Chagall from the stables of master trainer Pesi Shroff stole the spotlight by winning the prestigious Dr. S. R. Captain Salver, the feature event on the Special Day of the Pune racing season, held at the Pune Racecourse on Sunday. Ridden with precision by jockey S. Siddharth, Chagall timed his run to perfection to beat Alpine Star by over a length in the keenly contested mile-long (1600m) race, which drew a field of nine contenders.
It was Emperor Roderic who set the early pace and led the field as they negotiated the backstretch. The race looked well within his grasp as the runners turned for home, but Chagall — who was strategically positioned in fourth for most of the journey — surged ahead with a sudden burst of acceleration in the final furlong.
Siddharth, showing excellent judgement and composure, guided his mount through the pack and charged ahead in the final stages to seal a commanding victory, much to the delight of his supporters.
Tote favourite Pride's Prince, who had garnered significant attention ahead of the race, failed to live up to expectations and faded out to finish a disappointing fifth. Interestingly, Pride's Prince was the only one among the two public favourites of the day who failed to make it to the judge’s frame, as five favourites obliged in their respective outings.
Among the professionals, Aditya Waydande and Yash Narredu had a memorable day at the office, each scoring a double and underlining their consistency this season.
