Many years ago I was really taken in by the plot of the moovie "THE STING". It showed real cunning in racing and is a much watch movie for racing fans. Also in my life I have been fortunate to raed most of the fascinating books written by the jumps jockey DICK FRANCIS who had first hand knowledge of the inside details of the deeds and minds of people associated with racing in Europe and he came out with amazing tales of how people plan and often succed in fooling the racing system.
With no intent to hurt anybody's sentiments or reputation, the script of the recntly run Indian Classics INDIAN 1000 Guineas & INDIAN OAKS makes me reminiscent about the books of the above mentioned rider cum author.
SMASHING with an immacable record and form was favored to win the 1000 Guineas and horses like ALMA MATER and othewrs were considered to be ordinary in comparison based on breeding, opposition faced and so on. However the race was run totally against the script presumed by most and SMASHING was found to be in trouble and hugging on to the rails even at two furlong marker, the rider also lost his stick in the confusion as the public watched in awe as the other horse from the stable who was at big odds started to eat up ground like a champion and finished well to cover many lengths in the last scramble. The owners must have made a killing at the odds.
All the hoopla in the stables was focussed on the preparation and breeding and what not of the top contenders for the OAKS and now ALMA MATER looked to be a cut above all. One of the top foreign jockey rides her and draws most of people's money onto the fancied one. The race run will show an amazing turn around, SMASHING who was available at killing odds has no problems in staying the trip of 50 % extra than when she floundered in Guineas and shows tremendous liking for this trip and goes awy with a turn of foot to amaze all except who may have plotted this run. The favored ALMA MATER is found well back most of the time and then runs into traffic problems under a master of the big races and appears on the scene only when the winner has gone well away. It must have been a good gamblefor the owners and connections of the failed favorite of the Guineas.
For years I have been suggesting in my humble way the need for grouping horses belonging to the same connections as is done in advanced countries in the world. Why leave people fumong with doubts and what not. The DOOSRA game is repeated in our racing centres with repeated regularly and this is a menace which spoils the image of this fine sport of whic I am an avid fan.
Blogs of Note
- REALISTIC LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE OF FRESHMAN SIRES 1. Four freshman sires had their crop racing in the country in the racing year 2018-19 . CORPORATE JUNGLE(USA) 2008 BY GIANTS CAUSEWAY( HAZARA STUD) LEITIR MOR (IRE) 2010 BY HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR(POONAWALLA STUD) SPEAKING OF WHICH(IRE) 2009 BY INVINCIBLE SPIRIT(USHA STUD) SUDIRMAN(USA) 2011 BY HENRY THE NAVIGATOR(EQUUS STUD) 2. CORPORATE JUNGLE had a reported crop of 31 live foals as per stud book and only 9 were winners as follows. ROYAL CURRENCY-4WINS including Nilgiri Derby Grade 1. ELECTRA-2WINS LADY ASCOT-2WINS STAR CAVALARY-1WIN SPARTAN -1W BROTHER IN ARMS-1W EXQUISITE STAR-1W FUN LOVER-1W NORELAA-1W. 3. LETIR MOR had a reported crop of 49 and has 12 winners so far. STORM BREAKER-3W including Juvenile Sprinters Million Grade 3. HUNT FOR GOLD-2W including Breeders Produce Stakes Grade 3 VIJAY SINGHAM-2W RAINBOW TROUT-2W MYSTIC BAY-2W SILVER FLAME-2W MAJESTIC WARRIOR 2W BEEMER-1W ICE FLOE-1W GODS PLAN-1W NOVA SCOTIA-1W. 4. SPEAKING OF WHICH had a reported crop of 29 and has 12 winners RHAPSODY-2W ANGEL GRACE-2W MAKHTOOB-2W THE GREAT GATSBY-2W SLICE OF HAVEN-1W GIFT OF GRACE-1W MY PASSION-1W ROSINA-1W SPEAKING OF STARS-1W WIZARD OF STOCKS-1W ASMITA-1W RULE THE WORLD-1W 5. SUDIRMAN being infertile did not have any live produce. COMMENTS A. SPEAKING OF WHICH is no comparison to the good sires produced by the top North Indian Stud Farm which housed the best ever RAZEEN, top sire today MULTIDIMENSIONAL, outstanding GREY GASTON, and the highly respected STEINBECK. However he stands out on comparison to the other three and appears to be the best to choose from the freshman sires purely because of lurking promise over classic distances which the coming winter season will offer to the present 3 year olds.He is bound to click with some Razeen mare, if an ordinary sire like CHINA VISIT could get classic winners from them then hope such winners from SPEAKING OF WHICH are soon to be seen. B. LEITIR MOR appears to be a decent sire as his crop has got two black type races and he is from a stud farm which has quality mares are kept. What is discerning is the number of non racers from the crop, the produce has to be race worthy and should come to hand early otherwise it creates many doubts in the ability. Long time ago we had such a sire in LORD ZARA who gave very fragile produce and it was always a risk for the owners. However the sire may have limitations of stamina, the racing style of the winners indicate suitability for speed. Unfortunately LEITIR MOR developed problems and was hardly utilized and has may be one or two foals in the forth coming season. C. The late CORPORATE JUNGLE was the weakest of the lot, did not give much impressive ones specially at the prime racing centres. Though he gave the Nilgiri derby winner I don’t see much more emerging. Since he has a sizable crop next year he will have winners in smaller centres like Chennai, Delhi etc. D. SUDIRMAN is a sob story for the breeders, he has failed again and may have an odd live one.
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A FLEETING THOUGHT AT THE STING
Monday, January 23, 2012Posted by Sarat Sharma at 8:51 AM
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4 comments:
i will never forget my darling 'southern empire' loosing 'bombay derby' to 'diabolical'... i wish MAM will pen his life story before he kicks the bucket.
Mr Sharat,
U r right to the tilt reg Doosra.
On sat Bang races there was a fantastic exhibition of Doosras.In a race of eight contenders we had Aztec Gold/Native lady,Sun spirit/sun control, nd Scarlette/African queen nd of course two other non hopers.
Sun spirit/Aztec Gold/Scarlette were joint favourites. The result Native Lady/Sun Control/African queen.What else a Bookie aspire for.Bookies r left with no sacks to shovel the loot. Punters r bewildered with the results be it in Bom/Bangalore/Hyd or of course Mysore. In another race of Four runners three horses r joint favourites at 5/2 nd the fourth horse at 15/1 Hilarious with a bluemoon jockey Selvaraj wins with a peculiar re run.Ifran Ghatala has lost account of RKWs horses in his stable nd God save the punters who follow his stable.
Ur comments on Oaks/Guiness reverse smashing punch is well scripted and it is for the punters not to bother about Big races like derby etc. They r meant to b watched and not for Betting.
May ur tribe increase
CKR
IT WAS obviously clear, shroff will not make almamater(ruia team) to win, b'coz vijay b shrike and v.mallya are big owners...even i was doubtful, with r.hughes riding, just to fool the public rk
i played almamater just bcoz u recommended...i also knew that he will not go for ruia team (small group compared to vm and vb shrike)
give some good wins in mysore today.
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