JOIN USNew Alliance may taste Derby success
Two fillies and an equal number of colts will be at the forefront of the battle for the Garuda Bangalore Derby on the city’s biggest race day of the winter season here at the Bangalore Turf Club on Saturday.
Leading the fillies’ charge is New Alliance, in a somewhat weak 10-horse field -- thanks to the event’s proximity to the Indian Derby that gives very little recovery time for the top horses in the country.
Trained by Prasanna Kumar and to be ridden by I Chisty, the four-year old has built up considerable form over the last few months to emerge as the frontrunner for the 2400-metre blue riband event.
New Alliance has done most things right since the start of the monsoon season, notching up three wins from her last four starts. The biggest of those three wins that has the odds tipped in her favour is the Bangalore Oaks (January 2), a race run over the same 12-furlong distance and considered a very important preparatory run.
She showed remarkable staying power, pipping Heaven Is Here by a head. What would give more encouragement to Prasanna, apart from the nature of that superlative win, is that his ward outscored Angel Dust -- the other filly in contention for the Derby spoils.
The other major win came in the Karnataka Racehorse Owners’ Association Mysore 1000 Guineas over 1600 metres, providing ample belief that she could prevail on Saturday.
Not far behind is colt Brilliant Cut, trained by Irfan Ghatala and to be piloted by PS Chouhan. Although he may be not entering the gates on race day in the same form as New Alliance, he has considerably reduced his odds following a superb performance in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas last month.
Run over 1600 metres, the race had four other participants who will be in fray on Saturday. Running a superb race from start to the finish, he swept himself to a four-and-half length victory, leaving others breathless.
Tough task
However, Brilliant Cut is yet to run 2400 metres competitively and none of his siblings have a great track record in over-a-mile races although they’ve shone over short distances. This is what pegs Brilliant Cut down but trainer Irfan Ghatala exuded confidence.
“He will be running the 2400 metres for the first time but I believe he’s got a very good temperament. I know he can stay. I’m confident of producing a good show.”
Angel Dust -- the only other filly in the field -- shocked everyone when she scored a stunning victory in the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore last July. A rank outsider in the second richest race in the country, she capitalised on an opportunistic break around the final band to score a sensational win.
However the SS Attaollahi-trained four-year old which will be anchored by the same jockey P Trevor has struggled since then.
She finished a distant seventh in the Deccan Fillies Championship Stakes before recovering some ground in the Bangalore 1000 Guineas (second place) and Bangalore Oaks (third place).
Auriga, trained by Sriram Komandur and to be ridden by A Imran K, stands a good chance as well. While one of his two wins came in the Bangalore Turf Club Trophy, he has done well in the other classics to emerge as the dark horse.
Although a winner is likely to emerge from the above four, Mogadishu may well spring a surprise. To be piloted by one of the best jockeys in the country Suraj Narredu, he won the Mysore Derby and Shapoorji Pallonji Breeders Juvenile Colts Championship in handsome fashion last year. If he can produce the same form on Saturday, the tellers will be made very busy.
Calico Jack, Let The Lion Roar, Silver Legend, Southern Surprise and Valiant Spirit make up the remaining field.
An eye will be on the weather as well. The rain earlier this week has come as a blessing, evening out the track and making it perfect for racing. However any rain on Saturday could force the trainers to change their plans at the last moment.
The card
There will be no false rails.
1.Asian racing cup (div ii) (rated 20-45) 1200M, 1.15 pm
1. Possimpossible (Prasanna K) 60 I Chisty 9
2. All Thats Nice (Kishan Thomas) 57 Arshad Alam 1
3. High Profile (Amit Caddy) 57 A Imran K 8
4. Massive Dynamics (D Byramji) 57 Vinod Shinde 10
5. The Dark Knight (Warren S) 57 P Surya 7
6. Amazing Skill (S Narredu) 56.5 Suraj Narredu 5
7. Angelic Love (Prithviraj) 56.5 Jagadeesh 3
8. Babushka (I Ghatala) 56.5 PS Chouhan 2
9. Spiritofknowledge (Britto) 56 G Sai Vamshi 6
10. Sante Fe (Md Khan) 54.5 TS Jodha 4
11. Sixth Sense (Samar Singh) 54.5 A Ramu 11
12. Irish Prince (Sharat K) 53 M Kumar 12
High Profile 1; Babushka 2; Possimpossible 3.
