AMAZING PERFORMANCE BY NORTHERN ALLIANCE IN THE MYSORE 2000 GUINEAS, GR.3

Some horses take their time to get their act going and the Neil Devaney-trained Northern Alliance (Gusto-Allonia) has proved that point. Patience and confidence was rewarded during the Bangalore summer season when he won his first Group race, the Bangalore Summer Million. His prep race in Mysore did not quite go according to plan with three fillies getting the better of him, the winner Abira 1½lengths ahead of him at the post. The connections of Abira were so confident that she could repeat that performance in the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Gold Club Mysore 2000 Guineas, Gr.3 that a week later she took on seven colts in an effort to do the Guineas double.

Northern Alliance, the son of Gusto was not going to have any of that. Fresh from success in the fillies’ equivalent, jockey Suraj Narredu was raring to go. However, he had quite a horse on his hands that ran a race where for the greater part of the race, he was out of vision on television screens.

There was an even start to the race except for Northern Alliance and Supremo who trailed the field by a couple of lengths at the start. Alexander Burnes took the lead with Abira, Southern Ruler and Malwa following, Corona Del Corsa and Star Cavalry next, with the back markers slowly catching up with the field. The field got tighter as they emerged round the bend with Northern Alliance having to make his way widest of all. Still in second last as they straightened for home Northern Alliance began drifting but was quickly corrected by some stern reminders from the whalebone. It made a momentary difference and barely straightening for a few seconds, Northern Alliance took all the powerful left-handed reminders that his jockey could muster and defiantly too him all the way, almost onto the sand track. With all these antics he was not visible on the television screens that had given up on him and were concentrating on the rest of the field led by Southern Ruler, a tiring Abira and the fast galloping Malwa. Back in the picture again he amazed all with his power packed finish to land the Classic with 1¾lengths to spare to Malwa who put in a creditable challenge. Abira and Star Cavalry followed them home.

Having run more than the mile to win this race the property of Mr Clinton Miller, Mr Sujay Chandrahas, Mr Dean Stephens & Mr Martin Alan Wheeler will have to work hard to behave and run a straight course in the Derby as he will have more competition to deal with. Jockey Suraj Narredu who completed the Guineas double having won the 1000 Guineas with Cosmic Ray is posed with a real dilemma. Which horse will he ride in the Mysore Derby?