Calcutta: Trainer B. Mahesh’s Dali Swirl (S. Anthony Raj-up) unleashed a blistering burst from mid-field to snatch the 1,400m Independence Cup, the feature event here on Wednesday. The well-supported gelding powered past Snowpiercer and hot favourite Go For The Moon in a nail-biting finish that had the crowd on its feet.
The otherwise dull mid-week card was lit up by thrilling finishes and sparkling doubles. Trainers Aashay Doctor and Neil Darashah scored a brace each, while jockeys Trevor Patel, Anthony Raj and Vishal Bunde shared the honours evenly.
Doctor’s pair, Trakila and Polka Dot, gave Trevor effortless “armchair rides,” both romping home without being extended. Darashah’s duo, Togo (Anthony Raj) and Galway Girl (Vishal Bunde), were equally commanding, winning with plenty in hand.
The concluding event provided a rousing climax as Sabeel Shariff’s veteran Sky Hawk (Vishal Bunde) produced a dazzling late dash to mow down Aashay Doctor's Sabar ( Trevor Patel) in the final strides, scoring back-to-back wins in spectacular fashion.
Notable runners:
Togo, Sabar, Dubai Princess , Snowpiercer and Sky Hawk.