Antequera proves to be refreshingly different

BANGALORE

IT IS always profitable to forgive one bad run. Antequera's was a case in point.

The Green Forest-Silver Reflet chestnut ran far below expectations at Mumbai in his last run and when brought back to Bangalore for a tilt at the A. V. Thomas Trophy he proved refreshingly different.

It is a pity that only five lined up for this well-endowed event. It deserved a much higher profile in terms of quality. Somehow at the end of it all there was this inescapable feeling that sweepstakes races like these have not been as well marketed as they ought to have been thereby depriving the sponsors of the much-needed and deserving mileage.

For this sport to survive, let alone prosper, its image needs to be refurbished. The bottom-line is that the turf authorities will have to bury the hatchet and work towards a viable ``collective marketing strategy''.

Air cush whips made their bow full scale in a couple of races. These whips will replace the traditional ones in a phased manner. Every turf club is almost falling in line with this requirement. Like any new introduction, there were howls and resenting voices in the jockeys room. With time they will die out. When whalebones turned to fibreglass whips, the community's reaction was similar. When a jockey wore a jacket first time, many in the profession thumbed their noses. They were the ones to come round quicker than the rest!. It takes time for an ``impact' report on these air cush whips to emerge. But a start has been made country-wide and that should be pleasing news for Mrs. Maneka Gandhi who has taken a stern line on the harmful effects on a horse of a flapped whip and is bent on pushing air cush into the mainstream.

Saturday's feature proved a grand advertisement for the frills and thrills racing can throw up like no other sport can. Shroff perhaps did the wisest thing by taking the field on rather than waiting with Antequera. The betting pattern indicated a three-way tussle. This was faithfully carried on to the track. The first to feel the pinch of having to stay with the tempo of the race was Star Beauty who had been beaten earlier in the season fair and square by Antequera. That line would hold. Twice second behind good types this season, Pettalumma's claim was based mainly on that scale advantage in relation to both Antequera and Star Beauty.

The race itself came to a head a furlong out. That was when Shroff was at his forceful best on the free running Antequera and the relatively inexperienced Harish was trying to get a little more out of Pettalumma with the help of his stick. Harish no doubt is a vastly improved rider from the days when he began his apprenticeship. A steady stream of winners has helped him stiffen his spirits. But in one area he has found himself a bit tangled and confused. It is in the proper use of the whip. As one veteran jockey pointed out the secret of a good ride lies in ``when not to whip. Not so much when to! In this particular case Harish's use of the whip and its timing failed to generate the desired response with the result that Pettalumma who at one stage almost ranged alongside Antequera couldn't quite get up. Shroff and Antequera skipped home and the win may allow the trainer to reframe the colt's schedule with a greater degree of confidence.

The day's opener produced a dramatic finish, the climax of which was staged in the Stewards Room. Amit as an aggrieved rider had some substance in the claim that veteran Shafiq on the eventual winner Lake Baikal had hampered him to the point of completely cutting him off stride. The Stewards saw the claim in the right perspective and though sympathies lay with Solo Spirit, the winner didn't deserve to lose after all. It was evident that Lake Baikal had spent all in that final effort which is what made Young Lust's swoop so spectacular.

Magic Stride no doubt went into the race with a tidy surface form. But of some concern was the fact that the grey had appeared on the track three times in less than a month. It obviously was a false alarm. Hughes worked himself up nicely to return a comfortable winner with first timer Fiesba showing a lot of promise. The result must have been of great relish for Mr. S. Pathy whose Sans Craintes flagbearer Ajaad is the sire of both Magic Stride and Fiesba. The Ajaad stock itself has been given a valuable boost by the exploits of Polar Falcon in Singapore.

Trainer Sidney Moses deserves a pat for turning in St Chris in winning shape. After spending months in low form, the six-year- old seemingly found amenable company and a suitable trip. Though an over- anxious Krishnan let himself harshly on his mount with the whip, he did well to grab a passage that opened up for him close home. A gallant front running effort by Predominate fizzled out close home even as the big made Dusty Street and Dictate filled up the minor places. Classic Liason has the dubious distinction of being a favoured runner many times over without ever giving value for that kind of sustained support. Yet again the five-year old mare was the prime fancy and she was a long way from the scene of action.

