Horse racing: Dream Seller bags RCTC Cup

Jockey R Ajinkya (green shirt) astride Dream Seller just about holds on from Snowfall (Yash Narredu, red shirt), It`s My Time (A Prakash, green & yellow hoops) and Magileto (Suraj Narredu, red shirt, white sleeves) to win the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy, the feature event of the opening day`s card at Mahalaxmi on Sunday. Pic/RWITC

Dream Seller, trained by PS Chouhan, extended his winning streak to four wins (after a hat-trick at Pune) to win the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy, the feature event of the opening day's race-card that ushered in the Mumbai racing season 2024-25 at the Mahalaxmi racecourse.

Stalking Democracy (N Bhosale up) who set the pace, jockey R Ajinkya asked for an effort from Dream Seller after passing the two-furlong marker, and the 18/10 favourite soon took charge to lord over the field. However, Dream Seller started shortening his strides as the finish line neared, but Ajinkya did well to stay clear of the rivals who were closing in very fast in the final yards, especially Snowfall (Yash Narredu up) who flew in from the rear to breathe down the winner's neck.

Doubles galore

Trainer Pesi Shroff led in the winner of the Dr SR Captain Salver (Class III; 1400m) after Jade (Multitude - Majestic Opinion), confidently handled by jockey C Umesh, moved up attractively to collar the leader Fontana in the final furlong, and skipped away so stylishly that the three-year-old bay filly never looked vulnerable even when Dash, the hot favourite with Yash Narredu in the saddle, tried his best to catch up. Shroff completed a back-to-back double in the very next race, sending out another three-year-old Odesseus (a colt by Ulysses out of Hidden Valley) to pick up the PB Avasia Plate.

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Jockey Suraj Narredu who rode Odesseus for Shroff also pulled off a quick double, driving public fancy Divine Star to an effortless victory in the Welcome Trophy. The three-year-old Divine Star (Roderic O'Connor - Starletina) was trained by Aman Altaf Hussain.

Jockey A Prakash also scored a brace, winning the KJK Irani Plate (Class II; 1600m) with Dream Alliance for trainer Imtiaz Sait, and wrapping up the last race of the day (MD Petit Plate for 4y & older horses in Class V) with the Dallas Todywalla-trained Mi Arion.

Fluke to the fore
In the opener of the season--the Fedora Plate for 4y & older horses in bottom class--four-year-old Sorrento Secret (A Prakash up) was the most in demand, but jockey Amyn Merchant astride Anoushka at 6/1 surprised one and all. Amyn Merchant, lying fourth until the turn, made a dash for the lead approaching the 400m marker, and within no time the Faisal Abbas-trained seven-year-old mare passed the front runners to open a three-length gap which only Marlboro Man (H Gore up) could attempt to bridge in the final furlong, but without success.