The Bengaluru racecourse was abuzz with activity this Tuesday morning (September 16) as several top contenders showcased their impressive form during their track exercises. Among the standout performers were Lena, Charismatic, Connecting Dots, and Silicon Star, each demonstrating remarkable power and readiness.
Inner Sand Workouts
On the inner sand track, ‘Live The Dream’, expertly ridden by Antony, showed it’s in magnificent shape, completing 600 meters in a brisk 40.5 seconds. Close behind, ‘Rieko’ (with an unnamed rider) effortlessly covered the same distance in 40 seconds, displaying smooth strides and promising potential. Over a longer stretch of 1200 meters, ‘Knotty Affair’ (Asirvatham) clocked in at 1 minute 23 seconds, including a 1000m split of 1 minute 7.5 seconds and a 600m split of 40 seconds, indicating a well-paced and strong gallop.
Outer Sand Excellence
The outer sand surface also saw some stellar performances. ‘Royal Whisper’ (Aleemuddin) completed 600 meters with ease in 46 seconds. In a compelling 1200-meter exercise, ‘LG’s Script’ (Shinde) outpaced ‘Sling Shot’ (Mukesh) by a notable six lengths, finishing in 1 minute 31 seconds (1000m in 1:12, 600m in 44s). ‘Whirlwind’ (Hindu S) also moved freely over 1200 meters, recording 1 minute 31 seconds, with splits of 1 minute 15.5 seconds for 1000m and 44.5 seconds for 600m.
Stepping up to 1400 meters, ‘Lena’ (Rozario) executed a fluent workout, finishing in an impressive 1 minute 40 seconds, with segments of 1 minute 25 seconds for 1200m, 1 minute 11 seconds for 1000m, and 42.5 seconds for 600m. In another 1400m drill, ‘Stalingrad’ (Rozario) and ‘Big Sauce’ (unnamed rider) moved at 1 minute 45 seconds before being eased up in the final stretch. ‘Connecting Dots’ (Antony) also proved superior to ‘Bruce Almighty’ (Vishwa) over 1400 meters, finishing five lengths ahead in 1 minute 45 seconds (1200m in 1:27, 1000m in 1:11.5, 600m in 43s).
The 1600-meter workout saw ‘Charismatic’ (Shinde) put in an exceptionally impressive display, clocking 1 minute 58.5 seconds, with remarkable splits of 1 minute 41.5 seconds for 1400m, 1 minute 25 seconds for 1200m, 1 minute 10.5 seconds for 1000m, and 42 seconds for the final 600m.
Gate Practice Highlights
During gate practice on the inner sand track (1200m), several horses showcased their starting prowess. ‘Mericle Beauty’ (Vivek) notably outshone ‘Michiko’ (Salman K), finishing in 1 minute 23 seconds with a 600m split from the gate in 40 seconds. ‘Sheer Bliss’ (Laxman S) burst from the gates eight lengths ahead of ‘Sundance Kid’ (Rozario), covering the 1200m in 1 minute 24 seconds (600m from gate in 43s). Finally, ‘Silicon Star’ (A. Ramu) demonstrated a remarkably smart jump from the stalls, recording 1 minute 20 seconds for 1200m, with an impressive 39-second split for the 600m from the gate, highlighting its readiness for race day.