Bengaluru: The 38th edition of the Sprinters’ Cup looks wide open with a strong field of 17 contenders set to line up on Saturday. The Draw will play a vital role in the big field as some of the best horses like Denny Crane (11), Dancing Prances (13), Mickey Mouse (16) and Renee (15), who are in with a good chance, haven’t lucked out with the draw.
Luck of the race, draw number and brilliant assistance from the saddle will be crucial to anybody’s chances in a huge field like this.
The Pesi Shroff-trained five-year-old gelding Denny Crane with four wins from five starts, including a hat-trick at Mumbai recently, is all set to continue his winning sequence in the Mysore Race Club Sprinters’ Cup.
Pesi’s other two wards Adam (winner of last year’s Sprinters’ Cup at Chennai) and Your Loyal Majesty come into the reckoning as they are favourably drawn on lanes 2 and 8 respectively.
Though Adam has been not at his best since his Chennai victory, his last effort at Malakpet where he went down fighting Happy Guy by the shortest margin is best ignored as he was not alerted by his jockey N.S. Parmar on time.
The vastly experienced Dancing Prances, winner of the S.C. Jain Sprinters’ Championship, a lead-up race for this event has an incredible record of 15 wins from 30 career starts.
The ultra-consistent performer Mickey Mouse, is the one who can upset the applecart of the fancied runners.
Suleiman S. Attaollahi trained Captain Morgan appeals most in the Dr. MAM. Ramaswamy Chettiar of Chettinad Memorial Stayers’ Cup, the other action in the day’s eight-event card.
Having won the St. Leger by a huge margin after surprisingly being trounced by Tororosso in the Derby, it is hard to look beyond the Captain in this mediocre field.
Selections:
1. The Ravi Aggarwal Memorial Million. Distance 1200M. Horses rated 15 to 35. Time 1:30 PM. 1. Golden Friend, 2. D’accord, 3. Hurrah
2. The Japan Million Trophy. Distance 1600M. Horses rated 00 to 20. Time 2:00 P.M. 1. Thalassa, 2. Extremelydangerous, 3. Red Cedar
3. The Kunigal Stud Million. Distance 1400M. Maiden horses, three-years-old only. Time 2:30 PM. 1. Mauritania, 2. Don Dela Vega, 3.Daffodil
4. The Sans Craintes Stud Million. Distance 1200M. Horses rated 45 to 65. Time 3:10 PM. 1. Antananarivo, 2. Siobhan, 3. Gypsy
5. The Original Vel Million. Distance 1400M. Horses rated 15 to 35. Time 3:50 PM. 1. Ravishing Snow, 2. Six Degrees, 3. Heaven And Earth
8. The Garuda Mall Million. Distance 1200M. Horses rated 30 to 50. Time 6:00 PM. 1. China One, 2. Zubaida, 3. Indian Brahmos
Day’s best: Ravishing Snow
