Favourites Fire on Target as Circle of Dreams Dazzles in the War Hammer Million
Bangalore, Saturday: Punters were back in the money as the second day’s action proved far more rewarding than expected, with five public choices galloping home to cheers from the delighted crowd. The popular “Knotty” brigade made their presence felt, leading in two heavily-backed winners—Knotty Scotty and Knotty Patton—while top trainer Sulaiman Attaollahi had his moment in the sun, scoring with Circle Of Dreams, the star performer in the feature War Hammer Million. Elsewhere, short-priced favourites like Vegatha and Scarlette Lady obliged in style, completing a rewarding day for followers of form.
The much-hyped Circle Of Dreams lived up to expectations, carrying forward his stellar form from the Poonawalla Multi-Million where he had finished a commendable second behind Big Bay. Sent out by Sulaiman and piloted to perfection by Akshay Kumar, the colt hit the front soon after the 11 contenders were dispatched and never looked back in the seven-furlong War Hammer Million. Mumbai’s hope Stormy Sea, despite his credentials as the Colts Championship winner, failed to spark and only managed third place. The runner-up honours went to Red Bishop, trained by the formidable Pesi Shroff, finishing with zest but never quite troubling the winner. With this dominant victory, Circle Of Dreams stamped himself as a classic contender and one to closely watch in the upcoming season.
In the Col. Desraj Urs Trophy, the six-furlong trip proved a bit too sharp for the well-backed Regal Reality, another top contender from Sulaiman’s stable. Though many racing veterans were confident she would outclass her rivals, the filly never managed to get into a rhythm early on and finished off the board. The race was instead claimed by the in-form Credence, who notched up a remarkable fourth successive win. Trainer Shazaan Shah and apprentice Ramswarup combined smartly, as the five-kilo claimer judged the pace beautifully, leading from the front and staving off a strong challenge from Art Collector. Never Give In grabbed place money with a late run, while Jersey King was disappointing despite being fancied.
The lower division of the Supervite Plate saw a runaway success by the consistent Knotty Scotty from Prasanna Kumar’s yard. Backed down to 55/100, the gelding gave jockey G Vivek a stress-free ride, winning with plenty in hand. Now that he’s opened his account, Knotty Scotty seems poised for an encore. Art Of Romance, who finished second, displayed signs of improvement and is worth keeping an eye on, while Winfield ran below expectations despite two decent prep runs in winter.
In the Usha Stud Plate, the momentum continued for the “Knotty” team as Knotty Patton justified strong support, slamming his rivals in a six-furlong scamper. His second to All Attraction on the season’s opening day had suggested he was ready to strike, and strike he did—winning by an impressive seven-length margin. With this kind of form, Knotty Patton will be a serious threat in his next assignment. Gimmler, representing Rutherford Alford, impressed with a game second, followed by Lauterbrunnen, who lacked a finishing burst.
The final race of the day—the upper division of the Supervite Plate—featured a clinical performance by Scarlette Lady, who justified her status as the day’s banker. The Prasanna Kumar-trained filly cruised home under Akshay Kumar, timing her run to perfection over the seven-furlong distance. Once she saw daylight in the straight, there was no stopping her. Golden Dream followed the winner home, while Valencia filled out the frame. Felisa, who was withdrawn at the gates, will need to be watched when re-entered.
The biggest surprise of the day came in the KN Guruswamy Memorial Trophy, where Crosswater pulled off a shock victory. Partnered by apprentice Aleemuddin, the Arjun Manglorkar trainee pulled out all the stops to thwart favourite Kavya, who had appeared home and dry inside the final furlong. But Aleemuddin’s aggressive ride proved decisive in a thrilling finish. Miss Smiley Angel ran a brave race to finish third and caught the eye with her late surge. She, along with the winner, earned a place in many notebooks.
In the day’s curtain raiser, Vegatha, trained by Chouhan, made short work of her four opponents after several withdrawals reduced the field to just five. Sent off at cramped odds of 30/100, she justified every rupee spent on her by bolting to a comfortable victory.
🐎 Horses to Follow:
- Circle Of Dreams – Classic contender; follow throughout the season.
- Regal Reality – Ignore this run; will bounce back over extended trips.
- Credence – In cracking form; can extend winning streak.
- Knotty Scotty – Improving type; likely to score again.
- Knotty Patton – Destroyed the field; merits serious attention next start.
- Art Of Romance – Showed improvement; may be primed to strike.
- Miss Smiley Angel – Strong late finish; one for your place betting radar.
