STYLISH WIN BY EXCEPTION IN THE CALCUTTA FILLIES TRIAL STAKES

In the first race of her career Exception (Western Aristocrat-Edessya) was piloted by ace jockey David Allan where she had a hampered passage over the 7f trip finishing in fifth to Eastern Star who will be next seen in the Colts Trial Stakes. The field was reduced to five runners with Venezia being withdrawn on the morning of the race as she developed a swelling on her left fore.

Ridden this time out by Hindu Singh in the Calcutta Fillies Trial Stakes over the same distance, she was positioned in third behind the leader and favourite in the race Aashna, who was followed closely by stable mate Alyssa. Miss Lily ranged up alongside Exception with Cadillac sticking to the rear. As heads turned for home Aashna looked determined to keep the lead with both Exception and Alyssa being pushed hard to catch up. Miss Lily dropped back allowing Cadillac to catch up with her. Hindu Singh was driving his ward forcefully waiting for the gap to appear between Aashna and Alyssa and when he got the whiff he was through in a flash. The front running Aashna fell back completely with Alyssa heading for a rail run and Cadillac who made dramatic improvement to challenge the winner on her outside. The James McKeown-trained Exception went on to win by a nice margin of 2¼ lengths in 1:27.32 secs from the fast finishing Cadillac. Alyssa was 1¼ lengths away in third with 4 lengths separating her from Miss Lily. The favourite Aashna was a disappointing 8¾ lengths behind the winner, last of five. In all her previous four starts jockey Suraj Narredu has ridden her with the pace, so the change of tactics of taking her to the front probably did not suit her.