The enduring charm of the Bangalore Derby

 Time And Tide Delivers with Trademark Ease

 

By Sharan Kumar

 

Barring those rare occasions when Time And Tide decided to take a nap mid-race, the sprinter has mostly made a habit of embarrassing his rivals in style. On Sunday, he chalked up win number 13 from 20 outings in the 1200-metre Chief Minister’s Cup—a terms race for four-year-olds and over—reminding everyone that versatility means ``winning anywhere you please.”

 

Sure, there was that pesky Pune season last year when he lost three times.  Otherwise, he’s dominated everyone and everything: heavy weights, light weights, jockeys doing interpretive dance on a sideways saddle—it didn’t matter.

 

The field on Sunday was full of familiar faces he'd humbled before, so the bookmakers had as much generosity as a tax collector—he was sent out a short-priced favourite. Jockey Sandesh sat chilly behind Magileto before hitting the “turbo” button in the final furlong and waltzing home clear.

 

The only genuine eyebrow-raiser was Suresh-trained Crown Drive from Chennai. Usually, a bit shy about showing ability away from home, Crown Drive suddenly remembered he had talent and snuck into third ahead of Aldgate.

 

Full credit to Adhirajsingh Jodha for keeping Time And Tide tuned to perfection every time he steps out—Mukteshwar Stud Farm must be thrilled with their production line. Right now, there’s practically no sprinter who can give him a scare unless he chooses to do a spot of sightseeing mid-race. Future wins? Barring divine intervention or a jockey losing the map, they look like formalities.

 

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Sub-Area Cup (for horses rated 60 to 85) provided a finish to wake up the crowd. Favourite Regal Reality did her best impersonation of a sure thing, tearing away early like she had a train to catch—only to run out of steam so dramatically you could almost hear the sad trombone.

 

Enter Aashay Doctor-trained Trakila, who spent most of the race admiring the scenery at the back before Trevor Patel decided enough was enough. Instead of swinging out into traffic like a Sunday driver, he hugged the rail like a long-lost friend, picked up speed with frightening efficiency, and nailed the favourite on the line by a neck.

 

Aashay Doctor’s day out featured one success and one sigh. While Trakila turned heads with a late swoop, his other runner, Pantazi—unbeaten in three starts back home in Kolkata—failed after giving hopes.  Making his local debut in the 1200-metre Adler Plate (for horses rated 40 to 65), Pantazi looked like he’d nick it under Sandesh’s determined drive, even poking his head in front in the final furlong. But with no recent run under his belt, he ran out of steam faster than a politician's promise. Divine Star, given a smooth ride by Trevor, wasn’t in the mood to hand out charity, fighting back and scoring comfortably in the end. Pantazi will no doubt be back with better fitness—and perhaps a grudge.

 

In the 2000-metre Astronomic Plate, three-year-old Mindful from Deepesh Narredu’s yard gave a textbook lesson in making the most of an uncontested lead. Clearly enjoying the step up in trip, Yash Narredu sent him straight to the front on a catch-me-if-you-can mission. Mindful kicked clear in the final furlong with minimal fuss. Meanwhile, the well-bred but stubbornly one-paced Odysseus, hyped as the second coming after a narrow win last time out, found no extra gear whatsoever. He at least held second ahead of Moon Star, sparing the connections from a total meltdown. As for Victor Hugo—last time out he nearly won, this time he nearly moved, staying glued to the rear throughout.

 

Trainer Neil Darashah had reasons to smile with Victoria Cross, who upset the odds in the 1200-metre Littleover Plate for maiden three-year-olds. Showing a clean pair of heels right from the gates, Victoria Cross led all the way. Favourite Konkrah was apparently on island time, warming up only after the race was well and truly settled, finishing second when it no longer mattered. Blue Storm trailed in for third, making up the numbers.

 

Punters who launched the mother of all plunges on Bezawada Sultan got rewarded handsomely in the 1200-metre race for horses rated 20 to 45. Jockey J Chinoy didn’t bother with suspense, sending the favourite clear in the final furlong and leaving the rest of the field to form a support group for the vanquished. Gandolfini just nosed out Agera for second, a moral victory at best.

 

The mile-long Desert God Plate for the same class saw Rajesh Narredu-trained Ashwa Kali Bhani start at odds that suggested he was running alone. Suraj Narredu had no interest in drama, taking charge early and doing just enough to hold off the late, determined lunge from Continues—who, credit where it’s due, showed sudden interest in racing after having finished 17 lengths behind last time. But hey, this is Bangalore, where form reversals are as routine as monsoon potholes. Dubai Safari ambled in for third.

 

And in the grand finale for the lowest-rated runners over a mile, failed favourite Sunlit Path decided to make amends with a vengeance. Winning by seven lengths, he gave us yet another of those one-sided romps that have become this season’s signature dish. Anchorage and Embosom followed home in formation, presumably pondering life’s unfairness.