Calcutta, Dec. 9 :
Calcutta, Dec. 9:
Christmas is still a fortnight away but it is
christmas-time in the city racecourse tomorrow. Good fields in the seven-event-card and a score of outstation and overseas jockeys may give the day a festive look.
However, the cynosure of all eyes will be the filly Altimara who takes on a heavily male dominated field in the Calcutta 2,000 Guineas. The Razeen-Treasure's Nest daughter is not the best rated horse in the field of 10 yet she may go to the start as a hot-favourite. An easy winner of the 1,000 Guineas, the Darius Byramji-trainee had earlier placed a good fourth in the Bangalore Derby. She may win her second classic in the hands of Aslam Kader.
Read as: Horse number, last four runs, horse name, trainer, jockey, weight & draw:
1st Race at 12.40 pm
Pilot Handicap 1,100m (Cl III, 5-y-o & over-Rated 44-72) - Indian jockeys only
1 - 000 Defiance [Karki] P. Kujur 60.0 7
2 1030 Abstract [Daniel] A. P. Singh 59.0 1
3 3340 Storm Centre [Rodrigues] M. Reuben 59.0 4
4 2302 Winning Hand [Javed] R. Gowli 58.0 6
5 - - 21 Mr. Bombshell [Daniel] A. Imran K. 57.5 2
6 - - 03 Sovereign Bullet [Daniel] G. Upadhya 56.5 5
7 ---- Starina [R. Alford] Rutherford A. 56.0 3
1. Mr. Bombshell (5) 2. Sovereign Bullet (6) 3. Winning Hand (4)
Mr. Bombshell: Up a class after his easy win. May score again.Sovereign Bullet: A speedster looking much improved. Winning Hand: May place.
2nd Race at 1.10 pm
Maharajadhiraja U. C. Mahtab Memorial Cup 2,000m (Cl I; Cl II eligible Rt. 66-94)
1 2421 Treasurer [Vijay] Surender S. 62.0 3
2 - - 03 Illustrious Reign [Daniel] R. Hughes 53.5 2
3 - 330 Tanganyika [Karki] M. Reuben 53.5 1
4 - - - 0 Allosaki [Vijay] C. Alford 53.5 4
5 1322 Aldebro [Vijay] Md. Islam 47.0 5
1. Illustrious Reign (2) 2. Allosaki (4) 3. Aldebro (5)
Illustrious Reign: A good third behind Alternator and Alyssum and good at work. May be hard to toss. Allosaki: May need this run as well. Aldebro: May place.
3rd Race at 1.50 pm
Flying Saucer Handicap 2,000m (Cl IV; Cl V eligible Rt. 00-50)
1 - 010 Hurricane Star [Stephens] N. Connorton 60.0 4
2 - - 00 Scavenger's Son [Daniel] R. Gowli 57.5 5
3 0122 Alborada [Daniel] R. Hughes 57.5 1
4 - 203 Supreme Desire [Daniel] C. Alford 55.0 6
5 0004 Blessed Spirit [Daniel] A. Imran K. 54.5 3
6 - 301 Soviet Port [Bharath] C. Ruzaan 53.5 7
7 3040 Avionic [Bharath] Md Islam 51.0 2
1. Soviet Port (6) 2. Supreme Desire (4) 3. Alborada (3)
Soviet Port: Cut out for long trips. Looking much improved, too. Supreme Desire: An impressive third in last start. May do better. Alborada: May upset.
