Can Set Alight bounce back to vintage form?

Set Alight’s defeat in the Nizams Cup at Hyderabad on Sunday came as a surprise as she had twice beaten Icebreaker on the two occasions that they had met. Icebreaker no doubt has maintained her form and the fact that she had more fitness than Set Alight may have helped her cause. Icebreaker continues to relish her racing as evidenced by the manner in which she galloped whereas Set Alight is showing the ill-effects of a long racing career though racing wise the former has raced more number of times. For the record, Icebreaker has run 15 times and won seven times, finishing on board on all the occasions that she has raced. Set Alight has run 12 times and won 10 times and finished second best on two occasions. However, the pressure of expectation on Set Alight has always been higher right through her career.

Set Alight won 10 races in a row before meeting her waterloo in the Indian Derby. The reason why she had an invincible aura about her was because the daughter of Razeen had simply decimated the opposition on each occasion and her contemporaries had proved incapable of matching strides with her.

Set Alight had been on the boil right from her first season as she went on to win three races which included two graded races. She came to Bangalore for the summer season and further enhanced her credentials by winning the Bangalore Summer Derby in record time winning by the longest margin in the history of this race. Since she won her next three outings in smashing fashion, there was no doubt about her victory in the Indian Derby.

Set Alight went into the Indian Derby after logging miles of track work which itself has been a subject matter of debate for quite a while after the mega event of Indian racing calendar. However, on that occasion, her defeat could be attributed more to her jockey Malesh Narredu’s error in strategy.

In the light of this background, the defeat in the Nizams Cup has to be viewed in a proper perspective. She was racing after a long lay off and hence lacked the requisite fitness. The new race track had a bearing on her performance. She is no longer an invincible horse that she once was. That is because she had every chance to win the race as she traveled well into the straight but when asked for an effort, she did not show the acceleration that she was once famous for.

Set Alight may be raced in the President of India Gold Cup but it may be a tough ask because she will be taking on a horse like Noble Prince which is in great condition at the moment. In all probability, she may also have a go at the Invitation Cup at Hyderabad on October 25. This race will in all probability decide which way she should head in future: towards the Kunigal Stud Farm or to a foreign destination. .

Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 27, 2009 at 5:52 PM

    I hope she can bounce back because at her best i thought she was a legitimate international performer. No doubt Malesh moved way too soon in the Derby.....perhaps she needed her last, but as you intimated, there are only so many bullets in the gun.

    ReplyDelete

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