Imperial Scholar bags Governor's Gold Cup

MYSORE

IMPERIAL SCHOLAR'S most notable credential was that the six-year old had matched strides with decidedly better class horses than the most favoured in the field, Baffin Bay. It proved such a decisive advantage for the Robert Foley trainee in the Governor's Gold Cup.

Passing years had obviously put a strain on Imperial Scholar's performances in the midst of the younger lot. But by no means this once game galloper could be given up as gone. Obviously his three previous runs added upto nothing. That was one reason why there were not many takers for him as attention rivetted on Baffin Bay whose last run had been taken as a strong pointer to his chances here. Down the line Sterling Fantasy was also given due weightage based on the gelding's known relish for the length of the course.

Baffin Bay's baffling failure confirms fears that the four year old is prone to swift mood changes and thus unreliable. Rumour has it that the Darius Byramji trainee may be packed off to Calcutta.

While Baffin Bay looked completely out of sorts, the race itself was given a fitting climax by Imperial Scholar and Sterling Fantasy, the stable-companions waged a long enough duel before the in-form, B Prakash brought out his mount's greater reserves of stamina into play.

The fact that Ace Academy, thought to be a bit long in the tooth put up a stout hearted show and Sun Reality managed to fill the frame only serves to show that old timers had a swell time.

A stricter vigil by the Officials on indiscrimante use of the whip is gradually bringing positive results. Notably a couple of jockeys whose habitual improper use of the whip would have cost them dear remarkably picked up races with minimal use of the whale bone thus strengthening arguments that stricter whip control regulations would indeed bring about qualitative improvement in race-riding. Md. Hesnain stood to gain on Catch Word while Krishnan's preference to less of the whalebone and more of hands and heels got him his first winner of the season on King's Common. On so many occasions these riders have senselessly cracked the whip to their own doom.

The opener on Friday saw Arun Rao get another winner closer to riding out his apprentice days. Having ridden out his early ``claims'' in good time, Arun Rao has been making a strenous effort to iron out several rough edges. One such was in the area of getting strongly ``into'' the horses. He did it rather effectively on Dad's Joy to steer the Harish Puri trainee to a narrow but deserving win. Ericsson's second, though least expected, is a sign of an impending touch in the days to come. Dream Come True reportedly slipped from behind while jumping out. Several jockeys have brought to the notice of the authorities that a portion of the track in the backstretch could prove hazardous since it is shorn of grass.

Passionaria miserably flopped as a popular choice. It is amazing how a four year old with no record to speak could get such raving attention. The winner turned out to be Nizamuddin-trained Catch Word who had it easy once the nearest threat Hoyo Hoyo had been taken care of. Like Passionaria in the previous race stable mate Paddock Princess was another one with no form to go by and expectedly did nothing of note. It was evident when Augill Castle ran last time in Bangalore that the rider had been too gentle and that trial run would in the next outing be made use of. In the hands of unhearlded Nagesh Augill Castle proved too hot a proposition even as Soldier of Fortune soldiered on. Calculus bears watching next time out.

Gallant Romeo more than made up for the failure of two of his stable mates to notch up a no-nonsense victory. The swtich from Mile to a sprint must have been a well worked out strategy.

Volcano was backed to the exclusion of the field and that massive support proved totally misdirected. Mangalorkar's charge cut a sorry figure as Splendid Chance, who had his band of support, settled the issue with Grisogono. Splendid Chance's win was a pleasant turn out for owner Dr M.A.M.Ramaswamy since the filly is home-bred.

Akasaka left Annato flat-footed to give Mangalorkar a highly satisfying feeling of winning a trophy named after one of the horses he himself had trained. Indeed the trainer has had several close misses in this cup before. Akasaka's failures over sprints had apparently generated consensus against the filly getting a seven furlonger. This lingering doubt was what pushed the filly past the fancied cluster.

Self Esteem may not have been given the best piece of turf to make his final run by Imran Chisty, who has this propensity to lose control over his mounts. King's Common stuck admirably well to a slender advantage despite a crowd of horses descending on him. Puttanna's ward ticked a winner Krishnan was so deseperately looking for. While Key Witness may have been forced to traverse a longer route, Enough Is Enough would have finished a lot more closer if the rider had done his job with a greater degree of earnestness. Somehow one got this feeling that the rider of Oser, for some obscure reason, was too casual once he found himself infront.

Aslam Khader probably read the pulse of the race to good effect when taking Merano to the front. Merano has quite often drifted out of promising positions in the straight and this time it was no different. It was in the end the long lead Aslam had taken that stood by the pair. Almost every runner who managed to get into the frame left an impression that they were bounding home. Sea Witch is one for the note book.

The well backed Swift promptly delivered the goods for trainer Sriram Komandur, Rajesh doing a tidy job. Dunhill Star's effort to win from the front was negated in the final furlong.

Apprentice Md. Shafiq literally squeezed out a thrilling win on friendless Sand Lord even as Scandal Sheet was threatening to make a start to finish affair of it. The change of tactics on Scandal Sheet indeed came in for a round of debate against the backdrop of Irfan Ghatala's charge being ridden in check last time.

A never say die Don King battled to the last before bowing his head to the superior Saffron Finch on whom Ryan Marshall rode a confident race. Furia Rossa, who stumbled while jumping out of the gates was doing excellent work at the finish.

The well bred and groomed Antecedent bolted in to strengthen stable's belief that he could well be a frontliner. Silver Toy who graced the wrong end for so long uncoiled an impressive stretch run, indicative perhaps of his liking for extra ground.

The first run B.Prakash managed to grab on Alminstar stood him in good stead as Appeaer came into the equation. Despite Aslam's all out effort, nothing tangible could be done about Alminstar who resolutely kicked on.

Supreme Ark shot ahead to a collective roar of approval. The next moment was one of anxiety as Careless Beauty appeared full of running. and a real threat. Strangely though Hanumant Singh while presenting a picture of all vigour and seriousness in the saddle was seemingly light on his effort.

The support base for Cape Fear grew with such speed that he was knocked down as a firm favourite. In the race itself Cape Fear apparently had a lot of ``sympathisers''. But either this sympathy or ``moral'' support came to nothing as Cape Fear could hardly come into his own. Optical Illusion made the best of the situation.

Appu guided Forest Pegasus to a thrilling victory in a cluster finish, less than a length separated the first four. Ratn was somewhat unlucky. But the runner who caught the eye was Spectacular Style who can win any time the connections seriously contemplate this.

H. S. MANJUNATH

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Perceived Value wins Derby in a pulsating finish
Next     : Razalin completes hat-trick