Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Kangra continued her amazing run in the classics by winning the Gr 1 Catalyst Properties Bangalore Derby, the star event of the Bangalore Winter Season with a fighting performance on Sunday. Despite her energy sapping and her legs almost giving way, the filly dug into her reserves to hold on to the lead to win from the late rallying Star Carnation. Golconda Derby winner Mahateji ran on to finish third ahead of Dr Logan. Favourite Prevalent Force who was subjected to second Derby run in a week`s time beside the ordeal of travel and a tough race at Mumbai, came back in extreme distress and needed medical help.
Prevalent Force was the most accomplished runner in the fray, but the question mark was about his poor performance at Mumbai and the fact that he was running in a week after running at Mumbai. Since many horses in the past had performed under similar circumstances, Prevalent Force was widely believed to redeem himself despite the obvious handicaps. Zenon was another who had also participated in the Indian Derby who was in the fray though no one gave him even an outside chance to pull it off.
Psychic Warrior who was the designated pace-maker for Prevalent Force went at a good pace but with none following him, Trevor Patel on Kangra could settle the filly in second position unmindful of what the front-runner was doing. Trevor was pretty sure that there was no possibility of the front-runner springing a surprise and that he would rapidly fall back when the race came to the boil. Nanhipari, Zenon raced up with the field while Srinath chose to keep Prevalent Force in about the fifth or sixth position unlike on the last occasion when Prevalent Force raced in the rear. Mahateji, Star Carnation, Lord of the Sea, Kambaku were all spaced out several lengths adrift of the pace-setter.
Trevor pushed Kangra to take over the running on turning for home and the progeny of first season stallion Western Aristocrat bounced clear and established what turned out to be a winning lead. Zenon went in chase of the eventual winner, but he appeared to be hopelessly one-paced. It was left to Star Carnation to produce a strong acceleration in the final furlong to come within reach of Kangra, but the winning post was sighted before the Oaks winner could be caught up with. It was not that Star Carnation was flying at the finish. The front-runner was faltering rapidly which made it look that the runner-up came home with a blinding run. Mahateji stayed on to take the third position ahead of Dr Logan. Prevalent Force fell behind after racing into the straight quite comfortably but went into distress under pressure and Srinath had to give up much before he would have thought he would. Prevalent Force had to be administered Oxygen to help overcome distress. It was a pity that Prevalent Force who had reeled off six wins in a row including two Derby triumphs was subjected to a gruel racing schedule which was despairing to say the least.
The Nanoli Stud Farm bred Kangra proved to be a versatile horse, winning two Guineas and then proving her worth over the mile and half trip by winning the Oaks and then surprising everyone with a repeat win in the Derby. Very few had reckoned that she would be a Derby winner at the start of the season, but the transformation has been amazing just as the deterioration of some of those considered as classic hopefuls.
