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Hotstepper for Indian Turf Invitation Cup

Hyderabad: A thrilling finish is expected in the Indian Turf Invitation Cup, the piece de resistance of the Indian racing calendar, to be run here on Sunday (March 2). The McDowell Indian Derby winner, Hotstepper in the capable hands of L. Dettori is meeting almost the same opponents and is expected to emerge as the champion four-year-old. Bourbon King, the beaten favourite in that race, looks next best.

Noble Prince who was kept far behind in the Indian Derby was the fastest moving at the close. He will not go down without a fight too. Retribution while finishing fifth in the Mumbai Derby met with some interference. Sweeping Success, who broke into a good lead before 400m failed narrowly to Hotstepper.

The added attraction will be the Maruti SX4 car to be given to the person who gets the right order of the first four horses in the Invitation Cup. A variety of other lucky draw prizes are also there.

There will be no false rails.

•BOLLINENI RAMANAIAH MEMORIAL CUP (1,400m), Cat. II, Maiden 3-y-o only (Terms), 1-25 p.m: 1. Caprioska (3) R. Hughes 55, 2. Sikander E Alam (2) Appu 55, 3. Spirited Player (5) Srinath 55, 4. Stirring (1) C. Ruzaan 53.5 and 5. Strategic Partner (4) A. Imran Khan 53.5.

CAPRIOSKA: Had a run at Bangalore; may trouble the best. SPIRITED PLAYER: Well prepared at Bangalore; will have a bold show. SIKANDER E ALAM: A failed favourite last time; warrants continued support. STRATEGIC PARTNER: A fair second to Dorabella (1,600m); should be given another chance.

1. Caprioska, 2. Spirited Player,

3. Strategic Partner

•POONDLA VENKU REDDY CUP (1,200m), Cat. III, 4-y-o & over, rated upto 50, 2-00: 1. Associator (5) B. Prakash 62, 2. Page Three (1) Rajinder 62, 3. Thundering Gold (10) N. Jodha 62, 4. Royal Bond (14) A. Asbar 61.5, 5. Since (12) T. S. Jodha 61, 6. Gun Rock (2) Srinath 60.5, 7. Big Budget (7) Christopher 60, 8. Anguna (13) M. Krishna 58, 9. Alert (9) Z. Sayyed 57, 10. Royal Assembly (4) Chary 56.5, 11. Royal Light (6) Ali Khan 56, 12. Taste Of India (8) Laxmikanth 55, 13. Mystic Impact (15) Abhinay 52, 14. Debonaire (3) N. Rawal 50 and 15. Zagreb (11) Umesh 48.

ASSOCIATOR: Looks fit. PAGE THREE: Has come down a class; may raise a winning gallop. ALERT: Has come on since her third to Pocket Dynamite (1,200m); may upset. DEBONAIRE: Ran Venturous to 1/2 length over 1,200m; should be persisted with.

1. Associator, 2. Page Three,

3. Debonaire

•HYDERABAD JUVENILE MULTI MILLION STAKES (1,400m), 3-y-o only (Terms), 2-35: 1. Exclusive Grey (2) Srinath 54, 2. Common Knowledge (3) S. Fargeat 52.5, 3. Lady Patricia (5) A. Imran Khan 52.5, 4. Olympic Kingdom (1) Suraj Narredu 50, 5. Vijayrath (6) Appu 50 and 6. Cassandra (4) C. Ruzaan 48.5.

EXCLUSIVE GREY: Won two races at Bangalore; maintains form. CASSANDRA: Winner of the Golconda Juvenile Million (1,400m); retains form. OLYMPIC KINGDOM: An impressive second to Bourbon Star (1,400m); may trouble the best. VIJAYRATH: Tracking well enough, may fight out the finish.

1. Cassandra, 2. Exclusive Grey, 3. Olympic Kingdom

•MAJ. P. K. MEHRA MEMORIAL SUPER MILE CUP (Grade I) (1,600m), 4-y-o & over (Terms), 3-10: 1. Diego Rivera (9) M. Narredu 59, 2. Hugo (1) Suraj Narredu 59, 3. Khaleels Pride (14) P. Kamlesh 59, 4. Priapus (12) M. Kharadi 59, 5. Samarkhand (5) Neeraj Rawal 59, 6. Talk Of The Devil (8) A. Imran Khan 59, 7. Coco Channel (4) S. Fargeat 57.5, 8. Rhapsidion Snow (3) R. Hughes 57.5, 9. Badge Of Gold (11) B. Prakash 56, 10. Elusive Study (10) C. Alford 56, 11. Splendid Surprise (6) Christopher 56, 12. The Hurricane (7) Srinath 56, 13. Vanquish (13) D. Grant 56 and 14. Vijayraaj (2) Appu 56.

DIEGO RIVERA: A comfortable winner over 1,600m in Mumbai; retains form. KHALEELS PRIDE: Working well enough. TALK OF THE DEVIL: Looks fit and well. BADGE OF GOLD: Has come on after his second to Woman On Top (1,200m).VANQUISH: Speedy; may try pillar to post tactics. VIJAYRAAJ: Ignore his run in the Golconda Derby Stakes (2,400m); present trip is ideal.