4th Race at 2.25 pm
Air Force Cup 1,400m (Cl I- Rt. 66-94) - Indian jockeys only
1 0430 Falconhead [Vijay] Surender S. 61.0 1
2 - - 40 Prince Obolensky [Stephens] Rutherford A. 59.0 4
3 - - - 4 Giorgio [Asfand] R. Marshall 57.5 8
4 - 100 Baffin Bay [D. Byramji] A. Kader 57.0 5
5 - - 11 Fame Star [Vijay] C. Alford 55.5 7
6 3324 KansaiBharath] S. Rabani 53.5 6
7 - - 42 Best In Show [Daniel] A. Imran K. 52.5 3
8 0324 Solo Act [Mujeeb] Haroon K. 51.5 9
9 - - 03 Double Bull [Daniel] M. Reuben 50.5 2
1. Fame Star (5) 2. Baffin Bay (4) 3. Best In Show (7)
Fame Star: Unbeaten since her 'Produce' win last winter. May pull it off again. Baffin Bay: Working well, yet may need this run. Best In Show: May place.
5th Race at 3.00 pm
Nanoli stud Juvenile Stakes 1,100m (Terms, 2-y-o only)
1 - - - - Alcalde [Bharath] S. Rajesh 55.0 3
2 - - - 1 Astride [Vijay] S. Shanker 55.0 5
3 - - - - Rescue Act [Bharath] A. Imran K. 55.0 9
4 - - - - Sunset Down [Bharath] S. Rabani 55.0 1
5 - - - - The Archer [Stephens] N. Connorton 55.0 2
6 - - - 2 Andrada [Vijay] C. Alford 53.5 8
7 - - - 1 Angeles [Vijay] A. Kader 53.5 6
8 ---- South Cove [D. Byramji] C. Ruzaan 53.5 7
9 ---- Think Of Us [D. Byramji] R. Marshall 53.5 4
1. Andrada (6) 2. Astride (2) 3. The Archer (5)
Andrada: Dictated terms until surprised by the stablemate. May outsprint all. Astride: Well rested and looks improved since his last easy win. The Archer: Good at work outs. Upset, if any. Angeles: Hard ridden in her last week's start.
6th Race at 3.35 pm
Calcutta 2000 Guineas 1,600m (Terms, 3-y-o only)
1 - - 11 Aloritz [Vijay] C. Alford 56.0 4
2 0111 Alsheim [Vijay] Md Amil 56.0 3
3 - - - 0 Andreyev [Padmanabhan] S. Rajesh 56.0 2
4 - - 11 Arezzo [Vijay] N. Connorton 56.0 5
5 - 012 Astronomer [Daniel] R. Hughes 56.0 6
6 - - - 0Daggers Drawn [Padmanabhan] F. Lynch 56.0 10
7 - 011 Earl Grey [Darashah] K. P. Appu 56.0 9
8 3131 No Regrets [Javed] R. Gowli 56.0 8
9 - - - 1 Altimara [D. Byramji] A. Kader 54.5 1
10 - 213 Set Aside [Asfand] C. Ruzaan 54.5 7
1. Altimara (9) 2. Aloritz (1) 3. Daggers Drawn (6)
Altimara: An easy winner of the 1,000 Guineas. May bag the classic double. Aloritz: The hightest rated horse in the field. May go close. Daggers Drawn: May place.
7th Race at 4.05 pm
Winged Tiger Handicap 1,200m (Cl V-Rt. 00-28) - Indian jockeys only
1 - 433 Flinders [Asfand] A. P. Singh 61.0 4
2 - - - 0 Bhuthnath [Rodrigues] G. Upadhya 61.0 3
3 - 400 Aflicker [Bharath] Md Islam 58.5 1
4 - 403 Aliqa [Javed] M. Reuben 57.5 2
5 4442 Magic Ring [Karki] Som S. 57.0 7
6 0003 Diplomatic Gesture [Bath] S. Shanker 56.5 6
7 0031 Abstone Queen [Daniel] A. Imran K. 54.5 5
1. Abstone Queen (7) 2. Diplomatic Gesture (6) 3. Flinders (1)
Abstone Queen: Won the way she liked. May score an encore. Diplomatic Gesture: Ignore his last run. Possesses class to beat them all. Flinders: May place.
Day's Best: Illustrious Reign
Double: Soviet Port & Fame Star