RTC Spring and Summer Cup Race Day

Another Ace takes the Dr. Rashid R. Byramji Memorial Trophy after a thrilling run

Krabi with K. Aneel up edged out Torpedo to claim the Ambassador's Cup

• A monumental win for Another Ace; dream debut for newcomers MGMR

Newcomers to the field, MGMR Credit & Investments, made a dream debut by winning two of the five races while Hasanga Jayaratne’s Another Ace dominated the show by claiming the plum of the day at the horseracing season opener, the RTC Spring and Summer Cup Race Day 2022 at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya on Saturday.

Royal Turf Club had aptly dedicated the day to honour the legendary trainer, the late Dr. Rashid R. Byramji with a memorial trophy offered to the winner of the main race, the Class one term race, which was claimed by Another Ace, who made a gallant and dominative show right throughout the 1,600-metre run.

What was supposed to be a field of seven runners was brought down to five after hot favourite Alcazaba and the threatening Western Wind withdrew on medical terms, making the top race of the day an open invitation for the rest to lay their hands on the Dr. Rashid R. Byramji Memorial Trophy.

As the legendary trainer is known in India, an ace among trainers, Another Ace with jockey Vivek up, snatched the win from former Governor’s Cup winner Spirited Touch, which could have given a perfect hat-trick of wins for the MGMR Credit & Investments Stable and jockey K. Sanjeevan. 

Eventually, Spirited touch had to settle in at second as it threatened both Hasanga Jayaratne’s horses during the final two furlongs. Jayaratne’s second runner Meheran settled in at third.

A possible debut win for the second new owner A.G. Padmakumara Ranasinghe and A.G. Priyantha Kumara Ranasinghe was thwarted in the first race of the day, the Class five 1,070-metre race for the Ambassador’s Cup. 

Torpedo, running in new colours, dominated the run from the beginning until the final turn, but out of nowhere jockey, K. Aneel navigated Krabi from the outside to threaten Torpedo, and reach the post by a length of a nose to give owner Deepthika Jayakody a comeback win.

Debutants MGMR Credit & Investments made their mark in the first outing as Honorious was steered by jockey K. Sanjeevan to a commanding win over newcomer Cosmic Feeling, ridden by jockey K. Aneel and owned by Edwards Stables.

Godsword, ridden by Nazerul Alam and owned by Suranji Jayakody, made a close run but had to settle in third in a race that had a thrilling finish.

Tuscano, ridden by jockey Sanjeevan and owned by MGMR Credit & Investments, made a clear run in Class four 1,400-metre race for the Alpine Hotel Cup, closely finishing ahead of Starmont, ridden by K. Aneel and Crack of Dawn ridden by P. Dinesh.

The Class three 1,400-metre race for the Wijeya Newspapers Cup was claimed by Vigorous with jockey T. Pavithran up. The mare owned by D. Ajantha de Soyza made a late start but ran perfectly to win against Carlton, ridden by V. Yogaraj, and Pearl Necklace, ridden by Vivek.

The event was graced by renowned Indian trainer Darius Byramji, the son of the late Dr. Rashid R. Byramji, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Assistant Dr. Athira Sarasan, and former Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Mahinda Dodampegamage. Royal Turf Club will continue the Horse Racing Season 2022 with three more raced in April, with the RTC Magic Million Cup on April 3, the prestigious RTC Governor’s Cup on April 15, and the inaugural RTC Army Commander’s Cup on April 23.             

Results

• Race 1: The Ambassador’s Cup (Class 5, 1070m)

1: Krabi (K. Aneel; Deepthika Jayakody)

2: Torpedo (Ravi Kumar; A.G. Padmakumara Ranasinghe and A.G. Priyantha Kumara Ranasinghe)

3: Go Green (S. Vijayanthan; W.A.M. Ramsis Peter Fernando)

• Race 2: Blackpool Hotel Cup (Class 4, 1070m)

1: Honorious (K. Sanjeevan; MGMR Credit & Investments)

2: Cosmic Feeling (K. Aneel; Edwards Stables)

3: Godsword (Nazerul Alam; Suranji Jayakody)

• Race 3: Dr. Rashid R. Byramji Memorial Trophy (Class one, 1,600m)

1: Another Ace (Vivek; Hasanga Jayaratne)

2: Spirited Touch (K. Sanjeevan; MGMR Credit & Investments)

3: Meheran (V. Vogaraj; Hasanga Jayaratne)

• Race 4: The Alpine Hotel Cup (Class four, 1,400m)

1: Tuscano (K. Sanjeevan; MGMR Credit & Investments)

2: Starmont (K. Aneel; Deepthika Jayakody)

3: Crack of Dawn (P. Dinesh; Suranji Jayakody)

• Race 5: Wijeya Newspapers Cup (Class three, 1,400m)

1: Vigorous (T. Pavithran; D. Ajantha de Soyza)

2: Carlton (V. Yogaraj; Anita Dorai)

3: Pearl Necklace (Vivek; Nishara Jayaratne)