A brilliant burst of speed in the final furlong enabled Imtiaz Sait's three-year-old gelding Pronto Pronto (Major Impact-Sandslash) to win The Kingfisher Derby Bangalore 2011 (Grade I) on Sunday. The winner of The Colt's Championship earlier this season, displayed his staying abilities while landing the richest prize in the history of horse racing in our country. He enjoyed Srinath's handling and responded to the guidance that he received from his regular partner. The race lived up to the expectations of the racing fraternity, and produced one of the most thrilling finishes that we have witnessed on the local track. With the withdrawal of Speed Six a couple of days ahead of this event, 17 runners were paraded in the paddock. The winners of the Fillies and the Colts Championships, in addition to Severstahl, had paid large sums to come into this race as final entrants. In the absence of an outstanding candidate, the bookmakers were happy to offer 4's and over for each and every runner. Samar Singh's Lovely Kiss headed the betting boards for a while, before she was displaced by the Ganapathy-trained Star Marquess. Pronto Pronto and Severstahl had some following while you could write your own card on the others. The biggest ever crowd of over 23,000 graced the occasion, and the excitement began to build up as the horses lined-up in front of them. A huge roar greeted the start of this race.

Magnitude, African Queen, Preordained and Lad King were the early leaders, while the rest of the runners took a while to find suitable positions. Lovely Kiss headed the fancied group by occupying the box-seat in sixth spot. Severstahl and Star Marquess travelled further behind her, while Pronto Pronto graced the rear. Being drawn the widest of all, Srinath had no option but to bide his time at the back. Preordained showed some urgency near the bend and decided to take over the running. Her supremacy was short-lived once Severstahl began to gallop. The horse responded gamely to Imran Khan's whip and swept past the leader. He opened up a nice looking gap into the final furlong. Lovely Kiss and Romantique shaped as his nearest challengers, but it was apparent that they were not making much of an impression. It was at this very moment that Pronto Pronto arrived on the scene. Making his move on the wide outside, he increased his momentum and swept past a bunch of tired horses. He joined Severstahl in a trice, and after a brief duel, managed to get the better of him. A "neck" separated the two of them at the wire. While Srinath had made free use of his whalebone in the final stages of this race, Imran Khan had remained motionless. Apparently, he had dropped his whip in the straight. Romantique flashed late onto the scene to beat a tired Lovely Kiss into fourth place. A delighted Imtiaz Siat led-in his first ever winner of a Kingfisher Derby at Bangalore.

One was immediately reminded of Aboline's victory over Jacqueline in 2009. Even on that day, the winner had been drawn on the wide outside. The only difference was that Aboline had won from start to finish, while Pronto Pronto had come from the back. There were many who had felt that Jacqueline could have won that race. Similarly, there were many who felt that had Imran not lost his whip, the result would have been different today. Severstahl was definitely responding to the stick and once the jockey stopped using it, the horse thought that his job was done. Imran Khan tried to rouse him again with his hands and heels, but that wasn't good enough. For the owners, it was a case of “A slip between the Cup and the Whip”!!! The Cup had literally slipped out of their hands. Imran Khan was quite inconsolable after the race. The tearful jockey kept apologising to the trainer and owners of Severstahl, and was unable to fulfil his riding engagements after the Derby. This was another example that highlighted the uncertainties surrounding this sport. The Speed Six camp was equally disappointed. Their colt had separated Pronto Pronto and Severstahl in the Colt's Championship. Seeing the two of them fighting a duel in the Derby, they were perhaps right in feeling upset at the turn of events. Had their ward run today, there could have been a three-way finish in this year's Kingfisher Derby.

After a lean period in the last couple of weeks, Srinath was back at his best. The win astride Pronto Pronto was his second of the afternoon, as he had already scored a bloodless victory astride Byramji's One Life To Love (Inner City-Just Amazing). This filly had trounced her opponents in a similar race last month, but had been deprived of her prize as she had suffered a disqualification. Srinath had ridden carelessly that day and had hampered the passage of a number of runners in the said race. Running without any penalty, she was an outstanding runner in a long card of ten events framed for today. Srinath chose to hold her behind a bunch of no-hopers and made his move only after entering the straight. The filly moved smoothly and powered away from Enduring Star and Ice Mint. Second favourite Aztec Gold broke down at the top of the straight and his jockey dismounted much before the winning post.

