Trainer Zareer Darashah has been traditionally known to strike early during every season and in keeping with that trend, he led in four winners through Marcus Aurelius, Barassie, Machrie Bay and Whatmore. With two wins on Saturday, he ended up with six winners for the week but the trainer said he would have been happier had two races during the week had not gone void for paucity of runners as he could have added two more to his tally. 

The authorities erred in running the eighth race in blinding rain. The Stewards could have instructed the starter to delay the proceedings since visibility was so poor that there was danger to both the horses and the jockeys as they could hardly see beyond 10 metres and the commentator could not sight the horses. Luckily nothing untoward happened but had the authorities waited for a few minutes, the race could have been held in more friendly conditions. Since the conditions have a bearing on the chances of horses running in a race, it is not too much expect the authorities to be fair to the betting public. Jockey Srinath tried to steal the race with a start to finish attempt on Winelight but jockey Appu who kept Machrie Bay a handy second, upset his calculations to win the R Khodayar Memorial Plate (Div I). The latter moved up well inside the final 200 metres to win with a measure of comfort. Long shot Whitehall finished third in the hands of Mrs Silva.

Mrs Silva was however seen in her familiar ways when astride Silvano in the lower division of the race where her patented leisurely ways ensured that the Excalibur’s Lake progeny narrowly failed to get the berth among the first three. Grisogono, in the hands of jockey Warren Singh, put in a good burst of speed on the wide outside, to get the measure of front-running Musselburgh. Classic Belle pipped Silvano for the third slot. The Stipes slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on Mrs Silva for her lackluster effort on Silvano which has no become a recurring feature.

The trainer-jockey combination of Darashah and Appu won both the divisions of the Mount Everest Plate, a terms race for three-year olds, over seven furlongs. While Appu had an arm-chair ride to victory on Whatmore who won the upper division of the race as he pleased at the expense of Anchor and Figaro, he had to stretch himself to the full to guide Marcus Aurelius to victory over St Lucinda whose effort was eye-catching. Sriram Komandur’s Good Hope, one of the strong public fancies, was not sighted at the busy end.

Yet another favourite, trained by the same trainer, to bite the dust was Go Honey Go who was backed to on-money favouritism in the 1100 metres Aureole Time Plate. One does not remember when the trainer has led on a winner at such cramped odds. Loknath Gowda’s
Private Emotions who had the advantage of a five-kg allowance jockey in J Shukla, led from the start and then stretched away from the opposition, to win in great style. Semoran came from a long way back to finish second ahead of the favourite.

Ponnappa trained Arroganto who is a late foal, had run a good second in his only outing in winter and he won the 1200 metres Heir Apparent Plate, a race for three-year olds, leading from the start and being eased up long way from home. Rush chased without hope while April Ace, under the merciless slogging by Gopal Rao, finished third. 

The Superior fitness of Barassie made the difference to the outcome of Malenahalli Plate (Div I). Jockey Appu did well to steal the march over the opposition and it held him in good stead as Win Ameen came charging home to finish a noteworthy second. In the lower division, Trainer Samar Singh had a welcome winner in Masti who despite veering out from a straight course, did enough to stave off the challenge of favourite Water Baby.