Shivalik Storm & Zachary will follow Be Safe in ABV Nucleus Indian 2000 Guineas - By Bob Sawhny
Posted on - 19 Dec 2014
Shivalik Storm & Zachary will follow Be Safe in ABV Nucleus Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1)
By Bob Sawhny
Mumbai: It is an extremely likely foregone conclusion, that the champion colt Be Safe (Holy Roman Emperor-Oriental Lady) who towers over all the Indian 3YO’S will be an authoritative victor of The ABV Nucleus Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) which will be run here on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014. This prestigious Classic race has a field of Nine Horses & it is the 7th Race scheduled to be run at 4.30P.M. in a Card of 8 Events. But what about the fate of the other impeccably bred runners? This matter definitely requires a thorough and careful study. And in my opinion, the horses that will follow Be Safe home and get a place are the duo of Shivalik Storm & Zachary. Furthermore, in my assessment the aforementioned duo in this prestigious Classic are discussed hereunder along with their Racing Career Record, Pedigree, Good Track-Work & other relevant factors, if any and finally My Analysis:
SHIVALIK STORM (Dancing Forever- Badraan) Trainer: C.D. Katrak
He is an extremely good-looking and sturdily built bay son of Dancing Forever who in his 7 runs has had 3 Wins, come second once & finished third on two occasions which shows that he is a consistent performer. His wins were on 17/11/2013 which was his maiden win as a two-year-old. Then, his second win was on 18/1/2014-The 1200M Gool S. Poonawalla Million (Gr.3) when he decisively beat the good filly Maisha and then subsequently, his third victory was on 23/2/2014-The 1400M Poonawalla Breeders Multi-Million (Gr.1) in which he beat the high class colt Be Safe by a Neck. It must be borne in mind, that his last run was on 12/10/2014 in The 2000M Nanoli Stud Pune Derby (Gr.1) in which he ran a fairly good third to Quasar and Maisha.
Pondering over his Pedigree, his Sire Dancing Forever (Rahy – Dancing Dreams) statistics are 24 Starts: 5 Wins, 6Places, 4 Shows $ 934,570. At 4:Won My Dear Peggy S. (CRC,9F)At 5:Won Manhattan H. (G1,Bel,10FT), Elkhorn S. (G2,Kee,12FT)2nd Gulfstream Park Turf S. (G1,GP)
3rd Breeders' Cup Turf (G1,OSA,12FT).
And his Dam Badraan (Danzig-Gold Sunrise)won 3 races& Grandam Gold Sunrisefrom 11 Starts, had 3 Wins, 3 Places, 1 Show Career Earnings: $199,676 1st Golden Rod S. -G3,2nd Pocahontas S. –L, 3rd Alcibiades S. -G3. Therefore, Shivalik Storm has an impeccable pedigree.
Although, Shivalik Storm has not run for over two months, he has been working well with regular consistency since September. And on 1/12/2014, Shivalik Storm performed superbly in a Mock Race run over 1400M in which he was hard held throughout but still finished a very close third to Rosie Sunshine and Wentworth. Neck, 1/2L in 1-25 (-20), 600 36 (-9). Then, just to keep himself fit, on 17/12 he smoothly and very easily went over 600 in 39 (-6) and recently on 18/12 Shivalik Storm along with Starry Eyes shone in his winding up spurt stylishly doing 1200 in 1-20 (-10).Timekeepers Remark- Former trounced latter.
My Final Analysis:The exquisitely bred and very well-conformed bay gelding Shivalik Storm is presently very fit as per his admirable track-work. As such, Shivalik Storm should run a very commendable race and although he doesn’t have any chance of beating the phenomenal colt- Be Safe, Shivalik Storm appears to be a cinch for a Place and he may even run second.
ZACHARY (Kingda Ka - Yantai) Trainer: Janardhan
He is a tall and sturdy very good looking, dark chestnut gelding, with a stylish white diamond insignia on his forehead. Zachary has run thrice, won his last 2 races over 1600M in succession very authoritatively and finished a good 3rd to Godspeed and Rule Downunder in his maiden run on 27/4/2014 in Mumbai. Then on 23/8/2014 (Pune) Zachary domineeringly won a 1600M handicap race, by a widening 3-1/4L in which 13 horses ran, in a race for horses rated 20-46. Subsequently, on 21/9/2014 (Pune) Zachary very impressively triumphed in The 1600M S. A. Poonawalla Multi-Million (Gr.2) a terms race for 3YO horses, in which 8 horses ran and he literally trounced one and all, eventually winning by a widening 5L in a speedy time of 1-37.94s. His exemplary win, conspicuously divulged, that he is improving with each win and is well in line for a hat-trick over a trip up to 1600M. But, he flopped in his next run on 12/10/2014 and finishing a poor 5th behind Quasar, Maisha, Shivalik Storm & Tatianain The 2000M Nanoli Stud Pune Derby (Gr.1). Zachary’s highly dismal run in The Nanoli Stud Pune Derby (Gr.1) was because he could not stay the 2000M trip and he, is at best, a Miler.
Browsing over his pedigree, his ‘Sire’ Kingda Ka {Aus} won 2 races at 3 & 4 (1300m and 1400m), Aus $ 347,775 and placed 7 times including. 2nd in Dubai Rosehill Guineas (Gr.1), Schweppes Royal Sovereign Stakes (Gr.2), Gold Golden Stakes, L, 3rd in Tooheys New Golden Rose (Gr.2), etc. Retired to stud in 2010. His first crop is in training. This is his second crop.
And Zachary’s ‘Dam’ Yantai (Greensmith-Gentle And Bold) won 3 races Rs4,87,550 and placed and Zachary’s ‘Grandam’ Gentle And Bold{CAN}won 4 races at 2 to 4 $ 184, 422 dam of 9 good winners: -Proteus 3 wins Rs.22,18,351 incl. S.A. Poonawalla Million (Gr.2) & 3rd in Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1), Bold Prospector, 3 wins $80, 687, Italian Dzire 3 wins Rs.6,15,660, Boldly Inspired 2 wins $ 59,718, Prost 2 wins Rs.8,70, 206, Bold Dancer 2 wins Rs.6,18,546, On A Dare 4 wins H. K. HK$ 6,441,775,Wunderbar1 win Rs.2,76,00,Yantai above.
Plus, Zachary’s dam’s Tail-Line is a good one, as it goes down to the likes of Gentle Girl, a maiden, but she was the dam of 8 good winners: Gentle Inspiration 8wins $141,541, Gentle And Bold 4 wins184,422 , Gentleman’s Copy 9 wins $198,298; Gentree12wins $164,995, Gentle Buck 6wins $ 65,983. Other winners: Color Me Cool, Miss Gaylin and Absolute Pleasure. Hence, Zachary is a well bred gelding, who will win more races provided he is confined up to 1600M.
My Final Analysis: The impeccably bred Zachary after his two very authoritative & splendid successive wins over 1600M, in the 2014 Pune Season, flopped badly in The Nanoli Stud Pune Derby (Gr.1) because he could not stay the 2000M trip. But, now since he is running over his optimum trip and has worked fairly well in December 2014 on the 1st, 7th, 17th & 19th, Zachary may come 3rd in The ABV Nucleus Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1).
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the author’s personal views.)
