Winners spotted a long way from home

MUMBAI

WITH the onset of Summer, the infamous dog-days are here again and it is a real effort for patrons of the King of Sports to move around at the racecourse. One wonders how much worse it must be for the horses, who have perforce to gallop at full stretch in the searing heat. In the circumstances, it is really surprising how little they sweat up. This is unnatural, and points either to a widespread incidence of ``dry-coat'' or excessive medication which interferes with normal metabolism.

The All Weather track reverted to type and almost all of last Wednesday's winners were spotted a long way from home. The 6 to 4 favourite in the opener, Reflecting, lay third before being sent on by Rajeev Pandey. Dr. M.A.M. Ramaswamy's Razeen filly simply ran away, leaving others reflecting on why they had backed anything else. Dallas Todywalla was a much-relieved man at the return to form of his juveniles. Prince Shazaan hung on for second, only because S. R. Bhagwat on Suratha seemed least interested in overtaking him.

Last time out, Lumiere had returned lame. Patched up since and sent out here in bandages, M. K. Jadhav's ward - who had not even placed hitherto - took the lead at the top of the straight and streaked home. Soul Mate and fancied Amber Eyes struggled in second and third spots respectively, vainly attempting to gain a bit of pace.

If pedigree counts for anything, then Rich Babe should be attempting at least a metric mile, if not further. Coming into this race, her record read ``1 win and 6 places from 8 starts'', which itself showed she was being beaten for pace over unsuitably short trips. Making a late effort, entirely in keeping with her aptitude, she once again bit the dust when only second behind Yewall. Meanwhile, this late-to-hand five year old was a gift to discerning punters at 6 to 4, and he made all to prevail under Mark Gallagher for Shiraz Sunderji.

Another runner that was ripe for rich pickings was Damroo's Gift. Unsuccessful in all her 9 starts on the grass, she had scored from both her All Weather attempts. Reverting to her favourite surface, Asad Siddiqui's ward made all and landed the nourishing price of 12 to 1. The support for Cristina, coming off the grass, was incomprehensible, and she finished well in arrears. It was the game but over-raced Josh King that got up for second from Wine N' Song.

The third consecutive wire-to-wire winner was Whispering Rock. Damodaran Pillai landed the odds to keep his stable afloat for another few months. Here, Syed Shah's Time To Gamble made a sterling effort to bridge the leeway but could not. However, another of Shah's wards, Sugar Daddy made a similar effort in the closing event and somehow got to the front, pegging back the late-finishing Asprilla, who did not have the clearest passage.

Back on the grass, some end-of-the-season upsets marred the proceedings over the weekend, particularly on Sunday. Certainly, the supervision continues to be lax, which perhaps emboldens wrong-doers. Isn't that the lesson from the sordid Hansie Cronje affair?

While Saranyu had run fairly consistently in her career hitherto, few were expecting her to trot in by a ``distance'' in Saturday's first race. Could the 5 kg. allowance claimed by P. Sandeep have made the difference? While punters were mulling over this, along came My Solitaire as a rare 15 to 1 winner in the ``Gold, Brown Belt'' colours. Those with a long enough memory will remember that her career started with two wins from as many starts. However, she has been winless since! From Sunderji's yard, she moved to Mrs. Irene Patel and is now with Todywalla. The addition of a tongue strap by her latest master seems to have worked wonders.

Sicalade was perhaps the best prospect of the day. With Jaggi Dhariwal firing at a 25% clip - joint leader in that category with Darius Byramji - and with Shroff in the saddle on this lightly-raced Kunigal-bred, the portents were favourable. Shroff kept the gelding under tight wraps till the 250 metres before giving him the office and he easily held off Sparkling Champagne. The last-named hung badly when under pressure, else might have given the winner something to think about.

This term, Strengthtostrength has lived up to his name. Except for his ignoble effort in the HSBC Salver, which perhaps came against company too tough, he has never been out of the first two in his life. He recorded his third win of the season - and fifth overall - with a stylish win under Niall McCullagh. Rehanullah Khan has done a grand job on the bandaged son of Farajullah. Run For Glory came in the shortest way but could find no extra.

Punters were torn between Altiama and Mariella (formerly Songan) in the Rose De Bahama Trophy. While the former showed out briefly at the top of the home run, he was soon back-pedalling. The easy- moving Mariella was awaiting the signal from C. Rajendra and as soon as she received it, stretched out in splendid fashion. Sunderji's ward still has some improvement in her and can be expected to add to her laurels. Northern Angel and Fin-De-Siecle followed her home.

Framed in conjunction with the running later the same day of the Grand National steeplechase, the Martell Mile for three-year-olds drew a field of eight. One look at newcomer Perceived Value in the paddock was enough to convince watchers that the own-sister to Allied Forces was a good type. And with Todywalla's youngsters back in the firing line, she was perceived to represent value at 5 to 1. With an excellent effort, the daughter of Razeen collared another by the same sire in Machrihanish, who had already faced the starter a couple of months ago. Carrying a 7.5 kg. penalty, L. A. Woman ran an excellent race when third.

