Flaming Lamborgini triumphs in thrilling finish

Flaming Lamborgini on the near side (CS Jodha up) edging out Great Guns (middle) and Coeur De Lion (far side) to win the Western India Race Horse Owners Association (WIRHOA) Trophy at Pune on Saturday. Pic/RWITC

At the end of the mile trip of the Western India Race Horse Owners' Association (WIRHOA) Trophy, three horses--Coeur De Lion, Great Guns and Flaming Lamborgini--passed the post locked together. The judge had to consult the photo finish camera before declaring Flaming Lamborgini (CS Jodha up) as winner, who put a part of his neck ahead of Great Guns (Vivek G up) who, in turn, spared head to Coeur De Lion (M Alam up). The winner, trained by Imtiaz Sait, clocked 1m:39.124s for the mile trip.

The day began with overcast conditions and a wet racetrack, and the very first race saw piping-hot on-money favourite Sea The Sun violently drifting to the outer rails, falling back nearly 15 lengths, before stopping in the middle of the racetrack. Gangster, trained by Behram Cama and ridden by TS Jodha, managed to surprise Zarak (Neeraj Rawal up) close to the winning post after the latter briefly shaped like a winner.

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The result of the lower division of the Equine Practitioners Trophy stunned one and all, including trainer Altaf Hussain who led in the winner Sovereign Grey (HM Akshay up). In a post-race chat with the anchor, he frankly admitted that he thought his other runner--the 5-1 Art Collector--had far a better chance than the actual winner who he felt weighed "too much" at 540 kg. The upper division of the same race also threw up a shock winner in the Adhriajsingh-trained Into The Storm whom jockey Shrikant Kamble gave a courageous ride when maneuvering through a narrow gap along the inner rails.

The Faisal Abbas-trained Cipher unleashed a powerful gallop in the hands of apprentice rider Aniket AK, and decisively sweep past front runners to claim the Western India Trainers Association Trophy.

On a day when five of the six first favourites failed to save even place money, yet another long shot, Whatsinaname (10/1), wrapped up the last race, the Jockeys Association Of India Trophy, beating the fancied runners. Whatsinaname was ridden by NS Parmar for trainer Asad Siddiqui.