19 December,2011 08:26 AM IST | | Prakash Gosavi
Pallon Mistry & DR Thacker's Pronto Pronto acted quite contrary to his name when he chose to languish at the wrong end of the field until the half-way mark in the Casino Royale Indian 2000 Guineas, before responding to the urging of English rider Richard Hughes to produce a sparkling gallop in the final furlong to bag the second Classic of the Mahalaxmi campaign.
The Senure -- Mystic Smile three-year-old bred at Shapoor Mistry's Manjri stud farm -- gave trainer Imtiaz Sait his fourth success in the coveted race. "It's a stupendous achievement," breeder Shapoor Mistry said after the race, "and it was made possible by the painstaking efforts of trainer Imtiaz Sait."
Mistry was referring to the fact that Pronto Pronto was racing after a long gap of six months after his Bangalore summer Derby victory, and the veteran trainer still managed to turn him in such condition.u00a0 Shapoor also did not forget to thank jockey YS Srinath, who prepared Pronto Pronto, but could not ride him in the big race due to an unfortunate fall at the Mahalaxmi track during track work on Friday morning. Richard Hughes, who came to India just three days ago, could not have thanked his luck more for sending this chance ride his way.
