23 January,2017 10:06 AM IST | | Prakash Gosavi
TEMERITY, the Intense Focus - Normina four-year-old filly who had flopped when racing as favourite in the Indian 1000 Guineas last month, made amends when it mattered most, and won the grade 1, Villoo Poonawalla Indian Oaks, the main event of yesterday's seven-race card
TEMERITY, the Intense Focus - Normina four-year-old filly who had flopped when racing as favourite in the Indian 1000 Guineas last month, made amends when it mattered most, and won the grade 1, Villoo Poonawalla Indian Oaks, the main event of yesterday's seven-race card.
In the process, she decisively beat her conqueror-stablemate Mrs Patmore over the mile-and-a-half trip of what is popularly called the "Ladies' Derby". Temerity is owned by Shyam Ruia, Amay Ruia and Bergis Minoo Desai, and trained by Pesi Shroff, who finished one-two in the race, having saddled both winner and the runner-up.
Moderate pace
Neeraj Rawal decided to keep Temerity in the fifth berth, stalking owner-mate Et Voila (YS Srinath up), even as Mrs Patmore (Trevor Patel up) was enjoying following Book Thief and Frosty, carrying the same colours as her own, in what was a rather moderate pace by the standards of a Gr 1 race. There was no change in the order until the heads turned for home, when Trevor Patel asked Mrs Patmore to assume command, with Neeraj asking Temerity to go in chase, with Silver Beauty (Yash Narredu up) also coming up the rear to make it a three-way fight.
However, Temerity soon shrugged off Silver Beauty, and went for the kill as she joined issue with Mrs Patmore at the 300-meter marker. Both fought a fiery duel for another furlong before Temerity surged ahead decisively only 100 meters from the winning post. At the wire, the winner spared two-and-a-quarter lengths to the beaten favourite Mrs Patmore, who just about managed to hold on from Silver Beauty, who recouped a handsome sum of over Rs 5 lakh after paying an ambitious final entry fee to jump into the Oaks fray.
Sponsors' silks shine
The day however belonged to the sponsors Poonawallas, whose family name was associated with both the prime events of the card: The Villoo Poonawalla Oaks and the Gool S Poonawalla Million. In fact, the latter event was won in an incredible fashion by their young filly Ruffina who treated her ten rivals with utter disdain when she sailed away for a seven-and-a-half-length victory over Summer Rays and the rest, when missing the record time for the six-furlong trip by less than 0.2 second. David Allan rode her to victory for trainer Dallas Todywalla, and the same jockey-trainer combo then went on to trump opposition in the last race of the day, the Tricumdas Dwarkadas Trophy, by winning with Lady in Red, also carrying the Poonawalla racing silks.
In the process, she decisively beat her conqueror-stablemate Mrs Patmore over the mile-and-a-half trip of what is popularly called the "Ladies' Derby". Temerity is owned by Shyam Ruia, Amay Ruia and Bergis Minoo Desai, and trained by Pesi Shroff, who finished one-two in the race, having saddled both winner and the runner-up.
Moderate pace
Neeraj Rawal decided to keep Temerity in the fifth berth, stalking owner-mate Et Voila (YS Srinath up), even as Mrs Patmore (Trevor Patel up) was enjoying following Book Thief and Frosty, carrying the same colours as her own, in what was a rather moderate pace by the standards of a Gr 1 race. There was no change in the order until the heads turned for home, when Trevor Patel asked Mrs Patmore to assume command, with Neeraj asking Temerity to go in chase, with Silver Beauty (Yash Narredu up) also coming up the rear to make it a three-way fight.
However, Temerity soon shrugged off Silver Beauty, and went for the kill as she joined issue with Mrs Patmore at the 300-meter marker. Both fought a fiery duel for another furlong before Temerity surged ahead decisively only 100 meters from the winning post. At the wire, the winner spared two-and-a-quarter lengths to the beaten favourite Mrs Patmore, who just about managed to hold on from Silver Beauty, who recouped a handsome sum of over Rs 5 lakh after paying an ambitious final entry fee to jump into the Oaks fray.
Sponsors' silks shine
The day however belonged to the sponsors Poonawallas, whose family name was associated with both the prime events of the card: The Villoo Poonawalla Oaks and the Gool S Poonawalla Million. In fact, the latter event was won in an incredible fashion by their young filly Ruffina who treated her ten rivals with utter disdain when she sailed away for a seven-and-a-half-length victory over Summer Rays and the rest, when missing the record time for the six-furlong trip by less than 0.2 second. David Allan rode her to victory for trainer Dallas Todywalla, and the same jockey-trainer combo then went on to trump opposition in the last race of the day, the Tricumdas Dwarkadas Trophy, by winning with Lady in Red, also carrying the Poonawalla racing silks.