When Royal Crichton won a closely handicapped race with a measure of comfort, it was evident that the mare's three previous runs in the higher category had been of great help. Gracious Rohit made all until apprentice Md. Shafiq brought Royal Crichton with a steady stretch run and in no time drew clear. With a smoother passage along the rails, Chippo may have finished closer to Gracious Rohit than he did. Anyone looking through the glasses for a glimpse of Decision Maker would have been disappointed at the turn. The five-year-old mare was not only at the wrong end but was trapped wide off the field. Yet at the finish Decision Maker had made rapid ground. It bodes well for the Lokanath Gowda trainee. Winning Charm's nowhere is best ignored.

Darashah-trained Kingston Heath beat back Always Dancing. It was a case of Ryan Marshall outriding Harish. There has been a steady climb in the career graph of Ryan Marshall in the last six months. As one fellow professional put it Ryan has taken advantage of every opportunity that has knocked him like never before. On the Darashah trainee, Ryan had to show a bit of restraint since the horse had often been too keen. Too fanciful with his whip yet again, Harish saw that narrow advantage he had taken on Always Dancing disappear in the face of a determined bid by Kingston Heath. Alassio got up to be third ahead of Appleby who besides losing a favourable midfield position ran into other minor snags. The much-touted Soviet Dance ran a pathetic race and is hard to follow with conviction next time.

A strange set of circumstances surrounded the defeat of Alylady at the hands of seven-year-old Sensational News. Watchful eyes looked upon the price drift on the Inayathulla's ward as worrying. Then came that jolt at the start by Pride Estates. On the top of it came Harish's rather ambitious dive towards the inside of Sensational News and a moment of fanciful whipping later Alylady's cup of woe was filled to the brim. Once the pride of the veteran Mangalorkar's stable, Sensational News was saddled by Ranjeet Shinde. In the hands of Shobhan Babu the seven-year- old in no danger of being caught though in that surge of his the rider was guilty of slightly tightening new Australian import C. M.Davies on Acute.

Harish could feel for himself the sea change when hands and heels came into play on Scandal Sheet and not his fanciful use of the whip. The six-year-old had stayed consistent through the season and it was evidently the best chance for him to cap that consistency with a win. Royal Birkdale flopped so badly that Mallesh Narredu's mount finished last. Beauty Castle ran a prominent race even as the small-made Pharoah rallied into third. The usually unreliable Careless Beauty was doing some brisk work when the race had been completely put beyond her.

Aslam Kader came out of a tough and scary ride on Access All Areas. The success on the Padmanabhan trained filly no way soothing his jangling nerves when without notice the filly veered to the edge of the track. It was then that Aerobee sensed his chance and drove in only to see Aslam Kader keep his cool and straighten things out. There were those who questioned the merit of Aslam shooting a side-ways glance even as his mount began to drift. What was he looking at the others for! From the stands it may sound a legitimate question in which critics could even hint at a jot of mischief. But in reality it is a rider's natural reaction to an impending calamity. An anxious glance to look at the possible dangers emerging and how much more pressure to put on his mount which is already under so much of stress.

The end result was not so bad for the rider. He managed to keep Aerobee safe and and in doing so deflect most of the verbal challenges that would have poured in had he lost!. Now such an erratic behaviour had never been seen from Access All Areas. One reason could be that Access All Areas like many of her stable- mates had been struck by a spell of lung infection and must have been exhausted to the point of giving herself up, weary legs taking her almost to the sands.

A much pleasant ride for Aslam came on Avocation. He steered the Byramji trainee to a popular victory, the timing of his final swoop adding drama to the finish. Almost Heaven probably needs at least a furlong more to assert himself. Winelight ran a game race.

Problems of a different kind struck Screen Play who courageously overcame several hurdles before snouting out Spark of Life.

A closely packed field in the early part of the race meant that Screen Play, having been drawn in the first stall had a brush with the false rails. Then came that crowding in the straight. By the time Shobhan Babu found free galloping room, Spark of Life, having shaken of Machrie Bay was set for that winning dash only to be caught napping in the last stride. Telegram's effort was noteworthy.

Hughes was his confident self when giving Bold Connection a neat ride and in the bargain must have made known all C. M. Davies had to know about the intricacies of this rather tough course, that despite the hugely fancied Don King running a mighty race.

Moses signed the day off with a smile of triumph. Having gradually nursed Attlee to his strengths, the moment had come to enjoy the fruits of that labour. Crown Witness garnered inspired support but the filly couldn't bring herself into the firing line. Krishnan took no chances with Attlee who made every blade of grass his own. I Me and Mine should not linger long in this category especially if the grey gets her staying trip right.

H. S. MANJUNATH

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