Diamond Hunter retains BTC Trophy
Michael Eshwer trained Diamond Hunter won the Bangalore Turf Club Trophy which featured Saturday’s races for the second year in succession. Diamond Hunter who is one of the most consistent horses in Bangalore despite being in the highest class for a long time, proved too good for favourite Originality who failed to sustain her front running effort when the pressure was on. However, Originality who ran below par, managed to retain the runner up berth. Horses bred at the Kunigal Stud Farm were in the limelight, with three races, including the first juvenile race of the season, being won by the stud farm’s produce.
Originality was the firm favourite to win the day’s feature event but the Ganapathy ward looked far from ready as evidenced by her paddock looks. However, she was backed with conviction on the basis of the fact that she had beaten Diamond Hunter in the immediate past and the filly had also run the likes of Palazzio’s Sun close. In the event, Originality who hit the front from the word `go’, surrendered meekly when Diamond Hunter essayed a strong challenge rounding the final turn. The big made Diamond Hunter easily sailed past the favourite to win by a shade over three lengths. Atlantus came from way behind to finish third. Incidentally, Diamond Hunter clocked one minute 14.06 seconds for the six furlong trip which was slower that clocked by Sugar Ray in the lesser category race.
Sugar Ray had been running in races meant for horses 80 and above or had been used as pacemaker for more illustrious horses owned by Dr Vijay Mallya. As such, Sugar Ray’s depth had not been known though he was always reckoned as a capable performer. Cart Wheel was more supported than Sugar Ray to win the Sohna Stud Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 60 to 85. Jockey Chris Hayes, who has been going great guns with some top quality performances in the saddle, had Sugar Ray held back in third position as Cart Wheel raced upfront. Cart Wheel could not quicken when Sugar Ray came to essay a strong challenge and instead began to veer out. Sugar Ray picked up speed appreciably inside the final furlong and sped past the front runner with minimum of fuss to win comfortably by three lengths in a smart time of one minute 13.68 seconds. The lower division of the race was won by Valid Expectation who sprang a big surprise by bolting to the front from the start and opening a big break over the rest which held him in good stead when So Much More came with a strong run close home.
Padmanabhan trained Dante’s Peak had run such a noteworthy race over a sprint that it was hard to imagine anyone toppling him in the Kumarajah M A M Muthiah Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65 for five year olds and over horses. Jockey David Allan had no problems in settling the progeny of Peaks And Valleys in the rear group and then bringing the five-year old into contention with a ground saving run along the rails. Dante’s Peak picked up speed instantly when asked for an effort by his jockey and left the field stranded to win in tremendous fashion. Luckynumberslevin found the winner too good for comfort but nevertheless managed to save the runner up berth from Arabian Memories by a whisker.
Sunnyland was the least fancied in the Sirsi Plate (Div I), with the focus of betting being on Carnival of Joy, Corleone and High Gleam. Corleone led all the way but was caught up with in the closing stages of the race by Amiable Lady who however was outwitted in the final stride of the race by Sunnyland. Warren Singh who led in Sunnyland, however, was unsuccessful on another of his ward She’s A Lady who went into the lower division of the race as an overwhelming favourite. For sheer paddock looks, Amar Prem deserved more support but the presence of R Koch may be the reason why he ran at nourishing odds. Koch took Amar Prem on a start to finish mission and he set a good clip which saw the rest of the opposition being outpaced. Despite being driven out by jockey Srinath, She’s A Lady failed to overhaul the front runner.
Though Aprillia was denied of a clear run at the top of the homestretch by Misson who ran green, the daughter of Burden of Proof proved too good in the 1200 metres December Plate, a race for two year olds. After being pulled out of the rails by her jockey Hayes, Aprillia skipped away from the front runner to win by a widening margin of five lengths.
Three year old Saddle Queen who is bred as half sister to the celebrated Saddle Up, was making a belated debut but she made it a winning one by winning the mile long Planetarium Plate by a distance. Mind Me passed the winning most nearly three seconds after the winner had gone past the post.
Originality was the firm favourite to win the day’s feature event but the Ganapathy ward looked far from ready as evidenced by her paddock looks. However, she was backed with conviction on the basis of the fact that she had beaten Diamond Hunter in the immediate past and the filly had also run the likes of Palazzio’s Sun close. In the event, Originality who hit the front from the word `go’, surrendered meekly when Diamond Hunter essayed a strong challenge rounding the final turn. The big made Diamond Hunter easily sailed past the favourite to win by a shade over three lengths. Atlantus came from way behind to finish third. Incidentally, Diamond Hunter clocked one minute 14.06 seconds for the six furlong trip which was slower that clocked by Sugar Ray in the lesser category race.
Sugar Ray had been running in races meant for horses 80 and above or had been used as pacemaker for more illustrious horses owned by Dr Vijay Mallya. As such, Sugar Ray’s depth had not been known though he was always reckoned as a capable performer. Cart Wheel was more supported than Sugar Ray to win the Sohna Stud Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 60 to 85. Jockey Chris Hayes, who has been going great guns with some top quality performances in the saddle, had Sugar Ray held back in third position as Cart Wheel raced upfront. Cart Wheel could not quicken when Sugar Ray came to essay a strong challenge and instead began to veer out. Sugar Ray picked up speed appreciably inside the final furlong and sped past the front runner with minimum of fuss to win comfortably by three lengths in a smart time of one minute 13.68 seconds. The lower division of the race was won by Valid Expectation who sprang a big surprise by bolting to the front from the start and opening a big break over the rest which held him in good stead when So Much More came with a strong run close home.
Padmanabhan trained Dante’s Peak had run such a noteworthy race over a sprint that it was hard to imagine anyone toppling him in the Kumarajah M A M Muthiah Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65 for five year olds and over horses. Jockey David Allan had no problems in settling the progeny of Peaks And Valleys in the rear group and then bringing the five-year old into contention with a ground saving run along the rails. Dante’s Peak picked up speed instantly when asked for an effort by his jockey and left the field stranded to win in tremendous fashion. Luckynumberslevin found the winner too good for comfort but nevertheless managed to save the runner up berth from Arabian Memories by a whisker.
Sunnyland was the least fancied in the Sirsi Plate (Div I), with the focus of betting being on Carnival of Joy, Corleone and High Gleam. Corleone led all the way but was caught up with in the closing stages of the race by Amiable Lady who however was outwitted in the final stride of the race by Sunnyland. Warren Singh who led in Sunnyland, however, was unsuccessful on another of his ward She’s A Lady who went into the lower division of the race as an overwhelming favourite. For sheer paddock looks, Amar Prem deserved more support but the presence of R Koch may be the reason why he ran at nourishing odds. Koch took Amar Prem on a start to finish mission and he set a good clip which saw the rest of the opposition being outpaced. Despite being driven out by jockey Srinath, She’s A Lady failed to overhaul the front runner.
Though Aprillia was denied of a clear run at the top of the homestretch by Misson who ran green, the daughter of Burden of Proof proved too good in the 1200 metres December Plate, a race for two year olds. After being pulled out of the rails by her jockey Hayes, Aprillia skipped away from the front runner to win by a widening margin of five lengths.
Three year old Saddle Queen who is bred as half sister to the celebrated Saddle Up, was making a belated debut but she made it a winning one by winning the mile long Planetarium Plate by a distance. Mind Me passed the winning most nearly three seconds after the winner had gone past the post.
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