Race-goers returned a happy lot on Saturday at Bangalore, with five well-fancied horses winning in a card of six races. With a reprieve from the un-seasonal rains, there was bright sunshine throughout the day. However, the timings indicated that the ground was still holding. Arjun Mangalorkar-trained Shotgunn (Ontario – Dead End) was given a sensible and mighty ride by jockey S. John to win The Garden City Trophy, the main event of the day. Set to cover a distance of seven furlongs, it was Chintz and Enduring Star together in front, as the field entered the straight, with Soberano positioning himself on the far side, readying for a final assault.

As Soberano surged ahead, jockey S. John brought Shotgunn through the wide gap along the rails and with some hard riding shot to take a winning advantage. Enduring Star finished third almost six lengths behind the runner-up Soberano. Jaggy Dhariwal-trained Airplay (Fantastic Light – Payola) outclassed the opposition in The Gangavathi Trophy, a race for maiden horses run over 1,400 metres. Plaka, Cumulus Nimbus and Airplay entered the straight together and the last-named who was being held on tight reins by C.D. Hayes, unleashed a smooth gallop to register a fine win. For the record, Plaka, North Cape and Cumulus Nimbus filled the frame in that order.

The only long-priced horse to win was Tribal Queen (Mr Mellon – Emerald Creek) in The Silicon Valley Plate, the opening race of the day. Pearl Of Bangalore had slipped into the lead, approaching the distance marker but that was short-lived, as Tribal Queen came with a big run, with apprentice N. Rajesh astride, to score an encore. This was the second win in two days for the young lad. Amazing Performer ran into the money with a late attempt, while the two market fancies, Ideal Match and Splendid Dancer, on whom the quotes started to ease out towards race time, were never in the hunt.

Prithviraj-trained Captain’s Lover (Ontario – Anacita) justified the favouritism, in The Chamarajanagar Plate, run over seven furlongs. Making steady progress, while climbing uphill past the 900 metres, Captain’s Lover had got into a striking position, round the final turn to grab the initiative quickly and surge ahead. Lock And Load came along dangerously in the final 100 metres but the superiority of jockey P.S. Chouhan’s riding skills over that of apprentice R. Vaideeshwaran earned a winning berth for Captain’s Lover.

Trainer V. Loknath’s Star League (Polar Falcon – Primary) held on to the lead she had established on the home stretch, to win from the fast finishing Sanfrancisco Girl, in the Half a Crown Plate. Apprentice Noushad Alam rode a well-judged race on Star League, taking her to the front by about three lengths, passing the distance post. Sanfrancisco Girl began to throw a big challenge in the final 100 metres, but fell short by a length at the finish.

Another short-priced runner from S. Padmanabhan’s yard, Love Me Tender (Brave Act – Chilli Girl), emerged victorious in The Huthari Festival Plate, the concluding race of the day. Karisini was withdrawn after she had dropped the rider and bolted. On top of the home stretch, Hamsafar had surged into the lead and with Inspirator also in a forward position, Love Me Tender could not get the gap along the rails that she had anticipated. The filly was running off the bridle and had to be pulled out by David Allan to get into a gallop to pass Hamsafar and win the race.