Calcutta: An exciting afternoon of racing unfolded at RCTC on Saturday, where outsiders once again ruled the roost in the eight-event card. The feature event, the Calcutta 2000 Guineas (Gr-II), saw Adhirajsingh Jodha’s handsome chestnut colt Arrived produce a decisive performance under M.S. Deora.
Tracking local contender Pantazi until the home turn, Arrived swept past a tiring Pantazi to win comfortably, holding off a late surge from Mahler (Hindu Singh). Favourite Superstar, slow off by six lengths, recovered late to finish third.
With the glanders-related restrictions in place and top jockeys staying away, the afternoon provided local riders a golden opportunity to showcase their talent. R. Vaibhav grabbed the chance with both hands, scoring a well-earned treble.
He opened the day with Oromello, trained by Javed Khan, who struck at 5/1 in her first run in the lowest class, trouncing a mediocre field by five lengths. Vaibhav then guided Rajesh Narredu’s even-money favourite Star Studded to an effortless victory in the 2,400m Aristotle Handicap, marking him out as a promising Derby prospect.
His treble was sealed in the day’s finale- the lower division of the Aboline Handicap with the Aashay Doctor-trained Magnifico, who prevailed in a thrilling four-horse finish. Favourite Laguna Seca, from Vijay Singh’s yard, reportedly burst her blood vessels.
The 1,200m Moon Emperor Cup witnessed Deepesh Narredu’s Pluto (Nikhil Naidu) scoring an easy victory over favourite Shine (Hindu Singh), who extricated herself from traffic too late but still finished an impressive second.
The two divisions of the 1,200m Xisca Handicap — run as ‘no whip’ races — produced further upsets. Trainer Shafiq Khan’s Chillilady (Md. Sameer) scored a confident pillar-to-post win over favourite Knotty Affair in the upper division, while the lower division went to Shafiq’s Dubai King (Shezad Khan) after a successful objection against the drifting winner Cyrenaica, giving the trainer a fine double for the day.
The upper division of the Aboline Handicap saw Rutherford Alford's Hermod edge out runaway Only Dreams (P.Tajeswar), in the closing stages, thanks to a smartly judged ride by Vishal Bunde.Vijay Singh’s favourite Schoenberg (Hindu Singh) reportedly burst his blood vessels.
Horses to follow:
Mrs Brando, Orlando, Shine, Mahler and Only Dreams.