The upper division of the above race went in favour of Irfan Ghatala's Sun Absolute (Ikhtyar-Absolutely). Suraj's return from the USA has been a boon for Irfan's stable. After a double yesterday, the two of them scored another one today. Sun Absolute was the beneficiary of a dream opening through the field, and Suraj was quick to seize it. Once the filly got into her rhythm, there was no hope for the others. She skipped clear of Dance N Celebrate, Gazaki and Camorra. The winner is sure to score again in her next start. The pair of them opened the day's proceedings with another easy victory through Show Time (Midtown-Slim Twist). The speedy three-year-old showed a clean pair of heels to Capote and Royal Fortune. It was more like a procession, as the order remained the same throughout the race. Suraj's relentless pressure ensured a victory for this on-money favourite. Now that Irfan Ghatala has got into his strides, and joined Darius, Arjun, Neil and Ganapathy at the top of the trainers tally, there is a strong possibility that he will clinch the seasonal championship. He has a nice string of horses under his charge, and most of them are reported to be in fine condition.

Hyderabad-based horses have done really well this summer. The visiting runners have won almost every week, and Derby Day was no different. In fact, three of them won during the afternoon. Leo D'Silva's Anacostia (Clodovil-Almost Perfect) showed a lot of speed to out-class her opposition. The filly was a chance ride for Suraj Narredu, who came in as a late replacement for Imran Chisty. Running against a heavily backed I Specialist, Anacostia led from start to finish. The strongly whipped favourite was unable to go anywhere near the winner. Suraj had the luxury of looking back repeatedly in the final stages of a race which helped him complete his personal treble for the afternoon.

Deshmukh-trained Aegis (Royal Kingdom-Adventure) won the only "maidens" event of the day. It was billed as the most competitive race of the afternoon. Padmanabhan's Klipspringer, Arjun's Flying Snow, Ganapathy's Aspects of Love, Satish Narredu's Golden Viper and Deshmukh's Aegis were strongly fancied by their respective connections. It was rumoured that each camp had held them back for the Derby Day. The tail-swishing Klipspringer led from the start, and seemed to have the race under control as the runners entered the final furlong. Aegis extricated herself from a messy situation at the back, and made her move on the wide outside. She devoured ground to beat Klipspringer near the winning post. After a slow getaway, and having to travel wide thereafter, Golden Viper showed a lot of class to finish close behind the winner. This expensive purchase seems to be finding his form, and looks like a readymade winner in his next start. There is no doubt that he would be better suited over a slightly longer trip.

The third Hyderabad based winner today was Vijay's Jet (Alnasr Alwasheek-Ramjet). After a couple of educational runs, this showy colt was tackling open company. Laxman Sigh entrusted him to B Prakash, and the talented jockey did full justice to this runner. Allowing the others to jostle each other, Prakash stayed out of trouble. He settled him nice and easy behind a wall of horses and chose to bide his time till they entered the straight. He came alongside Sunday Storm near the furlong pole and overtook him with ease. Vijay's Jet lengthened his strides and won by a widening margin from Sunday Storm, Whisper In Town and Pronto Star.

Arjun Mangalorkar's Shotgunn (Ontario-Dead End) won a nine-furlong handicap for horses in Class I. It was an ordinary set of horses that faced the starter. Since none of them had shown recent form, the race looked to be an open affair. Yas Marina and Topkapi shared favouritism, but that was only on sufferance. The horses began bunching up as they made their way towards the home bend. Flaming Lamborgini managed to get the better of Topkapi and led the near the distance post. He was challenged on his inside by Shotgunn and by Sunspirit on the very wide outside. In a three-way finish, Shotgunn enjoyed John's strong handling and landed the spoils ahead of Flaming Lamborgini and Sunspirit. Topkapi got tired at the end to finish a tame fourth.

John had a relatively easier time while guiding the fortunes of Dr Anil Kumar's Star Is Born (Black Cash-Star Rock). This horse had been slated to run in the Kingfisher Derby, but had got balloted out at the acceptance stage. Even though he had run well in the Colts Championship, his rating had remained a paltry 28. At such a mark, there was little doubt that he would win this race. Right from the very beginning, it was apparent that Star Is Born was running against inferior opposition. Making steady progress throughout the back-stretch, John skirted the field and released his grip. Star is Born galloped strongly to run away from Equanimity and Smooth Glider. This is another outstation runner who has thrived in local conditions. Star Is Born looks set to win further laurels on his return to Pune.