Calcutta: Trainer Daniel David 8/1 shot, Soaring High (app Abhay Singh-up) had a narrow measure of Vijay Singh’s fancied runner Sitara (Hindu Singh) in the Betindiaraces Bet Responsibly Handicap, the main attraction, here, on Saturday. It wasn’t Hindu’s day. Half-an-hour earlier, the jockey riding Vijay’s strongly fancied, Legendary Striker, had dug up his own grave, in the Relevance Handicap.
Hindu having taken the 12/10 favourite into a big lead, went for a gallery show by easing up the favourite, a 100m from home. Hindu’s bad judgment thus allowed the visiting trainer S. Sunderji’s Kamilah (C.S. Jodha) to pip the favourite at the post.
Needless to say, the hell broke out at the raceground. It also brought back about two-decade old memories of jockey Ganesh Upadhya’s Storm Trooper, trained by Daniel David, being piped at the post by a horse named Dramatic Turn (S. Shanker), in a similar manner. Upadhya, now retired, was handed a three-month suspension for riding a badly judged race. The suspension was enhanced by another three months by the appeal board. Hindu’s fate will decided by the stewards on Sunday.
RESULTS
1. Long Tom Handicap 1,100m: (3-6-5) Bemuse (Bhati) 1, Melody 2, Freebird 3. Won by: 1/2, 4-1/2; (1-11.84). Tote: Win Rs 15; Place: 10, 16; Forecast: 41; Shp: 40; Thp: 43; Tanala: 87. Winner trained by Javed.
2. High Born Handicap 1,400m: (1-6-4) Wandering Angel (Vinay) 1, Tahoe 2, Peoples Pride 3. Won by: 7, Hd; (1-33.7). Tote: Win Rs 59; Place: 25, 51; Forecast: 582; Shp: 54; Thp: 56; Tanala: 1,754. Winner trained by Vikash.
3. Pa Bear Handicap 1,400m: (11-6-2) Sea Lion (Arshad) 1, Basharat 2, Stagger 3. Won by: 2-3/4, Lnk; (1-31.83). Tote: Win Rs 12; Place: 12, 17, 16; Forecast: 51; Shp: 49; Thp: 56; Tanala: 119. Winner trained by Neil Darashah.
4. Relevance Handicap 1,400m: (9-10-2) Kamilah (C. Jodha) 1, Legendary Striker 2, Topnotch 3. Won by: 3/4, Dist; (1-29.96). Tote: Win Rs 26; Place: 12, 16, 23; Forecast: 40; Shp: 47; Thp: 73; Tanala: 227. Winner trained by Sunderji.
5. Betindiaraces Bet Responsibly Handicap 1,100m: (4-8-1) Soaring High (Abhay) 1, Sitara 2, Silver Bracelet 3. Won by: Lnk, 3/4; (1-8.36). Tote: Win Rs 127; Place: 30, 15, 13; Forecast: 1,107; Shp: 32; Thp: 21; Tanala: 8,651. Winner trained by Daniel.
6. Hastings Handicap 1,100m: (7-2-3) Rare Bird (Rupal) 1, Yuvi 2, Desert Rose 3. Won by: 1/2, 6; (1-10.44). Tote: Win Rs 220; Place: 24, 25, 24; Forecast: 2,536; Shp: 38; Thp: 98; Tanala: 22,278. Winner trained by Aashay.
Jackpot: Rs 1,41,981 (Carried over); (C) Rs 2,541 .
Mini jackpot: Rs 21,456.
Treble: (i) Rs 224; (ii) Rs 5,859.
Races cancelled
Bangalore races scheduled to be held on Saturday have been cancelled due to underfoot conditions of race track.
Sunay Pune tips
1.30pm: Memorable Moments 1. Power Of Thor 2. Royal Castle 3.
2pm: Impermanence 1. Unclaimed Treasure 2. Jughead 3.
2.30pm: Successor 1. Bold Legend 2.
3pm: Enid Blyton 1. Giant Star 2. Joaquin 3.
3.30pm: Augustus Caesar 1. Hidden Gold 2. Silver Flames 3.
4pm: Alicia 1. Flaming Fire 2. Juiced 3.
4.30pm: Farahnoush 1. Rasputin 2. Multiencrypted 3.
5pm: Alastair 1. Fuhrer 2. Dreams 3.
Day’s Best: Alicia Double: Enid Blyton & Augustus Caesar.