Indian jockey Irvan Singh steals limelight with hat-trick
The Royal Turf Club (RTC) flagged off its season of horseracing for 2020 with the Premier Cup Raceday, with Indian jockey Irvan Singh claiming a hat-trick of wins at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya.
Singh finished four out of the five races with three wins and a second place finish at the RTC Premier Cup Raceday 2020, for the Edwards Stable, to kickstart a promising horseracing season, at the Nuwara Eliya racecourse on March 8.
Singh guided the famous ‘Queen of Nuwara Eliya’ Alcazaba to a comfortable win in the main attraction of the day, the RTC Premier Cup, after winning the RTC Alpine Hotel Trophy on Goldie Girl and the RTC Daily Mirror Cup on Zulu Fantacy.
All eyes were on the main race of the day, the RTC Premier Cup, for Class 1 thoroughbreds on a distance of 1,400 metres. Singh had already completed a double and was left with a final opportunity of recording a hat-trick, riding the reliable mare, Alcazaba, who competed against Baashagar and Western Wind from the Jayaratne Stables and Carlton owned by Anita Dorai.
Yet the tough competition came from their own elks in the Edwards Stable – Roswald and Santos, who was guided by Kuldeep Singh to a first-second finish in the main race. Western Wind came close behind at third, but yards away from Alcazaba.
Singh’s first win came in the RTC Alpine Hotel Cup, a Class 5, 1,070-metre race, guiding Goldie Girl to win. The next two places were owned by the Jayaratnes – Crimson Quest, ridden by S. Imran and owned by Mr and Mrs Gamini Jayaratne and at third Waiting for Glory, ridden by S. Asgar and owned by Hasanga Jayaratne.
“I’m really thrilled to record a hat-trick after almost a year for Mr and Mrs Edwards. My trainer, Mr. Mahesh is as thrilled as me to complete three wins from five races. This is a very good start for the upcoming two races in April. I’m glad that Alcazaba is still in good touch and perfect form,” said Irvan Singh, the champion jockey of the day.
On Zulu Fantasy, Singh completed his second win in the RTC Daily Mirror Cup for Class 4 horses on a 1,070-metre length. S. Imran finished second, guiding Night King, owned by Nishara Jayaratne while the successful trainer for the Edwards Stable, S.D. Mahesh, enjoyed a victorious day, after Stormont, ridden by Kuldeep Singh, finished third, recording a ‘first-third’ finish in the race.
The petite Indian jockey flagged off the day placing second in the RTC International Women’s Day Cup with Captain Haddock, following winner Another Ace, ridden by S. Imran and owned by Hasanga Jayaratne. Silver Streak, ridden by K. Sanjeewan and owned by Peter Fernando was placed third in the Class 2, 1,400metre race.
The only race Singh could not lay his hand on was the RTC Hi Magazine Trophy race, which was comprehensively won by the avenging Vigorous, ridden by local jockey S.D. Janaka and owned by Ajantha de Soyza. Gazaki, ridden by L. Sanjeewan and owned by Peter Fernando finished second ahead of Arabian Gold, ridden by Kuldeep Singh and owned by Mr and Mrs Edwards in the Class 3, 1,070-metre race.
"We are overwhelmed by the presence of a large number of spectators, who came to witness the Premier Cup Raceday. This only motivates the RTC to be more energetic in the two main races next month," Nihara Jayathilleke, the first female President of RTC, stated.
The RTC Premier Cup Raceday was the first event organized by the Royal Turf Club (RTC) for 2020, after their last racing event, which fell on the fateful Easter Sunday on 21st April, 2019. Since then the RTC had attempted to hold horseracing events, but continuous torrential weather prevented any possibility.
After this Sunday’s success, the RTC intends to hold the two upcoming events next month, the Magic Million Raceday on April 5 and the Governor’s Cup Raceday on April 15 in a grand scale.