Alcazaba reigns supreme at RTC Magic Million Cup
View(s):Alcazaba regained her lost momentum and fittingly proved she is still the Queen of Nuwara Eliya Racecourse, by claiming the RTC Magic Million Cup in the closing event of the Horse Racing Festival 2021 held under strict health guidelines yesterday.
The usually packed grandstand of the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse was almost empty yesterday, as the organisers conducted the curtain faller event of Royal Turf Club behind closed doors. Only the owners, trainers, jockeys, officials and organisers, numbering to nearly 100 in total, were allowed to attend the event.
Yet, Alcazaba lived up to her potential to outclass Spirited Touch and Western Wind to win the RTC Magic Million Cup, for horses of Class 1 in a race of 1600meters. Owned by the Edwards Stable and ridden by jockey J. Chinoy, Alcazaba proved that she’s the Queen of Nuwara Eliya and beat two of the top contenders in the Class 1, who had outsmarted the chestnut mare earlier, in convincing fashion. Spirited Touch, the 2019 Governor’s Cup winner and Western Wind, who claimed the Governor’s Cup nine days ago in a race that had the similar thrill, were steadily beaten by the mare trained by S.D Mahesh.
Alcazaba, one of the oldest active horses at the age of 11, proved that age is not a major factor as she overcame much fitter runners, who had been tagged as favourites to win the main race of the day. Trainer Mahesh had a day to remember as his name was drawn in three wins out of the five races – Magic Million, Sri Lanka Insurance Cup and DailyMirror Cup.
The Jayaratne Stable, who had a brilliant outing at the RTC Governor’s Cup Raceday on April 15, however, won the Sporting Star Cup, the Class 2 race of 1600meters and placed second in two races. Their main win came through Another Ace, who made a brilliant gallop in the final furlong to claim a thrilling win by half-a-length. Ridden by jockey Vivek and owned by Mr. Hasanga Jayaratne, Another Ace took away a possible win from Silver Streak, who looked well set for deserving victory, as Santos finished close behind at third by another quarter length.
Vigorous, ridden by S. Dineshraj, claimed the Sri Lanka Insurance Motorplus Cup, the Class 3 1600metre race in the opening race of the day. It was a three-way battle Olive and Honorious had to settle in at second and third, as Vigorous proved a point with the inspiring win. After the thrilling finish on the Governor’s Cup Raceday in the same race class, a heated competition was expected between Glittering and Vigorous, who was edged out in the final furlong to finish first and second respectively. However Glittering could not start the race despite reaching the starting gate.
Starmont with J. Chinoy, claimed a thrilling finish ahead of Night King and Torpedo to win the Sri Lanka Insurance Cup for Class 4 horses in the 1400meter race. The winner was uncertain until the final moment as Starmont and Night King sprinted right along each other before the Edwards Stable owned horse raced to the winning post with an advantage of a slight neck’s length. Torpedo finished close behind at third.
Jockey Kiran Naidu’s skills in steering Krabi to win the DailyMirror Cup, a Class 5 race of 1400meters, proved that uncertainty is not permanent. Krabi, who had failed to live up to the expectations in the recent past, was steered by Naidu for a win that would remain forever in the heart of owner Dr. Dhanawardene Guruge. Waiting for Glory finished second behind half-a-length, followed by Goldie Girl who was further a length behind at third.
| Results | |
| RTC Magic Million Cup (Class 1 – Group 1 – 1600m) 1: Alcazaba (J. Chinoy/S.D. Mahesh/Edwards Stables) 2: Spirited Touch (Aneel/S.V. Mathialagan/Fearless Stables and Stud Farms) 3: Western Wind (Vivek/Sridher Selvaratnam/Mr. and Mrs. Gamini Jayaratne) Sporting Star Cup (Class 2 – Group 2 – 1600m) 1: Another Ace (Vivek/Sridher Selvratnam/Hasanga Jayaratne) 2: Silver Streak (L. Dayalan/S.D. Mahesh/Ramsis Peter Fernando) 3: Santos (J. Chinoy/S.D. Mahesh/Edwards Stables) SLIC MotorPlus Cup (Class 3 – 1600m) 1: Vigorous (S. Dineshraj/Jayantha Wijesinghe/Ajantha de Soyza) 2: Olive (K. Sanjeewan/S.V. Mathialagan/Fearless Stables and Stud Farm) 3: Honorious (Aneel/S.V. Mathialagan/Fearless Stables and Stud Farm) Sri Lanka Insurance Cup (Class 4 – 1400m) 1: Starmont (J. Chinoy/S.D. Mahesh/Edwards Stables) 2: Night King (V. Yogaraj/Sridher Selvaratnam/Ms. Nishara Jayaratne) 3: Torpedo (K. Sanjeewan/S.V. Mathialagan/Fearless Stables and Stud Farm) DailyMirror Cup (Class 5 – 1400m) 1: Krabi (K. Naidu/S.D. Mahesh/Dr. Dhanawardene Guruge) 2: Waiting for Glory (R. Vaibhav/Sridher Selvaratnam/Mr. Hasanga Jayaratne) 3: Goldie Girl (J. Chinoy/S.D. Mahesh/Edwards Stables) |