Here and Now steals the show with the RTC Magic Million Cup in N’ Eliya

RTC Magic Million Cup Race Day 2023

Here and Now, along with local star jockey L. Ravi Kumar, stole the limelight after thundering their way to win the RTC Magic Million Cup – the main event of the day – at the RTC Magic Million Cup Race Day 2023, held at the picturesque Nuwara Eliya Racecourse on Sunday (23).

The 7-year-old seasoned runner claimed the terms race with a distance of 1800 metres and pushed all other contenders aside to claim the title, giving jockey L. Ravi Kumar and owners the Edwards Stables their hat-trick of wins of the day. The victory also marked trainer S.D. Mahesh’s rare four-out-of-four wins, as the winning team celebrated a well-deserved end to their committed season.

Western Wind, with jockey K. Vivek up and trained by S.V. Mathialagan, owned by Hasanga Jayaratne and Paba Jayaratne, made a late surge but couldn’t match the pace of the winners, who finished by over a length and a half ahead.

Last week’s RTC Governor’s Cup winning combination of Another Ace, jockey K. Sai Kiran, trainer S.V. Mathialagan, and owner Hasanga Jayaratne, had to be satisfied with a third-place finish. Jockey L. Ravi Kumar navigated Here and Now four times earlier this season, and the duo has finished twice as winners with the running of the RTC Magic Million Cup.

Earlier, Glittering and jockey L. Ravi Kumar combined to win the opening race of the day for the Petmart Trophy for horses rated 20 to 45 handicap.

After a series of continuous failures in the starting gate, Glittering, the 12-year-old mare owned by Edwards Stables, made the perfect start and went on to dominate the entire course of 1070 metres, giving jockey L. Ravi Kumar, trainer S.D. Mahesh and owners Edwards Stables, their first win of the day. Street Cat and Indian jockey K. Vivek, trained by S.V. Mathialagan, and owned by Gamini Jayaratne and J.R.S. Irugalbandara, finished in second place. Trainer S.D. Mahesh had a third-place finish in Krabi, ridden by Indian jockey S.J. Sunil and owned by the Edwards Stables.

Indian jockey S.J. Sunil achieved his first victory at the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse riding Cosmic Feeling, a 7-year-old mare, to a brilliant canter in the final straight and winning the French Ambassador Cup - a 1400-metre race for horses rated 56 to 76 handicap. Trainer S.D. Mahesh recorded his second consecutive win of the day with Cosmic Feeling owned by Dagmar Woehrl. The win marked the mare's first of the season in the final appearance of the RTC #VisitSriLanka Horseracing Season 2023.

With the withdrawal of Meheran on veterinary grounds, Legendary Princess, ridden by jockey L. Ravi Kumar, trained by S.D. Mahesh, and owned by the Edwards Stables, finished in second place, close behind the winner.

Jockey L. Ravi Kumar clinched his second win of the day as he steered Crack of Dawn to a stunning victory in the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Trophy. The 7-year-old mare, owned by the Edwards Stables, triumphed in the 1400-metre race for horses rated 45 to 60 handicap, dashing the hopes of top contenders Queens Hall and Admiral Nelson. The win also marked trainer S.D. Mahesh's third consecutive victory in the third race of the RTC Magic Million Cup 2023.

Despite Queens Hall, ridden by K. Sai Kiran, trained by S.V. Mathialagan, and owned by Hasanga Jayaratne and Paba Jayaratne, showing some promise with a late surge in the final stretch, Crack of Dawn proved to be too strong and secured the win. Admiral Nelson, ridden by K. Vivek, trained by S.V. Mathialagan, and owned by Hasanga Jayaratne and Paba Jayaratne, who had won just over a week ago at the RTC Governor’s Cup, failed to impress and finished in third place.

The win marked jockey L. Ravi Kumar's third victory on Cosmic Feeling this season, having won all three races in which they participated together.

Jockey L. Ravi Kumar clinched his fourth win of the day as he guided City Shot to a comfortable victory in the terms race for half-bred horses, which was run for the Blackpool Hotel Cup. The 1000-metre race saw Kumar keep City Shot, owned by S. Loganathan and trained by S.V. Mathialagan, in the lead from the beginning, resulting in a win with a significant margin. Despite Hellen, ridden by jockey G. Pugan and trained by L.M. Prasanna Niroshan, attempting to keep up with the winner, the runner owned by R. Silva finished in a distant second. Webhudi, owned by Nilantha Kumara, ridden by A. Dillan, and trained by Sridher Selveratnem, secured third place.

Results:

• RTC Magic Million Cup (1800 metres): 1. Here and Now- L. Ravi Kumar (Edwards Stables), 2. Western Wind- K. Vivek (Hasanga Jayaratne and Paba Jayaratne), 3. Another Ace - K. Sai Kiran (Hasanga Jayaratne);
• Petmart Trophy (1070 metres): 1. Glittering - L. Ravi Kumar (Edwards Stables), 2. Street Cat - K. Vivek (Gamini Jayaratne and J.R.S. Irugalbandara), 3. Krabi - S.J. Sunil (Edwards Stables);
• French Ambassador Cup (1400 metres): 1. Cosmic Feeling - S.J. Sunil (Dagmar Woehrl), 2. Legendary Princess - L. Ravi Kumar (Edwards Stables);
• Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Trophy (1400 metres): 1. Crack of Dawn - L. Ravi Kumar (Edwards Stables) 2. Queens Hall - K. Sai Kiran (Hasanga Jayaratne and Paba Jayaratne), 3. Admiral Nelson - K. Vivek (Hasanga Jayaratne and Paba Jayaratne);
• Blackpool Hotel Cup (1000 metres): 1. City Shot - L. Ravi Kumar (S. Loganathan), 2. Hellen, G. Pugan (R. Silva) - 3. Webhudi, A. Dillan (Nilantha Kumara).

Text by: Shannon Nicholas