RTC conducts Mock Race ahead of April season
Honourius with jockey K. Sanjeewan, trainer S.V. Mathialagan (left) and owner of Fearless Stables and Stud Farm
Royal Turf Club (RTC) launched their upcoming Horse Racing Festival 2021 with the Mock Race at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya, where the Fearless Stables and Stud Farm made an impressive warm-up during the three-race event.
Fearless Stables and Stud Farm runners Honourius and Spirited Touch, both ridden by jockey K. Sanjeewan, were placed first in the second and third races, while Santos, ridden by S.D. Janaka and owned by the Edwards Stables, claimed the top spot in the first race of the day.
The RTC Mock Race 2021 was held successfully last weekend at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya with three races involving 14 runners. The horses and jockeys had a deserving outing with full canter on the RTC Mock Raceday, an event that was held after almost one year, following restrictions and guidelines issued by health and government authorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spirited run from Spirited Touch and K. Sanjeewan
The Mock Race was conducted by RTC President Nihara Jayatilleke and RTC Treasurer Nisitha Rupasinghe following the guidance and instructions given by RTC officials – Chief Executive Officer Wayne Wood from Australia, Chief Stipendiary Steward Cyrus J. Madan from India and Jamil Soobratty from the Mauritius.
Five runners competed in the first race in which Santos, ridden by S.D. Janaka came in first ahead of Carlton (S. Dinesh), Olive (K. Sanjeewan), Glittering (P. Dinesh) and Silver Streak (L. Dayalan).
Spirited Touch, ridden by K. Sanjeewan, finished first among four runners in the second race of the day.
Star Scholar (S. Dinesh), Roseworld (P. Dinesh) and Arabian Gold (S.D. Janaka) followed behind.
Honourius, ridden by K. Sanjeewan, came in first after trailing as the tailender with a brilliant run to give a fitting finale for the day. Others who followed behind are Torpedo (L. Dayalan), Night King (S. Dinesh), Krabi (P. Dinesh) and Goldi Girl (S.D. Janaka) in the final race that wrapped up a successful Mock Race.
RTC expects to conduct a Raceday during March and three Racedays during the April holiday season, which will include the legendary Governor’s Cup on the day following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The Mock Race was an opportunity given to stables and its horses and jockeys to have a full-canter practice run prior to the main races, as runners were held up for nearly a year without any competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spirited Touch, ridden by K. Sanjeewan galloping towards the winning post followed by Star Scholar, Roswald and Arabian Gold