The striking quality of Imtiaz Sait trained The Proletarian has been his ability to quickly adapt himself to different conditions. More often than not, horses running for the first time on the tricky Bangalore track, have been found wanting. But The Proletarian is such a versatile horse that he has had no problems performing to his potential at most racecourses in the country where he has been raced. The Conquering Hero progeny The Proletarian who was unfortunate not to win the Golconda Derby at Hyderabad earlier in the year, tackled a difficult set of runners in the 1600 metres Karnataka Cup (Grade 3), a rich terms race for four year olds and over quite easily, winning in an excellent timing of one minute 38.59 seconds.

As it happens, it is not always the horse with the best credentials that ends up as the favourite. The market forces determine it and quite often money goes down the drain illogically. Madhu Mangalorkar trained Hello Brother has been a game performer no doubt but his best efforts were over trips beyond a mile where his ability to outstay the opposition came into play.

Now running over a mile in a field consisting of specialist milers, Hello Brother did not have a realistic chance as he was a winner of just one race and every runner in the race was relatively better placed as a result. Hello Brother’s last essay over a mile in winter had ended in a disaster as he had lost to an inferior Royal Steps. Despite that, the victory of Young Senor progeny, in everyone’s perception, was more or less a certainty. So much so that Hello Brother was at cramped odds while every other runner in the race was available at lucrative odds. Sadly, race-goers were wiser only in hindsight.

With Delhi champion jockey Rajinder declared to ride The Proletarian, not many reckoned that he would measure up to the opposition and as such, the Imtiaz Sait ward was available at lucrative odds. Luckily for the backers of The Proletarian, the jockey and the horse found themselves at the right position when the race took a crucial turn. The race was run at a furious pace and The Proletarian was the first to seize the initiative inside the final 400 metres. In a trice, he established a useful lead and by the time Tempt Me Not could carry the top-weight and cover the leeway, the winning post had come. Though Tempt Me gaining ground rapidly, the winner managed to spare a shade less than two lengths at the finish.

As the starter dispatched the field for the mile long trip, Suresh bolted with Bold Chieftan to be clear of the field by a distance. Calcutta champion C Alford  who had no clue as to how to measure up the situation as his wins have been achieved at the less competitive Kokata, chased the front-runner as if his battle would be over once he overhauled the front-runner. He appeared to have achieved the objective for after passing Bold Chieftan, Antwerp grinded to a halt. It was strange that Alford should adopt such tactics when the front-runner was clearly not in the race. 

Rajinder on The Proletarian, who was immediately behind the front-running duo, smoothly had his mount taking charge with minimum of fuss. Jockey Rajesh on Tempt Me Not was perhaps caught in two minds as the Bold Russian progeny is more adept at tackling lesser trips and he perhaps waited a wee bit more than he should have. That in the end, made a crucial difference to winning and loosing. Hello Brother plodded on to be a faraway third. Native Tactics burst her blood vessels and she did not complete the trip. The timing predictably was the best for a mile clocked in recent times.

The l’affair trainer Irfan Ghatala and jockey Mrs Silva Storai is increasingly getting comical. It is a pity that everyone suspects the duo of foul play. The duo protest their innocence so much that there is hardly any soul who is not moved by their tale of woe. From what has transpired thus far, it is becoming increasingly clear that the inconsistent running of theirs horses has more to do with the pattern of training and riding and nothing to do with their being dishonest. The trainer believes in what is called ``interval training’’ and his horses too seem to take it to their heart. They run a blinder when they are expected to trot and trot when they are supposed to gallop. This perhaps explains why it is their horses and not they who are responsible for the  ``inconsistency’’. If only the Stewards could get the truth out from the horses or drive sense into the four-legged wonders! 

The authorities, instead of appreciating the duo’s collective efforts, pull them up. There was nothing mystifying about the disastrous running of Silvano who finished in the rear end while the same horse had dragged himself to be a noteworthy fourth with no effort on the part of the jockey. The Stewards are only wasting their time in opening in enquiry, for the plethora of explanations or excuses will only confuse them further! Under such circumstances, it is understandable that somebody with lesser form like Spark of Life strikes it rich. Donna Mia has posed enough problems for the trainer, having come positive twice for breach of medication rules which has ensured two months suspension. This time out, the horse, ran above expectations of the jockey who was at a loss to hide him behind the safety of the front-running pack.

The horse ran a brilliant third contrary to what the jockey hoped for. The Stewards, after great deal off deliberations, could not have but shouted ```Eureka’’ having discovered that the real reason for the horse not being allowed to run to potential was jockey’s incompetence which deserved two days holiday to the professional concerned. On such glorious acts and discoveries by Stewards hinges the public confidence in racing. Let public confidence be dammed! 

The dry coated Senora Jade seemed to have profited from the relatively cool weather that prevailed at the start of the first of the day. The Tejano progeny seized the initiative at the top of the straight and then just about held on to win by a whisker from a fast-finishing prowl. Blushing Star played up at the start and lost considerable ground.  

Anzac has been a big let down as far as the race-going public is concerned. The Channel Command progeny, who sported bandages, was backed to the exclusion of his rivals but the public was in for a shock when Brave Deed found his bearings along the rails to floor the opposition in the hands of apprentice Md Shafiq.

Silvanus lost considerable ground at the start and jockey Appu who quickly moved up to bridge the leeway very nearly came down as his mount clipped one of the runners. The jockey managed to stay in the saddle and the finishing burst of the Classic Sport progeny enabled the four-year old gelding to edge out Anzac from the runner-up spot.

Three-year old Sueprbe Asset was bidding for a hat trick but she found the opposition too hot to handle. The tail-swishing Ardous led from the start till the final 100 metres and surrendered to Alassio on whom Malesh Narredu excelled. The Kuttappa ward got strong at the finish to win with a measure of comfort.  Argyle Gold who lost a great deal of ground at the start, was full of running at the finish.

Trainer Mansoor Hasan, who switched from Mysore to Bangalore, led in his maiden winner at this center, when Samanzar, in the hands of Shoban Babu, battled on resolutely to get the measure of River Bed in the shadow of the wining post. The big made Dusty Street plodded on to take the third spot.