2. Vijayanagar cup (rated 20-45) 1600M, 1.45 pm
1. Hector (Neil Darashah) 62.5 A Imran K 8
2. Sagrada (Byramji) 62.5 S John 9
3. Summer Gold (Amit Caddy) 62 A Ramu 4
4. Aayan (Mahesh) 61.5 PS Chouhan 11
5. Hapticstar (Narayana Gowda) 61.5 Chetan Kalay 1
6. Rakshitha (Sharat K) 60 M Kumar 3
7. Indian Legend (Prithviraj) 59 Arshad Alam 2
8. Cullinan (Lokanath) 57.5 P Trevor 5
9. Imperial Verse (Padmanabhan) 57.5 David Allan 10
10. Allez Royale (Prasanna K) 55 I Chisty 7
11. Golden Diamond (Nityanand) 54 S Kamble 12
12. Tree Lounge (A Mangalorkar) 52.5 Vinod Shinde 6
Imperial Verse 1; Sagrada 2; Aayan 3.
3.Mysore race club trophy (terms) 1400M, 2.15 pm
1. Ghoonj (Sirajuddin) 57 A Imran K 1
2. Iron Will (Padmanabhan) 57 David Allan 7
3. Meezaaj (Lokanath) 57 Suraj Narredu 4
4. Splendid Splasher (Mahesh) 57 Irvan Singh 5
5. Star Cracker (Prasanna K) 57 TS Jodha 8
6. Super Stunner (G Sandhu) 57 Janardhan P 12
7. Common Wealth (A Mangalorkar) 55.5 S John 10
8. Fabulous Touch (Ganapathy) 55.5 A Sandesh 11
9. Island Pearl (Narayana Gowda) 55.5 Chetan Kalay 9
10. Perfect Harmony (I Ghatala) 55.5 PS Chouhan 2
11. Serena Ballerina (Prithviraj) 55.5 I Chisty 3
12. Star Nijinsky (Hidayat K) 55.5 Arshad Alam 6
Fabulous Touch 1; Common Wealth 2; Iron Will 3.
4. bangalore race course 153rd year commemoration trophy (terms) 1600M, 2.45 pm
1. Royal Salute (Prasanna K) 60 A Imran K 2
2. Arrogant Approach (S Attaollahi) 59.5 David Allan 5
3. Alexandra Mills (D Byramji) 57.5 S John 1
4. Ace Bucephalus (I Ghatala) 56 PS Chouhan 4
5. Renee (Neil Darashah) 54.5 P Trevor 3
Alexandra Mills 1; Ace Bucephalus 2; Arrogant Approach 3.
5. vidhana soudha cup (div I) (rated 40-65) 1400M, 3.20 pm
1. Star Of Destiny (Sirajuddin) 62 PP Dhebe 8
2. Summer Dawn (Amit Caddy) 60.5 A Ramu 5
3. Saltoro Ridge (G Sandhu) 59 JWDL 2
4. Seven Of Hearts (Britto) 58.5 I Chisty 12
5. Magnitude Star (Sharat K) 58 Arshad Alam 7
6. Be Inspired (I Ghatala) 57.5 Suraj Narredu 9
7. Expert (Nityanand) 57.5 JWDL 4
8. Helios (Narayana Gowda) 57.5 Chetan Kalay 11
9. Manta Ray (Warren S) 57 P Surya 1
10. Artorius (Padmanabhan) 55.5 David Allan 10
11. Prize Finder (Lokanath) 53.5 P Trevor 3
12. Salina (Md Khan) 52.5 Rayan Ahmed 6
Prize Finder 1; Be Inspired 2; Summer Dawn 3.
