There were a few shocks for the race-goers on Saturday as the majority of races went the way of lesser-fancied horses. C A Kuts trained Allabreva won against expectations, perhaps even that of the trainer, to cause a big upset in the Civil Service Cup, a sprint race for horses rated 40 and above. The seven-year old Sensational News found foot too late to make any dent.

Allabreva who was a castaway from the Byramji stable, thus was recording his third win in less than a year though the first of the three wins did not stand as the gelding came positive for a prohibited substance when under the care of trainer S S Pillay. In keeping with the trend of the progenies of Excalbur’s Lake who are generally late bloomers, the five-year old Allabreva won from end to end with a measure of comfort.

The race had a open look about it but quite strangely, money started pouring in the direction of bottom-weighted Financier who had only the scales in his favour, with his performance thus far having an ungenuine streak to it. Sensational News who had showed out in a mock race, Alylady and Bountiful Gesture were also well supported.

Jockey Shobhan Babu took Allabreva to the front from the outside draw and the gelding raced freely in front, about three to four lengths adrift of Bountiful Gesture and Alylady. Srinath on Sensational News failed to get a striking position early on. With Allabreva showing no signs of slackening and extending the margin in the straight, the rest were left to chase the front-runner in vain. Sensational News who had to be extricated from a troubled passage along the rails, finished full of running, to be second ahead of Alylady and Financier. Bountiful Gesture faded out inside the final 300 metres.

Classic hopeful Astor Place found the lack of race run going against her in the 1800 metres Nawab Sultan Ali Khan Memorial Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 35. The Placerville-Nef three-year old filly had come to Bangalore from Mumbai with a big reputation but she looked soft and needed the run badly. Ganapathy trained Spirited Effort who was an eye-catching fifth in the Knock Out Million, found the extended trip to his liking, flooring the favourite close home, with something to spare. Though Astor Place should strip fitter after this race, one cannot be sanguine about her chances in the Derby. She needs more time to make her mark.

Astor Place was hampered for a smooth run in the straight as the front-running Argolis cut an erratic course. Shroff wisely switched to the rails and took control of the proceedings but the filly was done in by the finishing burst of Spirited Effort. The winner is surely a good type of a horse but lacking in classic credentials. Jockey Mark Gallagher opined that Argolis may run better without blinkers as the Green Forest progeny appeared to shy away whenever another horse closed in.

If lack of a race run went against Astor Place, the luck of the race resulted in another of Shroff’s mount Companeros loosing a certain race in the upper division of the Tippu Sultan Cup, a race for maiden three-year olds, run over seven furlongs. Gallagher had the first run on favourite Taipan over his rivals. Shroff on Companeors found himself being pushed in by Dover whose ducked in under the senseless use of the whip by jockey Bhati and as a result, he had to search for ground along the rails. Gallagher cleverly closed the gap a wee bit along the rails catching Shroff in two minds. By the time Shroff was able to push his way through, the winning post had come to the rescue of the front-runner who held on by a neck. Shroff’s objection against Gallagher for taking his ground and boring him wa overruled as the Stewards here do not give importance to technical objections. In fact, it was a clever race ride by Gallagher, which ensured that the better horse on the day did not win.

Michael Eshwer who saddled Taipan to victory, claimed both the divisions of the Tippu Sultan Cup, as his other ward Midnight Star won at fancy odds the lower division. The Portroe progeny was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Guruprasad and the front-runner held on gamely to beat a belated challenge of Iflookscouldkill to bring off a stunning upset. Favourite Amazing View put up a poor show. Vikramaditya was a suggestive third.

Jockey Warren Singh brought off a clever coup on Beautiful Bird. The Mulhollande progeny had won in the hands of apprentice Shelar and then had an easy outing next time out in a race for horses belonging to four and five year olds. Now running in a race meant for five-year olds only, Beautiful Bird was taken on a start to finish mission, with favourite Dusty Street chasing in vain. The big made Dusty Street let down her supporters for the second time running, unable to quicken when it mattered the most. There was a cavalry charge at the finish, with Goebbels getting the runner-up spot ahead of Abhimanyu.

Padmanabhan trained Allocated had been a big let down thus far. The trainer who was frustrated by the Green Forest progeny’s poor performances said before the race that ``if the filly did not win even in this poor set, she is good only as horse meat’’. The favourite did win but just about managed to hold on to win from Soul of Gold who could have caused an upset had apprentice jockey J Shukla rode with little more imagination. Abdullah trained Caesarr who came in for big money in the ring ran a poor fourth.

However, Shukla was seen in better light in the last race of the day where he brought lesser fancied Belief with a late run to get the better of Royal Caribbean whose lost all her chances by drifting out of a straight. Jockey Imran Chisty gave a poor account of himself on the runner-up. Belief and Crystal Delight had a common owner and though the first named had better credentials, it was the latter that came in for spirited betting in the ring. Eyes of Truth even snatched the third spot from Crystal Delight by a whisker.