Despite living abroad, thanks to the technological marvel
called the internet, I have been able to follow horse racing in India. It was
perhaps about 15 years ago that Indian racing began its world wide web journey.
America provided a good platform for me to see all the big
events in the US racing calendar. It also made it convenient for me to travel
to Europe, Japan and Dubai. The Melbourne Cup is the one glaring omission from
the list of places I have visited. I made a seven-day trip to Trinidad in
December 2006 to see racing at Santa Rosa racecourse.
My winter sojourns in India (since 2000) have helped me make friends and
develop contacts. I contributed to Indiarace in a big way for five years. RWITC
carried a lot my stories and that gave me considerable exposure.
Given my interest in Indian racing and the time I spend
understanding it, I believe that the time has come for me to venture into the
‘handicapping’ arena. I will make a beginning in this piece.
There are two meetings on Saturday, August 29, 2015. Let us
deal with Pune first.
I like the chances of Lord Jim in the fourth race. Pesi
Shroff trains Lord Jim, an Iffraaj progeny. Lord Jim was an eye-catching second
in his debut. An odds on chance in his next start, Lord Jim delivered in
impressive fashion. On February 28, 2015, Lord Jim, Richard Hughes up, ran
listlessly in an 1800-metre race. Shivalik Showers won easily making it all and
franked that form climbing to greater heights. Lord Jim, without question, did
not perform up to his potential. Officially, no explanation has been given.
Exactly six months later, the Shroff trainee sets foot on the track. The
freshening should have done Lord Jim a world of good. Trevor Patel gets the
call. Lord Him finds eminently manageable opposition.
There is another horse that I like in the Pune card. It is
Jupiter in the fifth race. In his first
race in a handicap, Jupiter was ridden aggressively by Yash Narredu. Stalking
the pacesetter until the final turn, Jupiter bounded forward when asked the
question. I feel that there is more to come. Yes, jockey Sunil rides but claims
a three and one half kilo allowance. Sunil is unlikely to hurt Jupiter’s
chances. Christmas Eve, a filly with speed, will attempt start to finish
tactics. Once looked in the eye, from what I have seen, she throws in the
towel.
I have three in Kolkata that I strongly recommend. Real
Presence, Shailesh Shibde up, went down fighting in a photo finish as the 65/100 favorite. It is time for Real Presence
to make a winner’s circle visit.
In the third, Torero,
who was touched off in his last outing, is ready. P S Chouhan has the
mount.
The sixth race is the Kolkata Monsoon Sprint. Deserving Visit has the most
appeal. The China Visit filly has a record good as gold. Returning from a
layoff, Deserving Visit, in the hands of C Alford, roared thru the short
Kolkata stretch to win in her Monsoon debut. She is in cracking form and it is
difficult to oppose her.
Here is news from England. Richard Hughes has been granted a
trainer’s license. He will train in a yard located in Hampshire. British
bookmakers are offering even money that Hughes will have a winner (as a
trainer) at Glorious Goodwood in 2016. Richard Hughes has had remarkable numbers as a jockey at the
Chicester course.
American Pharoah will leave from post two in the Travers on
Saturday. . The Travers (dirt 2000 metres) has a 10-horse field. The Bob
Baffert pupil is the 1/5 morning line favorite. Coral, the UK bookmaker, is
offering 2/7. It is about 29/100.
Texas Red, winner of the Breeders Cup Juvenile in 2014 and
the Jim Dandy winner at Belmont this year as a sophomore, will oppose American
Pharoah. Frosted, second in the Belmont Stakes and again second in the Jim
Dandy, is also in the Travers line up.
Two facts about Saratoga this year. The inside has not been
productive. Favorites have been falling like nine pins. Will the Triple Crown champion overcome
these two trends?
Only three Triple Crown winners have raced in the Travers.
Gallant Fox was the runner-up in 1930. Whirlaway won in 1941. Affirmed, who had
beaten Alydar in the Triple Crown races in 1978, won the Travers but was
disqualified and placed second behind Alydar.
On Thursday, American Pharoah made a five-minute appearance
for a gallop at Saratoga. Jorge Alvarez, the regular exercise rider, was
aboard. He said, “you want to make sure that they handle the track the first
time on it. He has been to numerous tracks. He handled it really well.”
American Pharoah will have another gallop on Friday and Bob
Baffert will supervise the work.
Saturday’s Saratoga has an abundance of Grade I contests.
The Travers is the centerpiece. There is the Ballerina, the King’s Bishop, the
Forego, the Sword Dancer and the Personal Ensign.
When the Arc weekend racing is completed on October 4,
Longchamp, the storied Paris course, will be demolished and reconstruction will
begin. The plan calls for an all-weather track too. Longhcamp will not be ready
until 2017. It is not known where the 2016 Arc De Triomphe will be run. Either
Maisons Laffite or Saint Cloud, both Paris tracks, will face the axe. The
decision will come soon.
I have great memories of Saint Cloud, It is left handed and
it is beautiful.
I have been going to Longchamp for close to 20 years. The
Arc weekend is one of the best organized meetings. The viewing area, the
transportation, the press facilities and the general ambience are unparalleled.
No comments:
Post a Comment