare drifted in price. Narredu kept his mount one off the rail, sneaked through an opening, and was being hailed the winner a long way out. The unconsidered Dracula was second.

Both the official handicapper and this writer's private ratings had placed the four juvenile fillies in the Class IV race within a couple of kilograms of each other. Hence, none was prepared for the comprehensive rout of Gorgeous Princess, Storm Dancer and Perceived Value by Flensburg. The daughter of Don't Forget Me kept up her sire's good recent run by circling the field and then running right away. The margin of victory, in the vicinity of a dozen lengths, was quite unreal. Narredu thus completed a double - he feels his mount is now up to Classic standard.

As many as 15 lined up for the Akkasaheb Maharaj Trophy, a sprint event for older horses. The terms favoured the highest-rated runner in these parts, Strengthtostrength, who was well away from his outside draw under Ruzzan Choksey. However, after perhaps getting his nose in front for a stride, he weakened even as Rajendra was getting Radiant into her full stride. Never beaten in a handicap, the Portroe filly accelerated in fine style to gain her first ``terms'' victory from Intel and the flying Table Dancing. Make a note of Absolute Power when he reverts to handicap company.

Given that Amber Brown had beaten Flensburg at Mumbai, he seemed thrown in when taking part in an ordinary maiden. Yet, this Steinbeck gelding has appeared to be a sluggish type and raced accordingly. He lacked the required punch. Millennium Star took the lead 400m. out, but could not match the furious finishing effort of Furiously, also steered by Rajendra to give him a brace for the day.

Syndication has not caught on much in this country and may not do so unless the investors are guided properly by experts. The Monday Club Racing Syndicate's somewhat light-framed grey filly, Monday's Pride, started her tuition with Imtiaz Sait but is now with Ivor Fernandes. The maiden four-year-old was heavily favoured in this Class V affair but fizzled out from a prominent position in a rough race. Chittor sprung a mild surprise for trainer Himmat Singh.

The lower division of this race was completed in faster time by a runner with greater scope in Forever Sparky. The Kly Green gelding circled his rivals under Bajrang Singh's guidance and pulled well clear to help Magansingh Jodha, schooler also of Radiant, to go home a happy man. Express Lane finished on like an express train to hint at a future victory.

DARK LEGEND

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