ADAMILE SHOWS TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT

Almaz (Rajesh up) which upset the field in the Udhagamandalam Cup, being led in by trainer N A Ponnappa

Lizzie Borden (Khalander up), winnner of Mysore Jewellery Mart Plate being led in by trainer M Eshwer.

Trainer Ravi Shankar leads in Sand Lord (Prithviraj up), winner of   Esquire Plate (Div II)

Sea Witch (Harish up), winner of  August Plate, being led in by trainer M Eshwer. Incidentally, the win on Sea Witch enabled to record a treble.

Guernica (Harish up), winner of  Shimoga Plate (Div II) by trainer C A Kuts and owner Behroz Abadian

TRAINER Darius Byramji is going to sweep the classics all over the country judging by the manner in which his wards have been firing. In Adamile, he has a classic horse who appears invincible at least upto trips over a mile.

The brilliant manner in which the Razeen-Climbing High three-year old filly Adamile hammered a seasoned opposition on Friday (August 25) in what is only her fourth run of her career, speaks volumes about her ability. She has made tremendous strides since her debut run in the Nanoli Juvenile Million at Bangalore during March last where she surprised everyone by finishing third. The difficult conditions and a seasoned opposition had no bearing on her performance as Adamile sped away for an effortless win in the Nanoli Juvenile Million which highlighted the races held on Friday. The Mysore 1000 Guineas is surely at her mercy.

The terms of the race favoured Starry Scene who had run game races in the past, her close second behind Allaire being her best. However, like her stallion Mukaddamah, she seems to have made no progress as a three-year old. Mukkaddamah was a brilliant first season performer who never trained on in the later years and Starry Scene whose smashing debut win spoke of great things to come, has tapered off.

With opinion divided as to who would prove superior between Starry Scene and Adamile, both ended up as joint favourites. Symphony of Fire who was the highest rated horse in the fray, has  been a brilliant performer upto a mile and over the extended trip of seven furlongs, her effectiveness was in doubt. In the event, Symphony of Fire held on gamely to finish second even as Adamile, after gracing the rear for most part of the journey, flew past the rest on the wide outside, to give jockey Aslam Kader an arm-chair ride to victory. In a three-horse photo finish, Symphony of Fire was ahead of Royal Satin by a `head'  who in turn was an identical distance ahead of Starry Scene. Royal Satin lived upto her brilliant work-outs by finishing third. Make a note of Compliance, the Placerville progeny who finished a close fifth after running prominently in the front right through.

Adamile's performance took her right behind Allaire and Six Speed in terms of the official rating.

Things were expected to be difficult to punters as the crowded card did not give out any clear cut winners. In fact, the two day programme ended in misery for the race-goers. Even horses like Avocation who was expected to have it easy, struggled hard to win. With there being no terms race for maiden three-year olds like in Bangalore Summer, the maiden three-year olds are finding it tough to concede penalty as evidenced by the run of Avocation and the victory of older horses like Almaz and Sea Witch. The three-year olds too expectedly found the open surroundings of the Mysore race course a trifle difficult to adjust besides finding the ``dead''   underfoot conditions difficult to cope with.

Satish Narredu trained Paris Lights won the day's opener on Friday at the expense of rank outsider London Beauty. Jockey Prakash had to use all the resources at his command to drive out the average got-abroad to a resolute win. Chandan Ka Palana who received tremendous support in the betting ring, finished in the rut, and returned lame. Apprentice jockey Harish who has left the Dr Ramaswamy brigade, however, was seen in his elements later in the day, recording a treble. Harish certainly has great promise provided success does not go to his head.

Zareer Darashah trained Pharoah has won his first outing of each season. And keeping with that trend, the small made Pharoah staved off the challenge of stablemate Glass Slipper to prevail in a close finish. Favourite Gracious Rohit was    third while Gallant Chief who was a fancied runner, gave a poor account of himself.

C A Kuts trained Guernica had found one better in Bangalore when he finished behind Shoorveer. The Ajaad progeny made amends but not before getting a scare from another lesser fancied horse in Alisa. The photo-finish camera ruled the race in favour of Guernica. Cavala was a tame third while First Classic who was strongly fancied, perhaps found the initial pace too hot to handle.

Trainer Puttanna, for some strange reasons, persists with running Jersey Lightning over a sprint when the Pearl of Life progeny cries for more ground. Ahmedulla trained Hot Property who was ignored in the betting ring despite having credentials, made her own running and held on to win from a late-finishing Jersey Lightning who necked out Surge of Power for the second spot.

The run of Loknath Gowda trained Always Dancing was intriguing to say the least. The Excalibur's Lake progeny who had run a blinder of race behind Ace Beret in her last outing, was the betting rage in the upper division of the Bangalore Plate, a race for horses rated 10 to 25. However, Always Dancing was never in the hunt, finishing a dismal 10th out of 12 horses. Resplendent Star who had been a pretty consistent performer at Bangalore Summer, won the race quite easily from Frontier Hero and Mehvish.

Rashid Byramji trained Princelene was unfortunate not to have won in Bangalore as the Procida progeny had run some good races during the Summer season.She made amends, with a comfortable win over Pretty Boy Floyd who ran well without blinkers.

The day's biggest upset came when five-year old mare Almaz trounced the opposition in the Udhagamandalam Cup, a race for horses rated 20 to 35. Fancied Clyde Barrow, Gullane and Silver Toy proved no match for the seasoned Almaz who perhaps relished the underfoot conditions to win as she liked.

