Ice of Fire Scorches Field with Electrifying Finish

 

By Sharan Kumar

 

Ice of Fire, who had earlier strutted around like a budding equine superstar with two top quality wins, was off colour on the tricky Pune track. The run was so disappointing that even the stewards might have checked the racecard twice to confirm it was the same horse.  But back on familiar terrain, the Ice thawed and then promptly set the track ablaze. Coming from last with a big turn of foot, she swept past the field in the final furlong as though the rest were politely making way to win the Gr 2 1600 metres Zavaray S Poonawalla Bangalore 1000 Guineas, the first classic of the season on Friday. Elysium, arriving late to the party, mugged Sunshine for second.

 

Favourite Mountain Jewel, the proud Deccan Derby winner, travelled wide and moved as if something was not right with her. She returned distressed, Suraj Narredu sensibly putting the brakes on in the last furlong. The mare came back lame, no fracture, thankfully, but a sesamoid issue and there is loud thinking whether to retire her to stud.

 

The race itself played out like a scriptwriter’s draft.  Hazel buzzed to the front before running out of batteries. Bishop had a fleeting moment of glory before fading. And Mountain Jewel was sending distress signals early enough that even the grandstand could sense trouble. Trevor Patel, meanwhile, produced Ice of Fire on the wide outside, and the daughter of Gusto decided to show everyone what fluent acceleration actually looks like. She stormed home for a commanding win, giving trainer Pradeep Annaiah his second classic of his career.

 

Sulaiman Attaollahi-trained Moonveil looked the part in the 1200 metres Infinite Plate for maiden juveniles. But just when it seemed straightforward, punters decided to throw their wallets at Prasanna Kumar’s Starzella, because morning trackwork experts whispered she was second-best. And punters do love being seduced by whispers.

 

Mukesh Kumar might argue that with better luck, Starzella could have won  and supporters would nod vigorously while checking how much they lost. Burevestnik, under Sandesh, set the pace with Brave Heart trailing and Starzella snug on the rails. Trevor Patel, ice-cool, allowed Moonveil to loiter at the rear like a tourist sightseeing.

 

Rounding the turn, Burevestnik shifted out ever so slightly, Starzella tried the rail route but lacked the turbo to slip through, and then had to angle wider  exactly what she didn’t want. Moonveil, meanwhile, went around the bunch, elegantly sashayed forward, and won with textbook authority. Starzella chased bravely but Moonveil had already been led in.

 

Prasanna Kumar trained Eagle Eye  who previously won, celebrated, then lost the race in the Stewards Room, finally got closure in the 1400 metres Snap Plate. This time, with no interference to gift away the race, Eagle Eye took over in the straight and said, “Try catching me now.” The Gusto progeny powered away to win by five widening lengths. Behind him, there was a photo-finish festival: Star of India nosed out Pole Star, who nosed out Sapporo. A cluster of noses, but the winner was long gone.

 

Emphatic, the summer-season double winner, now under Purushotham after Padmanabhan’s passing, looked far superior to her rivals. Oddly, the bookmakers behaved as if they knew something the rest of the planet didn’t, her odds drifted while Global Influence received curious support.

 

Kalamisti led as usual, Global Influence chased, Emphatic cruised, and Sekhmet warmed up leisurely. Turning for home, Kalamisti folded and Emphatic, expertly handled by Neeraj Rawal, produced a sparkling turn of foot to win with ease. Sekhmet, in her trademark “fashionably late” style, arrived for second, while Global Influence found no inspiration for better than third. Kalamisti faded to fourth.

 

Arjun Mangalorkar’s Run For The Sun did oblige in the 1100 metres Kunchikal Falls Plate (Div I), but not without turning expected comfort into unexpected drama. Apprentice Aleemuddin sent the favourite into a big early lead, perhaps forgetting that stamina is a finite resource. By the time Noble Cause warmed up under Trevor, the five-length cushion was shrinking. Run For The Sun just about held on by half a length. LG’s Star checked in third.

 

In the lower division, the money pouring onto Shoban Babu’s Pandurr was loud enough to wake the bookmakers. And sure enough, Pandurr delivered  swooping from the wide outside under Jagadeesh to win in the final 100 metres. Honest Desire had the lead, lost the lead, and kept second with dignity. Roadrunner was third, presumably still running.

 

Imtiaz Khan-trained Turkoman resurfaced after 287 days and won the 1400 metres Godavari Plate. For a race that most punters avoided, Turkoman delivered a powerful burst in the final furlong to win handsomely with apprentice Laxman Singh. Infinite Spirit stayed on for second, NRI Gold was third, and the rest survived the ordeal.

 

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