Scarlet Lake makes it a no-contest

MUMBAI

WITH THE focus on the Indian Turf Invitation Cup at Chennai, local action was confined to a solitary day (Feb. 28). Although long in the tooth, Airkraft has always shown tremendous speed out of the gates and did so once again here. However, he found the penalty for his last win too much to stomach and was passed by Rosehill Gardens, teamed up here with C. Rajendra. In the last gasp, Gasconade got up for second.

The Enterprising Trophy for maidens was run in two divisions. There was much heart-burning after the first division had been run, when Bezan Chenoy's Nautilus could not bridge the wide gap that Super Sword had set up. Under B. Prakash, the winner displayed the raw speed over the scurry that he had shown earlier. Ivor Fernandes schools Super Sword. It was the lack of experience, and the inadequacy of the trip, that combined to prove the undoing of the runner-up, a well-bred daughter of Razeen.

The upper division, run in faster time, revealed a good type of youngster in Scarlet Lake, a half-sister to the top juvenile of a few years ago, Count The Steps. Paddock inspection revealed the daughter of Alnasr Alwasheek to be a finely-chiselled model, attractive and sprightly. In the race itself, there was no contest as she streaked into the lead and sauntered home under Mark Gallagher. Altaf Hussain has the pleasure of sheltering her. If kept to sprints, she should have a bright future.

Champagne Gold had already scored twice this season and a close study of the form revealed that both her losses came at the hands of vastly superior runners. There being no such apparent danger lurking here, her chances seemed rosy, more so as Prakash renewed his association with Hosidar Daji's charge. And so it proved for the Pratap Stud-bred got- abroad. Running after a year's absence, Right Moment hinted at a resumption of her winning ways by ending second.

A lightly-raced five-year-old, Jodhpur Lad appeared to be heading towards his maiden victory halfway up the straight in the metric mile event. Despite Rajendra's efforts he could not contain the threat posed by Adam's Delight, whose rider perhaps thought he had made it. Actually, it was Mach Two on the extreme outside rail that proved superior on the day and gained the nod with a late effort. Tony Bernard guided Vijay Kasbekar's self-trained runner.

Shocked by Attia In Sunlight when last seen in public, Special Happening was at a favourable mark in the Class III sprint as his principal rivals were all conceding weight. Sure enough, under Rajendra he opened up an unbeatable lead early in the home stretch. Favourite Gold Berg ran well enough to be second, while Dancing Dream came up from way behind to be third. The victorious rider thus completed a double aboard Imtiaz Sait's ward.

Seen out just once, so far, Prince Honey ended in the ruck. What was significant that day was that he started favourite. Obviously he had shown something ``at home''. His astute trainer, Hanut Singh, secured the services of Niall McCullagh and the Tecorno gelding did not miss. Five lengths behind came Great Magician, who could win if campaigned over further.

Jackpot followers were left shaking their heads in disbelief when Peace March carried on after hitting the front as usual. Few could understand how the mare was able to keep up her effort when she had weakened tamely at her last three starts.

Suresh Chavan sent out the five- year-old, with Aadesh Kumar replacing T. Mahesh. Countach, who is no sprinter, came up with her usual late run to be second.

Another blow fell an hour later when Barrier Reef came with a wet sail to deprive the battling duo of Noble One and Sedona of the prize. The runner-up had led almost throughout and was just about to taste the fruits of his efforts at pegging back the persistent Sedona when the winner came from nowhere. The presence of B. Prakash astride Janardhan's ward did not gain the aged got-abroad the adherents that would normally accrue to a mount steered by India's national champion, ranked by number of wins.

The half a dozen stayers who contested the concluding event were strung out like the washing after two-thirds of the 2400 m. trip had been completed. On straightening up, Prakash drove Saytarra into the lead and she out-stayed her rivals to give her enterprising pilot a quadruple for the afternoon. Dallas Todywalla trains the daughter of a Spanish Oaks winner.

DARK LEGEND

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