The trend of older horses dominating continued as Sea Witch just about held on to win from Al Habib, with apprentice Harish riding a neat race on the winner. Favourite Stately Girl was a poor third. The Sir Bruce progeny Stately Girl who had recorded two smashing wins at Bangalore, definitely would do better over extended trips now that she has reached her class.

Darashah's efforts in bringing Atomic Fusion to the desired mark paid off as the Batzushka progeny held on to win from Rashid Byramji trained Argyle gold, the Ranganathittu Plate, a race for horses rated 10 to 25. Atomic Fusion was lucky in a way as veteran jockey Shafiq lost his whip at a crucial stage of the race and that perhaps prevented Argyle Gold from recording her second win of her career. The Byramjis who have a big string of horses are going to make things tough for other trainers in every class of races.

DARIUS BYRAMJI's Al Dente who had recorded three smashing wins in her last three races, was considered a certainty in the 1600 metres H H Sri Narasimharaja Wadiyar Memorial Gold Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, the feature event of the opening day's races held on Thursday. Aslam Kader appeared to have the race at his mercy as he put Al Dente into the lead inside the final 250 metres but the hopes of the supporters of the favourite were short-lived as Acrosto came up with a brilliant run from the rear to win close home. Acrosto, the Steinbeck-Gourgandine progeny, has been a late bloomer like all his half brothers like Avalanche Star and Allied Forces. Apprentice Ramesh was found wanting on Astronautics as the World Tour progeny finished with a rattle to finish an eye-catching third. La Unique was always prominent and she should strike during the season.

Robert Foley's Royal Emperor was one of those fancied runners to oblige on a day where outsiders ruled the roost. The Steinbeck progeny had it easy over Ispahan, with favourite Ammeter giving a poor account of herself.

The Mysore Jewellery Mart Gold Cup, a race for horses rated 30 to 45, produced a shocker in the form of Michael Eshwer trained Lizzie Borden who won much to the surprise of everyone in the hands of Khalander whose career wins in recent years can be easily counted in finger tips. Eyewitness who was not handled to advantage by Prithviraj, finished with a rattle to take the second spot while favourite Sun Reality who had a troubled passage, was a noteworthy third.

Fancied Dictate won the inaugural race of the season from lesser fancied River dale and Royal Satsuma but in subsequent races, the lesser fancied ones took over to make things tough for the punters. Opalete was backed as if her defeat was out of action but the Polar Falcon progeny finished in the rut, with Mum's The Word winning with relative ease.

Apprentice jockey Amit D'Silva who has shown good improvement drove out Cormac to a thrilling win over favourite Optical Illusion while Prithviraj opened his account through Sand Lord who was a fancied winner. Darashah's Red Angel was surprisingly allowed to run loose at four to one and the got-abroad won as she liked. Favourite Radiant Bridge finished in the rut, with Cat Cacher finished second ahead of Super Green who came in for big betting for place.

A coup of sorts was brought off on Rober Foley Fairy Prince who circled round the field to win quite comprehensively over Key Witness  and Placid Ark who had a troubled passage. Rosalie was surprisingly off-colour.

The Ooty-based horses which used to dominate the proceddings at Mysore weren't seen to advantage during the opening week and the trend of those races having cake-walks may be a thing of the past. Or is it too early to say that?

FLOAT MISHAP CAUSES PROGRAMME TO GO HAYWIRE

One of the floats used to transport horses from Bangalore to Mysore and vice-versa, met with an accident at Chennapatna, throwing the whole schedule of shifting of horses from Bangalore to Mysore for the races out of gear, causing many horses on both days of racing to be withdrawn.

The float, owned by trainer Cyrus Taraporvala, was involved in an accident, when it was returning  from Mysore, after unloading the horses. The ramp of the float reportedly opened out and hit a cyclist, causing him bleeding injuries. With the float being seized by the Police, the trainers in Bangalore found it difficult to shift the horses to Mysore due to shortage of floats available at this  point of time in Bangalore.

With quite a few of the floats engaged in transporting horses from Bangalore to Pune and to Hyderabad for the plum events there, no substitute float was available. The worst sufferer was trainer M P Mahesh as all his horses which were to run on the opening day were withdrawn as the horses could not be reached to Mysore.

In an interesting twist, trainer M P Mahesh who left by bus the next day to saddle his horses, was stuck somewhere between Kengeri and Bidadi as the bus in which he was travelling broke down!   He could not find other means to reach Mysore. Trainer B Puttanna was asked to deputise for him but with that trainer too in a hurry to catch the afternoon train to Bangalore, it was left to Ravishankar to do the job! Anyway it was all in the family as these three trainers are related.

Darashah leads in Pharoah (Md Shafiq up), winner of Nandi Plate (Div II)

Trainer Ahmedulla leads in Hot Property (Harish up), winner of   Nandi Plate ( Div I)

Trainer Robert Foley leads in Royal Emperor (B Prakash up), winner of Srirangapatna Plate (Div II)

Trainer Darashah leads in Atomic Fusion (Appu up), winner of Ranganathittu Plate

Fairy Prince (Rajendra up), winner of Agumbe Plate, being led in by trainer Robert Foley

Acrosto (Chisty up, his faced covered by the horses's head, winner of  H H Sri Narasimharaja Wadiyar Memorial Gold Cup, being led in by trainer Rashid Byramji

Princelene(Shobhan Babu up) which won the  Shimoga Plate (Div I), being led in by trainer Rashid Byramji.

Red Angel (Appu astride), winner of Ranganathittu Plate (Div II)   being led in by trainer Darashah

Adamile (Aslam Kader up) which won the Nanoli Stud Farm Juvenile Million in splendid fashion, being led in by trainer Darius Byramji.