Jockey Mark Gallagher perhaps needed a lung opener as much as the horses he was astride! He lost two races on favourites in photo finishes, which he might have been able to win more often than not. Michael Eshwer trained Endorsement who had some decent performances to her credit, went into the 1400 metres Badami Cup, a race for horses rated 30 to 45, as the shortest priced horse of the week. The Placerville progeny who was running on the Bangalore track for the first time, raced in fourth or fifth position as Red Quartz set a fast pace. But the favourite failed to quicken in the manner she was expected to and even as Gallagher was working his way to get the better of the front-runners came Lokanth Gowda’s One So Wonderful from the rear, with a lightning run in the hands of whip less apprentice J Shukla. The Cruachan progeny, who was recovered remarkably from a tendon problem, fought out the issue with the favourite to prevail in the end. One So Wonderful thus recorded an encore in the hands of Shukla who is shaping up well. Resist The Force showed some old sparkle when finishing third.

Jockey Gallagher was baffled by the run of Endorsement. ``The filly has always run well against tougher opponents in terms races but in handicap races, against inferior opposition, she hasn’t been at her best. Nevertheless, I expect her to put up a much better performance in the Maharaja’s Cup,’’ he said.

Gallagher once again found himself out-ridden in the last race of the day where Royal Mission lost by a whisker to Great Occasion in the most exciting finish of the day. The run benefit that Great Occasion had, made the difference to the outcome though it must be mentioned that jockey Prakash is riding like one possessed and the horses too are going nicely for him. Prakash who brought Great Occasion the shortest home way home, pushed his mount on the outside of the front-running Regal Society to take charge inside the final 200 metres. Jockey Gallagher did not wait for an opening on the inside and preferred to switch Royal Mission on the outside and the Green Forest progeny came up with a flourish but just about failed to beat the front-runner by the shortest of margins. There was a flood of money on Calcutta challenger Calorescence but the filly never gave hope at any stage of the race. Grassisgreener moved from the rear to finish a suggestive third.

Gallagher once again was left to explain the defeat of yet another of his wards during the weak. ``Royal Mission was done in by lack of a race run but the run holds out great promise. The Green Forest progeny has lot of class in him but he would relish staying trips. He has in him, the talent to be a live force in the Derby trips.’’

Trainer Arjun Mangalorkar who is enjoying a good season, did not go empty handed by the defeat of Royal Mission. Earlier in the day, first timer Dee Emm proved too speedy for his opponents in the 1200 metres Prabalo Plate (Div I) to win at the expense of favourite Star Splendour who found the trip going against him. Star Splendour who is bred for twice the distance that he was asked to run, found foot only after the front-running Dee Emm had sewn up the race. The four-year old colt’s debut run was delayed due to a chip knee. The temperamental Dee Emm had been sent back to the Dashmesh Stud last year after he suffered a setback and he came back in good shape to make a bold show in his debut run. Dee Emm, which stands for the stud farm Dashmesh where he was bred, is by Green Forest out of Classic Style. The small made Dee Emm can repeat. Caesarr who was out for an airing, finished third ahead of Hyderabad’s Shining Bright on whom there was spirited betting for place.

Abdullah trained In A Flash which had provided Satish Narredu with his 1000th winner, defied the penalty for his runaway win, with a start to finish effort in the 1400 metres Flirting Vision Plate. Pink Squirrel, who finished full of running, could have upset the favourite but he was baulked for an opening along the rails at a crucial stage of the race. Pink Squirrel whose jockey Krishnan nevertheless was not too serious, should be too good miss next time out. The run of Just Do It was suggestive.

The ante-post favourite Atlantis was withdrawn from the fray, which resulted in Luca Brassi running as a favourite at cramped odds. The Steinbeck progeny’s looks or his credentials did not justify such a short quote and the well-backed Ankole who led from the word `go’, held on to win from a late-finishing favourite. Top The Star’s third was one for the notebook. Krishnan ended up coughing up a fine for badly cutting off Comic Strip at around the 600 metres marker. 

The opener of the day went the way of Santosh Rao trained Krugar Park who was left to take on a disinterested opposition. After tracking Plain Truth into the straight, jockey Warren Singh pushed Kurgar Park into the front inside the final 400 metres and the Mulholande progeny easily thwarted the belated the challenge of Anonyme. Jockey Raja Rao who took thingseasy on Sunny Spice ended up with a suspension for aweek for his unsatisfactory effort.