Manifold outclasses rivals in Villoo Poonwalla Oaks

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The Pesi Shroff-trained Manifold (Multidimensional - Dhaawiah) won the Villoo Poonawalla Indian Oaks (Gr 1), the feature event of the Sunday card at the Mahalaxmi racetrack. Lying in mid-bunch until the heads turned for home, David Probert astride Manifold asked for an effort, and the classy four-year-old filly bred at the Usha stud moved up with gigantic strides to overpower main rival Themis (P Trevor up) at the distance post, and then sailed away for a comfortable victory.

Deja vu for trainer, owner
Ameeta Mehra, Manifold's breeder, owns the filly with Mumbai lawyer Berjis Minoo Desai who had also won this same race last year with the Pesi Shroff-trained Temerity who had donned the silks of Shyam Ruia on that occasion. So trainer Pesi Shroff and owner Desai thus celebrated a back-to-back double with the prestigious race.

Numerology dominates
The most amazing aspect of the Sunday's race results was a piece of mind-blowing numerology at work which started becoming apparent after the second race was run. From the second race onward, each race was won by a horse whose number was simply given by a formula "race# - 1".

For example, race 2 was won by horse #1 (=2-1), race 3 by #2 (=3-1), race 4 by #3 (=4-3), race 5 by #4 (=5-1), race 6 by #5 (=6-1), and race 7 by #6 (=7-1), by which time the numerological trend became a hot topic of discussion among racegoers all over the country, as Whatsapp messages flew in and out of all the nine racing centers in country. Still, apparently, no one believed that the trend would continue into the last (8th) race as was clear by the fact that Abu Al Bukhoosh, horse#7 (=8-1), went to the post absolutely friendless at the big odds of 25-to-1. No prizes for guessing who won the 8th race!

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