N’Eliya hots-up for horse racing
Ten days ahead of the 144th edition of the prestigious Governor’s Cup horse racing event, Jayaratne Stables geared up with notable wins in the Sri 
Lanka Turf Club (SLTC) races held on April 4 at the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse. This race is held annually as prelude to the oldest horserace meet of the country, the Governor’s Cup.
The notable and timely relief for the Jayaratne’s will be the tremendous form of their Class I thoroughbred, Atlantus, who won the main race of the day. Atlantus outran five other competitors to win the 8-furlong race, guided by jockey Melvyn Maseyk and claim the Hon. Gamini Dissanayaka Memorial Cup sponsored by Edwards Stud Farm and Racing Stables. Atlantus, owned by Hasanga Jayaratne, stole the limelight when it won the Governor’s Cup last year in its debut appearance. The horse was brought down for the races by the Jayaratne’s from India and was ridden by Indian jockey K. Anil. Its trainer M.D. Sajid will be hoping to keep Atlantus in good shape and form ahead of the race of the season, the Governor’s Cup, which falls on April 15.
Sri Lanka’s oldest sports event and the most hallowedhorse racing event off all, the 144th Governor’s Cup, will be staged on Wednesday, day following the Sinhala and Hindu New Year at the Race Course in Nuwara Eliya.
The 9-furlong race for Class I thoroughbred horses will be the main race of the day. With Atlantus coming into peak at the correct time, the horse belonging to Hasanga Jayaratne will have to face challenges from 10 other contenders, whose objective will be to win the Governor’s Cup. Unlike last year, Atlantus will be handled at the big race by its current runner Melvyn Maseyk. Running alongside the defending champion will be Augustus owned by Isira Dasanayake and ridden by Tauseef Ahmed. Among the known contenders are Mr. Majestic owned by Isira Dasanayake and ridden by Saddam Iqbal, Spark of Gold owned by Anura Delgoda and ridden by Ashok Kumar and Spearhead owned by Mr. and Mrs. Rienzie Edwards and ridden by Irvan Singh. Others in fray are Camorra owned by Anita Dorai and ridden by S. Suganthan, Charlatan owned by Deepthika Jayakody and ridden by P. Trevor, Charlemagne owned by Akshay Dorai and ridden by S. Selvaratnum, Festival City owned by Anura Delgoda and ridden by R. Balachandran, Roswald owned by Deepthika Jayakody and ridden by Imran Chitty and Alcazaba owned by Deepthika Jayakody and ridden by S.D. Mahesh.
The second race most followed next to the Governor’s Cup will be the Queen’s Cup, the longest race of the day, which includes 10 furlongs. Besides these two races, five more races will complete the day’s agenda. The first of them will be for the Janashakthi Cup which is the curtain raiser race schedule to begin at 10.30am. Prior to the main race the races for Mobitel Cup and Mayor’s Cup will be held. After the completion of the Governor’s Cup and the Queen’s Cup, the race for the Grand Hotel Cup will be held. The race for the Janashakthi Cup at 1.45pm will bring down the curtains on the 144th Governor’s Cup.
On the SLTC race-day held last Saturday, the day began with the handicap race for thoroughbred horses of three years for the Lake Gregory Cup, which was won by Crimson Quest ridden by Christopher. The horse owned by Nishara Jayaratne was trained by former champion jockey turned trainer V. Mathialagan. Anjali Stables had a fine day when its Class V thoroughbred Stormy Petral won the Rashid Byramji Trophy in the 7-furlong race.
Hasanga Jayaratne’s luck began to turn in his favour when S. Suganthan guided the Class IV thoroughbred Icelandic to a win in a 7-furlong race. Mr and Mrs Rienzie Edwards’ Class II thoroughbred Arabian Gold ridden by S.D. Mahesh did well to outsmart five other horses and win the 7-furlong race for the Aristos Memorial Trophy. After the main race the Sri Lanka Turf Club races ended with the completion of two races for Sri Lanka horses.