Charlie shocks rivals in feature event

Representational Image (Pic: File Pic)

In the final furlong of the Kailashpat Singhania Trophy (1400m), the feature event of Sunday's seven-race card, when Azrinaz (A Sandesh up) and Ataash (TS Jodha up) were busy sapping each other's energy in what looked like a decisive duel, the oldest horse in the fray--Charlie--accelerated beautifully in the hands of jockey Bhavani Singh to steal the thunder--and the race!

Charlie is trained by Vinesh and owned by Peter Deubet and Ferzin Gaekwad, the latter happens to the trainer's wife. Admitting that Charlie relishes longer trips, Ferzin said, "We took a chance in this race (against younger horses) because there was no suitable race for him in the near future." "We are very happy Charlie pulled it off," a thrilled Peter added.

For the hardworking jockey Bhavani Singh it turned out to be a memorable Sunday at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, as he also bagged the supporting event, the Air Force Trophy, astride the Karthik-trained The General who finally returned to the winner's enclosure after a long wait of nearly a-year-and-a-half, as he was stripped off his maiden success in July 2023 and relegated to third place after a rival had protested.

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Three-year-old bay colt Surrealist (Dali - Arashi), ridden by Vivek G, justified the cramped odds by effortlessly winning the Lt Col Govind Singh (VRC) Cup for trainer Pesi Shroff. Axlrod (jockey TS Jodha; trainer Nosher Cama) claimed the Ravishankar Gupta Salver, instituted in memory of the fine gentleman who delighted this paper's readers for nearly three decades with his camera clicks.

The card opened with the Kazakh Plate for bottom class horses. Jockey S Zervaan scored his second win of the season astride Beyond Star, the well-backed favourite trained by S Waheed, who stalked leader Marlboro Man all the way before taking charge near the 400m marker, and decisively shrugged off Silver Braid who momentarily got close to his haunches approaching the distance post.

Ardakan, trained by PS Chouhan and ridden by A Sandesh, won the Dr IC Nagree Trophy for Class III horses; and apprentice jockey A Waydande showed tremendous resolve and skill astride the B Prithviraj-trained Ananya to hold on to the lead in the A Hoyt Plate.