It was an absolutely amazing day of the races at Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC) on January 24, 2025, with the temperature at a pleasant 23 degrees Celsius. The highlight of the day was the Hyderabad Race Club Cup where GLOBAL INFLUENCE, trained by Rajesh Narredu and ridden by jockey S Saqlain, stormed to victory in a stunning 1:25.22, showcasing the pinnacle of racing prowess.
This fifth race of the day, stood out not just for its thrilling competition but also because it offered the highest prize money among today’s events, totaling Rs. 7,50,000. The Class 1 race saw horses rated 81 and above, with GLOBAL INFLUENCE leading the pack, securing Rs. 4,12,500 for its owners, followed by KING’S RETREAT in second, BUCKLEY in third and WHITE ROSES in fourth place.
Kicking off the day was the Abs Fabs Handicap, where MEMPHIS, under the training of Javed Khan and with R Vaibhav as the jockey, clinched the victory, adding Rs. 1,65,000 to the kitty. The race was run over 1100 meters with a record time of 1:04.01 previously set by LA DOMINATE. MEMPHIS‘s performance was a great start to an eventful day of horse racing.
In the second race, The Angelo Handicap, LUCKY NINE, trained by Rajender Reddy and with jockey R Manish, took the win, earning a substantial Rs. 2,75,000. The race spanned 2400 meters, with LUCKY NINE outpacing FELIX, CELTIC HARLEQUIN and MULTISTARRER, showcasing a strong performance in the Class 3 category.
The third race, The Credit Squeeze Handicap, saw NO WORRY, trained by Rutherford Alford and ridden by Imran Chisty, crossing the finish line first to claim Rs. 2,20,000. Over a distance of 1600 meters, NO WORRY demonstrated exceptional speed and strategy, leaving ANNETTE, SUPARAKIGA and EMPEROR ASHOKA behind.
Moving to the fourth race, The Jaivant Handicap, VINCENT VAN GOGH, trained by B Rajender Reddy with Mukesh Kumar in the saddle, secured the top spot with a prize of Rs. 3,02,500. This race, also over 1600 meters, was a testament to the horse’s form, beating out SATIVUR, MAIN STREET and GREAT GUNS.
Concluding the races for the day was The Amor Amor Handicap, where MATHANGI, under the guidance of trainer Dr Anil Kumar and jockey A Ashhad Asbar, took the lead, winning Rs. 2,75,000. This final race over 1100 meters saw MATHANGI outrun SUPERLATIVE, ZUCARDI and XTRAVAGANT STAR, providing a fitting end to an exhilarating day of racing.
