Calcutta: The fourth meeting of the Calcutta Monsoon season witnessed the Shyam Habbu-trained Tigrio (Hasib Alam-up) winning the feature event in Wednesday’s card, the Skyexch. com Cup. It was three-horse thrilling-finish, the other two in contention being trainer Rutherford Alford’s Redoubtable and Patrick Quinn’s long knife, Soaring High.
Apprentice Hasib Alam rode a very confident race on the winner, picking up the right gaps in the home straight. The apprentice seems to have significantly improved his riding skills after his exposure down South. In the same race Soaring High ran a cracker of a race and, of course, Redoubtable was not disgraced in defeat. A heavily fancied Neil Darashah’s charge, Sea of Cortez (J.H. Arul), however, lost all his chances at the gates.
Trainer Aashay Doctor scored back to double through the 10/3 on favourite Harvestime who justified his odd by easily winning the Skyexch. com Monsoon Plate, The Javed Khan-trained Dr Doom ran a forward race to place a good second to the hot favourite. The youngster looks improved this season.
The fourth race, the 1,400m Pentagon Handicap, saw money flowing on the southern challenger, Livisilla’s (A.Ashhad Asbar) direction. The Win Legend mare was backed from 2/1 down to evens. She had an easy measure of the opposition, including Mandolin (Nikhil Naidu) who walked on the scene a trifle late.
Trainer Patrick Quinn trained Thiago defied the penalty slapped, to score easily win from Regency Gold. Thiago had scored on the opening day, despite looking gross. Javed’s Devushka was a decent third in the same race.
The concluding event, the 1,600m Gumaan Handicap witnessed the last outing impressive runner Vanguard (A.Imran Khan) winning the race easily from a heavily fancied Circle Of love (C.S.Jodha) and Exotique (Nikhil Naidu). The last named was slow to come out of blocks and finished a leisurely third, while Circle Of love needed the run, and the five-year-old mare will be seen in a better light, in her next start.
The opening event saw trainer Daniel David’s last start winner Lightinthesky also defying the penalty. The four-year-old filly had struggled to beat Moon Art in her previous outing but was looking impressive in the paddock parade, and easily accounted the opposition. Swift Lady also ran an improved second behind the winner while removal of blinkers suited Shafiq Khan’s Tahoe who placed an eye catching third, despite the mare’s rider, Shezad Khan, losing his stirrups soon after the field was flagged off.
Favorite Reagan performed poorly in the same race. The small-made youngster needs to be left alone till he displays some sparkling form. Randolph, on the other hand, will put up a better show over a slightly longer trip.