Bushtops may set the record straight in Indian St. Leger race

Pune: Seven major trophies are the main attraction of this Sunday’s races. There is no looking beyond Bushtops in the 2800 meters Indian St. Leger, Sunday’s main attraction in a competitive eight-event card.

The four-year-old gelding by Archipenko and Etroubles (Fra) is a highly rated animal, over a 2800m trip.

The MK Jadhav-trained Bushtops, however, maintains an immaculate record of winning five from eleven previous starts. The gelding returns to his favourite trip, and with jockey NS Parmar in the saddle, he is unlikely to disappoint against his three rivals in the field. False rails will be announced two hours before the first race.

Three goods bet for the day are Majestic Warrior (1-1), Dreams (3-2) and Rainbow Trout (4-6).

SELECTIONS FOR PUNE MONSOON RACES, SEPT 22
First race at 2 pm

• Race 1: 1400m Majestic Warrior (1) Lambretta (6) Beemer (3).
• Race 2: 1600m Questionable (5) Pure Zinc (4).
• Race 3: 1200m Dreams (2) C’est L’amour (7) Sunset (6).
• Race 4: 1400m Rainbow Trout (6) Walk The Talk (4) Tristar (7).
• Race 5: 1000m True Grit (13) Double Nine (2) Epiphany (8).
• Race 6: 2800m Bushtops (1) Adjudicate (3).
• Race 7: 2000m Arizona Pie (4) Mr Honey (5) Dazzle N Daze (3).
• Day’s best: Rainbow Trout (4-6).

Factfile: The Indian St. Leger

• The Indian St. Leger (Grade 1) is the longest and the last of the five Indian Classic races run in Western India. It also is the third leg of the Indian Triple Crown. This race was first run on Cantley Common, Doncaster in 1778. The race was named after Lt. Gen Antony St. Leger, a popular local sportsman in England.
• The first running of this race in India was as “The Governor-General’s Cup” in the year 1944 till 1949 and thereafter run as The Indian St. Leger. The inaugural running of this race was won by Royal Windsor, who was owned by Maharaja Gaekwar of Baroda and trained by MC Patel with E Britt in the saddle.
• The Indian St. Leger is generally contested late in March by 4-year-olds over 2800m. Geldings were not permitted to race till 1965 and for a few years in between. The first gelding to have won this race was “Thunder Storm” in 1970 in Pune.
• RR Byramji is the only trainer till date to record a hat trick in this race “Sweet Memories” (1975), “Commanche” (1976), and “Squanderer” (1977).
• The closest finish of this race was when “Amorous Knight” won from “Silver Haven” and “Solitary Splendour” in 1986 with the verdict being Shd, Shd.