The Fillies Championship Stakes (Grade I) highlights a good card of nine events at Bangalore on Sunday. The first classic of the season will witness a large group of fifteen taking the starter's call. Quite a few amongst them are really talented, and have it in them to win in top class company. Since some of them have raced more often than the others, their ratings are only indicative of their present form. Portia and Maple Star look much better than the others. The handicapper has rated them alongside each other and well ahead of the other thirteen. Only a "head"  separated them over a mile, when they clashed in the Juvenile Fillies Championship in the second half of March. The big difference between them was the fact that Maple Star had beaten Portia after conceding five kilos to her. Since both were being brought to Bangalore, there were many who felt that at level weights, Maple Star would be difficult to beat in the Fillie's Classic during summer. However, things changed a bit over the next couple of months.

Both Portia and Maple Star were given lead-up races on this track. Portia showed tremendous improvement over her winter form  while trouncing the opposition in The Nanoli Stud Juvenile during the month of May. She looked a "picture" in the paddock that day, and performed accordingly. She seems to have progressed further, as trainer Shroff has been working her with some highly regarded and more experienced stablemates. Portia is poised to run her guts out on Sunday. On the other hand, Maple Star's progress has been a bit disappointing. She had to toil really hard to beat Hyderabad challenger Plenipotent in a class II handicap. Her connections feel that she is back to her best. In my opinion, Portia has made up the five kilos on Maple Star, and the two fillies are closely matched at the moment. 

MK Jadhav's three year old Tachyon has been pitted against some modest opposition in a Class IV handicap on Sunday. After a number of placed efforts in maiden's events at Mahalakshmi, this chestnut finally won a sprint during the closing stages of the Mumbai Season. Ever since his arrival at Bangalore, Tachyon has been regularly sighted on the training track. The connections gave him an easy start in The Nanoli Stud Juvenile Million, wherein, he was able to get a feel of the local track. He is lucky to be eligible to race in the 20-45 category at this centre. Considering the fact that he is running over a suitable trip, Tachyon looks outstanding amongst the present lot of horses. He is accordingly nominated as the day's best betting proposition.