1. Diego Rivera, 2. Badge Of Gold, 3. Khaleels Pride

•HORSE LOVERS CUP (1,600m), Cat. III, 4-y-o & over, rated upto 50, 3-55: 1. Favourable Terms (7) M. Narredu 62, 2. Secret Silence (2) D. Singh 62, 3. Golden Flame (6) B. V. Krishnan 58, 4. Corps Command (3) A. Imran Khan 57.5, 5. Time Square (11) Appu 57.5, 6. Temple Bells (1) Christopher 57, 7. Montush (4) T. S. Jodha 56.5, 8. Festivals Of India (10) Laxmikanth 55, 9. Boston Ranger (9) N. Rawal 54.5, 10. Blue Wave (8) Abhinay 48.5 and 11. Avon Gorge (5) Nitin 47.

FAVOURABLE TERMS: Has come down a class; may raise a winning gallop. CORPS COMMAND: Poised for a hat-trick. TEMPLE BELLS: A gutsy winner of her last start over 1,600m; retains form. BOSTON RANGER: Has improved since his last run; may upset.

1. Corps Command, 2. Favourable Terms, 3. Temple Bells

•INDIAN TURF INVITATION CUP (Grade I) (2,400m), 4-y-o only (Terms), 4-30: 1. Bourbon King (4) O’Donoghue 57, 2. Hotstepper (9) L. Dettori 57, 3. Imperial View (1) I. Chisty 57, 4. Noble Prince (10) R. Hughes 57, 5. Regal Connection (2) C. Alford 57, 6. Retribution (7) D. Grant 57, 7. Classic Sky (5) Srinath 55.5, 8. Mathematica (6) S. Fargeat 55.5, 9. Ruby Queen (3) Suraj Narredu 55.5 and 10. Sweeping Success (8) B. Prakash 55.5.

BOURBON KING: Fourth to Hotstepper in the McDowell Indian Derby (2,400m) where he met with some interference; he may be ridden differently now. HOTSTEPPER: Winner of McDowell Indian Derby (2,400m) in Mumbai; retains form. NOBLE PRINCE: A thrilling third to Hotstepper; in fine fettle. SWEEPING SUCCESS: After a very interesting duel went down by a neck to Hotstepper; a threat to the best.

1. Hotstepper, 2. Bourbon King,

3. Noble Prince

•N. H. DHUNJIBHOY AND DOLLY DHUNJIBHOY MILLION (1,400m), 4-y-o & over (Terms), 5-10: 1. Oasis Star (4) Srinath 56.5, 2. Ruben Star (12) A. Imran Khan 53, 3. Woman On Top (13) N. Jodha 52.5, 4. Coral Gables (11) P. Kamlesh 52, 5. Beyond Belief (6) Appu 51.5, 6. Blast In Class (10) T. S. Jodha 51.5, 7. Romantic Getaway (5) Neeraj Rawal 51.5, 8. Running Bull (8) D. Grant 51.5, 9. Beckham (9) N. Rawal 50, 10. Classic Art (3) Chary 50, 11. Conquering Love (1) Suraj Narredu 50, 12. Jet Fire (7) C. Ruzaan 50 and 13. Ocean Crest (2) I. Chisty 48.5.

OASIS STAR: An impressive winner of the Sprinters’ Cup (1,200m) on Saturday; may repeat. RUBEN STAR: Found Beyond Belief (1,400m) too good in his last start; should be persisted with. CORAL GABLES: Won three races in a row; in fine condition. BEYOND BELIEF: After winning a 1,400m finished second to Diego Rivera (1,600m); an each way chance. BLAST IN CLASS: In line for a hat-trick.

1. Oasis Star, 2. Beyond Belief,

3. Ruben Star

•SMT. RATHNAVVA AND SRI. RAMACHANDRA REDDY NALLA MEMORIAL CUP (1,200m), Cat. II, 4-y-o & over, rated upto 70, 5-45: 1. Habituated (15) Abhinay 60, 2. One In All (7) T. S. Jodha 60, 3. Special Force (1) Nitin 59.5, 4. Classic Cruise (8) P. S.Chouhan 59, 5. Fabulous Crown (14) B. V. Krishnan 58.5, 6. Doing My Best (18) C. Ruzaan 58, 7. Flashy Trend (12) A. Asbar 56, 8. Unexpected Twist (6) N. Jodha 56, 9. Cogent (17) Sequeira 55.5, 10. Embattled (16) A. Imran Khan 54.5, 11. Tigana (2) Suraj Narredu 54.5, 12. Hunting Bay (4) Christopher 54, 13. Hari Har Priya (11) Sk. Sharookh 53, 14. Runway Model (5) N. Rawal 52, 15. Zindabad (13) Laxmikanth 51.5, 16. Shine Away (3) Neeraj Rawal 51, 17. Flash Flares (9) Ali Khan 50.5 and 18. Royal Flyer (10) Sk. Farookh 50.5.

HABITUATED: Has improved since her fourth to Crocodile Hunter (1,200m). ONE IN ALL: A consistent runner; in fine shape. TIGANA: Shaping well in the trials. HUNTING BAY: Speedy; may try pillar to post victory. HARI HAR PRIYA: Seen finishing on well in Indian Archer’s 1,200m; may trouble the best.

1. Hari Har Priya, 2. Tigana,

3. Hunting Bay

Day’s best: Diego Rivera

Double: Associator — Cassandra

Jackpot: 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8.Treble:(i): 1, 2 & 3, (ii): 3, 4 & 5, (iii):6, 7 & 8. Tanala: On races where there are five or more starters.

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