Thursday Nov 14, 2024
Thursday Nov 14, 2024
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Total outsider, Spirited Touch, ridden by jockey Aneel, created the biggest upset in horseracing history, by ending the winning streak of Alcazaba and clinching the coveted RTC Governor’s Cup 2019 at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya on Monday, 15 April. Spirited Touch was nowhere in the winning list, among the 11 runners of the Class I 1600-metre race, as the brown boy, outsmarted the rest in the final two furlongs and recorded a comprehensive win lengths ahead of the Queen of Nuwara Eliya, Alcazaba.
The win by Spirited Touch gives Fearless Stables and Stud Farm their most famous win in horseracing, and the honour of defeating the glamour girl and unbeaten Alcazaba, that too in the most important race of Sri Lanka’s horseracing calendar, the Governor’s Cup.
Alcazaba, ridden by Irvn Singh and owned by Ms. Deepthika Jayakody and Mrs. Purni Edwards, made a threatening move in the final few furlongs, but fell short of distance before being beaten by Spirited Touch, the new hero of Nuwara Eliya.
Santos, ridden by Nikhil Parmar and owned by Purni Edwards, made an outstanding run, in an effort to repeat its performance a fortnight ago at the RTC Spring & Summer Raceday, by coming all the way from behind, but claimed the third position, making an indication of a champion horse in the making.
The Queen’s Cup, the second most sorted after race in Sri Lanka horseracing, was claimed by Star Scholar, ridden by R.P. Shinde and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Gamini Jayaratne. Star Scholar made a commanding start and maintained its position right to the end, to claim Class II 2000-metre race. Star Ace, ridden by P. Ajinkya made its owners – Hasanga Jayaratne, Manishraj Sethi and Ranbir Singh – proud while Roswald, ridden by Nikhil Parmar and owned by Purni Edwards, finished third among six runners.
Jockey Irvan Singh, recorded his second win of the day, for Fearless Stables and Stud Farm, by riding Honourious to victory in the Sporting Star Challenge Cup, the Class IV race of 1400 metres. Torpedo, ridden by R. Selvaraj and owned by Anura Delgoda came in second while Tuscano, ridden by Ajeet Kumar and owned by David Anthony finished third.
Jockey S.D. Janaka guided Vigorous into a commanding win to claim the Mayor’s Cup 2019 in the Class III race of 1600 metres, giving Ajantha de Soyza the only win of the day. Jockey Aneel made sure Olive finish ahead of Glittering, ridden by Irvan Singh. Olive, owned by Fearless Stables and Stud Farm outsmarted Glittering, owned by Mrs. Purni Edwards, who made a good start for the raceday, attended by thousands of spectators.
Zulu Fantasy won the opening race of the day, the Emanuel Woehrl Memorial Trophy for the Class V race of 1070 metres, giving jockey by Irvan Singh and owner Purni Edwards the winning start. Crimson Quest, ridden by R.P. Shinde and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Gamini Jayaratne, finished second, before their good wins later on the day, while Miss Ivory, ridden by Ajeet Kumar and owned by David Anthony, claimed a deserving third position among 11 runners. The Royal Turf Club (RTC) will conduct its RTC Magic Million Cup Raceday on Sunday, 21 April at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya.