6. indian republic trophy (rated 60 and above) 1800M, 3.55 pm
1. Connemara (S Attaollahi) 60 S John 4
2. Lucia (I Ghatala) 58.5 A Qureshi 7
3. Royal Rein (Samar Singh) 58.5 TS Jodha 1
4. Athletic Star (Narayana Gowda) 58 Praveen S 8
5. Hidden Soldier (Narayana Gowda) 57.5 Chetan Kalay 3
6. She’s Stunning (Lokanath) 57 P Trevor 6
7. Native Force (Aravind G) 55 A Sandesh 5
8. Festive Cheer (A Mangalorkar) 53.5 Suraj Narredu 9
9. Stimulate (A Mangalorkar) 53 I Chisty 2
10. What A Wonder (Britto) 52.5 G Sai Vamshi 10
Festive Cheer 1; Native Force 2; She’s Stunning 3.
7. garuda bangalore derby (grade I) 2400M, 4.30 pm
1. Auriga (S Komandur) 57 A Imran K 10
2. Brilliant Cut (I Ghatala) 57 PS Chouhan 6
3. Calico Jack (Md Khan) 57 TS Jodha 3
4. Let The Lion Roar (Faraz Arshad) 57 Arshad Alam 5
5. Mogadishu (Todywalla) 57 Suraj Narredu 4
6. Silver Legend (A Mangalorkar) 57 S John 7
7. Southern Surprise (Ganapathy) 57 A Sandesh 8
8. Valiant Spirit (Padmanabhan) 57 David Allan 9
9. Angel Dust (S Attaollahi) 55.5 P Trevor 1
10. New Alliance (Prasanna K) 55.5 I Chisty 2
New Alliance 1; Brilliant Cut 2; Mogadishu 3.
8. Asian Racing cup (Div I) (rated 20-45) 1200M, 5.05 pm
1. Downtown Abbey (A Mangalorkar) 62.5 S John 11
2. Private Paradise (Prasanna K) 62.5 Md Shoaib 7
3. Wrekin (G Sandhu) 62.5 Janardhan P 2
4. Honour (Dominic) 62 PS Chouhan 5
5. Groovy Moves (D Byramji) 61.5 P Trevor 9
6. Top Star (Sharat K) 58.5 M Naveen 6
7. Ignition (Lokanath) 57 G Adarsh 3
8. Aspasia (Narayana Gowda) 56.5 Chetan Kalay 12
9. Universal Law (Warren S) 55 Arshad Alam 8
10. Wise Guy (Inayathulla) 55 Vivek 1
11. New Era (Faraz Arshad) 54.5 A Imran K 4
12. Al Faaris (Hidayat K) 54 Irvan Singh 10
Downtown Abbey 1; Groovy Moves 2; Honour 3.
9. vidhana soudha cup (Div II) (rated 40-65) 1400M, 5.45 pm
1. Sakchi (G Sandhu) 60 S John 2
2. Soviet Union (Narayana Gowda) 57.5 Chetan Kalay 10
3. Yellowzone (Kishan Thomas) 57.5 Arshad Alam 3
4. Ice Cutter (S Narredu) 56 Suraj Narredu 9
5. Accuracy (R Narredu) 55 PP Dhebe 11
6. As Good As It Gets (Amit Caddy) 55 Raja Rao 1
7. Charming Grey (I Ghatala) 55 PS Chouhan 6
8. Cool Approach (Sharat K) 55 Mallikarjun 12
9. James Bond (Inayathulla) 55 A Imran K 4
10. Arziki (Lokanath) 54.5 P Trevor 8
11. Liege Lord (Padmanabhan) 54.5 Vinod Shinde 7
12. Our Little Dragon 51.5 Jagadeesh 5
Charming Grey 1; James Bond 2; Arziki 3.
Day’s best: Fabulous Touch. Double: Alexandra Mills and Downtown Abbey.
Jackpot: 5, 6, 7, 8. 9. I Treble: 1, 2, 3. II Treble: 4, 5, 6. III Treble: 7, 8, 9.