The Mysore Dasara Sprint Championship had a field of 10 top class sprinters at the races held on friday the 19th of October at Mysore. Jersey Pride won this event with a measure of comfort and made his sporting owner Ananth Iyengar a very proud man. Iyengar is an NRI businessman based in New Jersey and has a string of horses with trainer M Eshwer, all of them having names starting with the word "Jersey". The starting line-up included the highest rated filly in Indian racing called Haunting Memories. She was installed as the even-money-favourite by the bookmakers with Hesperus being second in demand at 7 to 2. For the rest you could almost write your own card.
The race started with jockey Appu taking Jersey Pride to the front, followed by Haunting Memories, Lady one and Hesperus in that order. The moment they straightened out at the 400-metre marker, it became apparent that Haunting Memories was in trouble. Jockey B Prakash gave her a couple of
backhanders and soon realized that it was an impossible task to get her moving this afternoon. Meanwhile, Appu on Jersey Pride was sailing away from the field, and could even afford a cheeky look to see if there was anyone close by. In the end, Jersey Pride won from Hesperus, Lady One and Upper Crust. The last named covered a lot of ground in the straight and should be followed profitably during the Bangalore winter races. Jersey Pride's performance would certainly make this year’s Dashera celebrations at the Iyengar household in New Jersey more "joyous".
The 2,000 metres race for horses in class II was another event which promised to be extremely interesting. Arjun Mangalorkar-trained 3-year old Local Warrior was going out to try and win his 4th race in his short racing career. He was installed as a joint favourite along with Guided Missile and
Stafire. Local Warrior, in his customary front-running style took over the running from the word "go", and was never headed. Suraj Narredu asked him the question in the straight, and the two of them sailed away to an easy victory ahead of Stafire and a struggling Guided Missile. Arjun must be
complimented for keeping this colt in fine trim, and for successfully exploiting the staying potential of his ward. Local Warrior has now reached Class I.
Jockey Appu was involved in another easy victory on the Md Khan-trained Serious Warrior. It was gained at the expense of B Prakash-ridden Glorious Quest. Appu took this 6-to-1 shot to the front within the first 200 metres and thereafter rode him hands and heels for an easy victory. Mexican Wave
plodded on to be a faraway third.
Suraj Narredu took Heroines Beauty, a mare trained by his father S. Narredu, to the front from a wide draw. She jumped out awkwardly, but as soon as Suraj tried to straighten her out, she became very keen and charged away to go start to finish. In the end she won from a late finishing Belle Chose and
Amazing Forest. Missident got left at the start and trailed the field into the straight. She covered a lot of ground to finish in mid bunch and can pick up a race in the near future.
Bravo Bedford won his second consecutive race for trainer Monappa. Apprentice Gaurav Sapra rode a neat race to win from the favourite Havana and Janasheen.
There was inspired betting on the B Prakash-ridden Dakota Fanning. This was the 4th consecutive time in the last 12 months that this filly was running as an odds-on-favourite at the Mysore race track. V Colgan-ridden Pret a Porte went to the front with Dakota Fanning in hot chase. The favourite packed up soon after turning for home, and it was left to Suraj Narredu and Himas Pride to challenge the leader. Pret a Porte lasted out to win by a head. Dakota Fanning ended a faraway third.
The 7-year old Princess Chand and 8-year old Classy Babe won the two B class races reserved for Mysore-based horses. Jockeys KPG Appu and Suraj Narredu shared the days honours, each riding a double.
