Vijay Singh trained Regal Connection recorded a comprehensive victory in the 1400 metres Leading Stud Cup and in the process, considerably dented the high profile Our Excellencee and Dancing Highness on the concluding day�s Bangalore Summer Races on Wednesday. Our Excellencee, who gained a big reputation after a runaway debut win at Mumbai earlier this year, hasn�t lived up to expectations. He finished third in the Gr.1 Poonawalla Million and since then his form has taken a reverse turn and he has lost both his outings.
Dancing Highness had beaten Regal Connection in the last time they met but today she faltered on the soft going and though the filly is a good type she was unable to overcome the traditional weakness of the progeny of Glory of Dancer to act on such surfaces. Our Excellencee�s reputation was made by just one run at Mumbai and two runs in Bangalore have unmade it. Prakash gave an uncharacteristic ride, bolting to the front, establishing a big break over his rivals which had the fancied runner left with weak legs when the race was on the boil. Suraj Narredu raced Regal Connection in the fourth or fifth position, unperturbed by the hectic pace at the front. He gradually worked his way up and had the measure of Dancing Highness en route to challenging the front-runner. Regal Connection, who picked up speed in the final furlong, easily sailed past Our Excellencee to record a facile win. Dancing Highness who did not show the patented speed, struggled to finish more than seven lengths behind the second placed Our Excellencee.
The Capricorn Stud Farm had something to cheer when its resident stallion Juniper, finally had a winner through Mangalya Prarambh who took a long while to come into the winning bracket. The first crop of Juniper hasn�t proved to be effective and Mangalya Prarambh was his first winner in India. Game of Life was the betting rage in the Leading Bookmaker Cup (Div I), with strong support also coming in the way of the eventual winner who was steadily showing signs of coming into winning bracket. Game of Life was pushed to the front by jockey T S Jodha and the progeny of Hymn led the way, with Mangalya Prarambh chasing in close attendance. Rounding the final bend, Game of Life failed to quicken the way his track work had suggested and Mangalya Prarambh had no difficulty in sailing away for a comfortable win. Game of Life shifted out under pressure but just about managed to save the second spot ahead of Brave Arjun and Candance. The last named can get a chance to score at Mysore.
Fired Up was left with no worthwhile opposition in the lower division of the same race. New Zealand jockey Vincent Colgan took Fired Up to the front and the progeny of Placerville kept on increasing the lead to record a facile win. Colgan thus had a double for the day as he won the upper division of the race too with Mangalya Prarambh. Good Company was second way ahead of Couelle. |