It was at her eleventh start that Heart Beat scored her maiden victory. Despite displaying that level of form last time out, Faisal Abbas' ward was sent out here at 9 to 1. Phrawah carried the public purse and came in the shortest way around at the helm of affairs. Thereafter, racegoers witnessed an absorbing duel as Heart Beat passed the leader, who then rallied back and pulled clear. In the dying strides, Heart Beat regained the advantage and landed the prize by a head.

One cannot really appreciate the commentator's efforts at declaring every race in Western India to be ``off to an even start''. In fact, the maidens' race was off to a most ragged start, with several of the thirteen runners essaying erratic paths in the early stages. Once the leading bunch rounded the turn, one runner - the odds-on My Blue Moon - detached itself and shot clear to saunter home eight lengths clear (given as nine).

There was tremendous applause for the Steinbeck filly's 84-year- old owner, Fali Bilimoria, who almost ran to lead in his impressive winner, escorted by smiling trainer Sorab Jilla. The pair had last triumphed with Hedy Lamarr in December 1993!

All the way up the straight, the moody Navroze Supreme - who was led down early - threatened to record her maiden victory, but it was Gagan Glory who achieved this distinction in deathly silence. The hyperactive gelding, making his seventeenth appearance under silks, was not without his share of supporters from amongst those ``in the know''. It was a close-run affair though, with only a neck in it at the wire. Only 9% of the live jackpot tickets survived!

Half the six runners that participated in Sunday's opener over 2000 metres dominated the betting. Forest Fire lay well up, just off the pace, and made an attempt to score, but was collared in the run-in by Great Pasha, who came with a sustained run on the outside under Pesi Shroff. The Ilheus gelding added to Dhariwal's score and at his current pace, the veteran schooler threatens to finish his first Mumbai season in the top three.

With the weights favouring him, Dominant Force dominated the three-runner M.N. Nazir Trophy over the true Classic trip of 2400 metres. The got-abroad by Rock Hopper made all and Appu had the luxury of looking back when coasting home in the straight. In the light of this fluent win and his earlier success this season, Dominant Force's loss in between seems an aberration. He can certainly repeat over a similar trip.

A glance at his racing record would have revealed a long ``string of beads'' since Zosyn last triumphed in October 1998. How, then, was there so much confidence behind a runner with only one second place to display by way of form, from his last fourteen starts? The flow of money was one way on Mansoor Shah's ward, who must have really shown his trainer something to be so heartily fancied. Tony Bernard kept him on the rails and came through an opening to sail away.

Unsound like several of Placerville's progeny, the cleverly named Place De Ville had never troubled the scorer so far. The lightly raced five-year-old, a cast-off from Bezan Chenoy's yard, seems to have been nursed to health by Adil Dajee, as he made light of his bandages to trounce his rivals here. The replacement of S.S. Bhati, who had steered the gelding at his last four appearances, by Kharadi (who had previous experience on this mount) was the pointer.

The concept of the ``Million'' races has proved to be a dismal failure in its avowed attempt to boost the bloodstock market. Barring a handful, most horses today do not recover their true cost of production. And discerning racegoers have pointed out that many a budding juvenile career is extinguished by premature stress on early maturity as a result of owners' eagerness to bid for a slice of the action. These words are written in the context of favourite Suave Star's last-placed effort in the Gool S. Poonawalla Million. The hapless daughter of Alnasr Alwasheek bled under pressure and fell right away. Clearly her future career is threatened.

Next in demand, Stavros made almost all the running and powered clear in the straight. Shroff had no worries on the Tecorno colt, acquired by the Dhunjibhoys as a successor to their flying filly, Indiscretion. Conceding an additional 2 kg., Feel The Force was a hard-ridden second, with Oh So Quick third.

By being absent from the track for 122 days, Amazing Dream emitted the wrong signals, causing many to neglect him. Still, as a top- pedigreed youngster from the back-in-form Todywalla stable, he packed credentials to merit interest and those who retained faith profited handsomely. With a superb burst under Rajeev Pandey, he swooped on the flagging leader, Storm Again, who could not even hold off True Thriller. Todywalla told TheHindu that he had intentionally given Amazing Dream time off to mature and strengthen up.

The final Graded race for older horses this season is the Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia Trophy. The race appeared to be at the mercy of White Metal, so narrowly touched off in the Bombay Dyeing C.N. Wadia Trophy. And so it proved. Rajendra kept the grey in fourth or fifth spot before striking for home early. This lead proved useful when Great Investment threatened with a late run, which carried the latter into the runner-up slot. Star Fortune was a decent third.

DARK LEGEND

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