Bath

Calcutta: Trainer Harvinder Singh Bath?s Star Magic produced a brilliant gallop in the home stretch to canter home with the 1,200m Calcutta Champions? Sprint Trophy, the main attraction of Saturday?s race card. S. Shanker partnered the seven-year-old horse, who went to the start as a 5-4 favourite, to an eight-and-a-half length victory over Gypsy King.

In the process, the Alnasr Alwasheek son earned his ticket for Chennai to contest the Sprinters? Trophy during the Invitational weekend on the first Saturday of March this year.

It was the easiest of Star Magic?s three wins ? in succession ? scored by him since migrating from Mumbai this winter season.

The other impressive winner was the Vijay Singh-trained Romantic Liaison in the Alokananda Stakes. Ridden by C. Alford, the filly helped her schooler win his first juvenile race this season. Alford also helped Vijay?s Absolute Luxury and Arakawa win thier respective events. The afternoon was dominated by favourites with five of them coming good.

RESULTS

1. Areonative Handicap 1,200m: (5-4-6-9) Fighting Force (P. Alford) 1; Destiny?s Trick (Surjeet) 2; Secret Desire (Reuben) 3; Positive Thinker (Domingo) 4. Won by: 3/4; 1-1/4; Lnk; (1-18.2). Tote: Win Rs 176; Place: 25; 15; 16; Quinella: 233; Shp: 24; Tanala: 2,048. Fav: Red Sea (10). Winner trained by Javed K.

2. Bountiful Treasure Handicap 2,000m: (10-4-3-8) Flying Scot (Maseyk) 1; Cambridge Blue (Domingo) 2; Rheinheart (Sha-nker) 3; Capistrano (Merchant) 4. Won by: 5-3/4; 3; 5-1/4; (2-12.4). Tote: Win Rs 38; Place: 13; 24; 14; Quinella: 147; Shp: 97; Tanala: 751. Fav: Capistrano (8). Winner trained by Bath.

3. Starry Flag Handicap 1,100m: (4-1-5-9) Great Ambition (Kariappa) 1; Software (Maseyk) 2; Thanks To All (Reuben) 3; Forest Ridge (Melvyn) 4. Won by: 2-3/4; Lnk; 1-1/4; (1-9.9). Tote: Win Rs 46; Place: 19; 25; 14; Quinella: 381; Shp: 100; Tanala: 1,540. Fav: Thanks To All (5). Winner trained by Daniel D. (Note: The winner survived an objection lodged by the rider of third placed horse).

4. Alokananda Stakes 1,200m: (5-1-7-3) Romantic Liaison (C. Alford) 1; Regal Empress (Kariappa) 2; Simply Sensational (Gajender) 3; Oklahoma (Som) 4. Won by: 8-1/2; 2-1/2; 2-1/4; (1-14.7). Tote: Win Rs 15; Place: 10; 16; Quinella: 16; Shp: 24; Tanala: 30. Fav: Romantic Liaison (5). Winner trained by Vijay S.

5. Exclusive Virtue Handicap 1,600m: (9-8-2-11) Absolute Luxury (C. Alford) 1; Primaticcio (Gajender) 2; Deeqa (M. Narredu) 3; Pipasqueak (Amil) 4. Won by: 2-1/2; 6-3/4; 1-1/2; (1-42.1). Tote: Win Rs 15; Place: 11; 20; 13; Quinella: 62; Shp: 50; Tanala: 155. Fav: Absolute Luxury (9). Winner trained by Vijay S.

6. T.N. Banerjea Cup 1,100m: (7-1-2-9) Flossy (Maseyk) 1; Shining Jewel (Rabani) 2; Tagged For Terror (Gajender) 3; Elusive Romance (Shanker) 4. Not run: One For Me (6). Won by: 3-1/2; 2-1/4; Hd; (1-9.2). Tote: Win Rs 27; Place: 12; 31; 23; Quinella: 174; Shp: 78; Tanala: 952. Fav: Flossy (7). Winner trained by Javed K.

7. Calcutta Champions? Sprint Trophy 1,200m: (7-5-8-2) Star Magic (Shanker) 1; Gypsy King (Reuben) 2; Bold Raider (Gajender) 3; Senot Pele (Gurang) 4. Won by: 8-1/2; 1-1/2; 3-1/4; (1-13.6). Tote: Win Rs 24; Place: 12; 28; 22; Quinella: 127; Shp: 60; Tanala: 838. Fav: Star Magic (7). Winner trained by Bath.

8. Burning Fire Cup 1,400m: (9-4-8-7) Arakawa (C. Alford) 1; Sea Legend (Kariappa) 2; Far Hope (Gajender) 3; Say it Loud (Smith) 4. Won by: 4-1/2; 3-3/4; 1; (1-27.3). Tote: Win Rs 19; Place: 12; 14; 25; Quienlla: 34; Shp: 61; Tanala: 214. Fav: Arakawa (9). Winner trained by Vijay.

Jackpot: Rs 105; (C) Rs 20.

Treble: (i) Rs 1,873; (ii) Rs 78; (iii) Rs 58.