Calcutta: The start of the monsoon season has been delayed by a week, owing to heavy rain which has forced horses to remain indoors. The ‘ring’-favourites, therefore, are expected to rule on Wednesday, the opening day, as most of the runners are still under-prepared. It may take another week or so before a certain level of fitness is attained. Trainers Javed Khan and Robin Corner’s runners are, however, in good conditions.

Javed’s Priceless Hero, in particular, is fancied to lift the 1,100m Vagabond Cup, the feature event. The five-year-old has not only been working well, he is also marginally better at the weights against Corner’s Body And Soul, his main challenger in the race. S. Shanker partners the Placerville son.Read as: Sl. nos, last 4 runs, horse name, trainer, jockey, weight & draw:

1. Sweet Senorita Handicap 1,000m (Rt 00-30) 1.40 pm

1       2034        Schumacher [Vikash] Rajinder       60.0       2

2       4001       Sunlight King [Vikash] Vinay       51.5       4

3       0230       Valintine Dancer [Jaiswal] Afzal       51.5       1

4       0400       Alashaan [Stephens] Domingo       50.5       3

1. Shumacher (1) 2. valintine dancer (3)

Schumacher: The horse for all seasons, though long in the tooth. Valintine Dancer: May place second by default.

2. Glotik Cup 1,200m (Rt 60 & over) 2.10 pm

1       1220       Vrikodara [Shafiq] Imran       60.0       1

2       4300       Proteus [Robin] Mark       55.0       2

3       - 022       Diffidence [Daniel] Ross       54.5       3

4       1244       Imperial Stride [Errol] Chisty       54.0       4

1. proteus (2) 2. Imperial Stride (4)

Proteus: Has considerably come down at the weights. Working well too. Imperial Stride: Will be right there if Proteus fails.

3. Zipper Handicap 1,400m (Rt 00-30) 2.45 pm

1       0404       Blood Rayne [Stephens] Shanker       62.0       6

2       0000       Mystic Solitaire [Shafiq] Rajinder       57.0       5

3       - - 00       Western Brace [Daniel] Chisty       55.5       3

4       2203       Heer [Bath] Afzal       51.0       2

5       3143       Q’ba [Vikash] Islam       51.0       1

6       - - - 0       Party Game [Robin] Kujur       49.5       4

1. Blood Rayne (1) 2. Q’ba (5) 3. party game (6)

Blood Rayne: Has come on a lot since his disappointing runs in the winter. May be hard to toss. Q’ba: May place.

4. Green Sari Handicap 1,200m (Rt 00-50) 3.15 pm

1       0012       Falaknuma [Shafiq] Imran       60.0       6

2       0000       Regal Venture [Errol] Chisty       59.0       4

3       0231       Helegonia [Javed] Islam       56.5       3

4       2402       Arrayal [R.Alford] Brij       53.0       2

5       4220       Dil Chahta Hai [Vikash] Vinay       52.0        5

6       - - - -       Zaccharus [Robin] Amil       47.5       1

1. Helegonia (3) 2. regal venture (2) 3. Falaknuma (1)

Helegonia : May cash in on her brilliant workouts, though handicap is against her. Regal Venture: Well in at the weights but kept on light preparations.

5. Hokaido Handicap 1,400m (Rt 20-70) 3.45 pm

1       4213       Grand Ceremony [Karki] Mark       60.0       4

2       1423       Mythical Star [Stephens] Som       58.0       6

3       0001       Rosenkavalier [Javed] Islam       57.0       2

4       1114       Shining Example [Vikash] Rajinder       57.0       5

5       2333       El Cid [Vikash] Vinay       55.5       3

6       3310       True Beauty [Shafiq] Domingo       49.0       1

1. grand ceremony (1) 2. rosenkavalier (3) 3. true beauty (6)

Grand Ceremony: Always a trier and looking well too. May do the trick. Rosenkavalier: Working extremely well. True Beauty: May upset.

6. Vagabond Cup 1,100m (Rt 40-90) 4.15 pm

1       2111       Priceless Hero [Javed] Shanker       60.0       2

2       1040       Thousand Stars [Shafiq] Domingo       59.5       3

3       - 310       Condrieu [Daniel] Chisty       56.0       1

4       1320       Tomahawk [Errol] Ross       56.0       5

3       3421       Body And Soul [Robin] Mark       54.0       6

4       2312       Acrostic [Bath] Afzal       53.5       4

1. Priceless Hero (1) 2. body and soul (5) 3. acrostic (6)

Priceless Hero: A speedy customer who is also looking and working well. Body And Soul: Well in at the weights. Acrostic: Upset, if any.

7. Brush Aside Handicap 1,100m (Rt 00-50) 4.45 pm

1       0403       Zephyr [Shafiq] Imran       61.0       8

2       2231       Vieille [Shafiq] Rajinder       58.5       6

3       - 134       Red Sails [Daniel] Chisty       57.0       7

4       3134       Glenbervie [Robin] Islam       56.5       2

5       2204       Fast Love [Karki] Mark       54.5       4

6       0001       Swing Lucky [Shafiq] Brij       54.5       3

7       2210       Gorgonzola [Shafiq] Asghar       54.0       1

8       1131       Going Starry [Bath] Afzal       52.5       9

9       - - 00       Desire Lad [Vikash] Salim       52.0       5

1. Fast Love (5) 2. Vieille (2) 3. glenbervie (4)

Fast Love: Has matched strides with smart youngsters last winter. Vieille: A useful performer from Delhi. Glenbervie: May place.

Day’s Best: Blood Rayne Double: Priceless Hero & Fast Love

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