Michael Eshwer schooled Sand Dune (Senure-Sandlash) lifted the Shimmering Gold Cup, the feature event of Wednesday’s races at Mysore. The race was a six furlongs sprint for maiden three year olds and twelve youngsters were in contention. Sand Dune who shares his blood with the accomplished Pronto Pronto, was sent into the race as the firm favourite.

Alabama, who was out on the race track for the third time, went ahead to lead the field and set a fast pace. Sand Dune moved up to run on the heels of Alabama by the time they started to traverse the final bend and ranged alongside for the final assault. It took some time for Sand Dune to get into the rhythm but the hard backhanders from Y.S.Srinath was enough to remind Sand Dune of his task and the product of Manjri Stud galloped remarkably to pull away from the rest. Esoterical rallied on towards the closing stages to edge out Alabama for the runner-up berth.

Vishal Yadav’s Absolute Reality (Mr.Mellon-Yes No Maybe) pulled off a pillar to post victory in the Reshmi Art Plate, for horses rated 80 and above. Bold Police who was backed to the exclusion of the other runners failed to live up to his billing and finished an unimpressive second. Absolute started to kick on inside the last furlong and Bold Police was making a bid along the inner rails, while Flaming Arrow and Hurricane Bay hovering up on the outside. Absolute Reality kicked on under apprentice R.Vaibhav and Bold Police failed to raise the winning gallop, finishing second. Flaming Arrow and Iron Marshall filled the frame.

Eshwer’s Alizadeh (Ikhtyar-Kilshannig) held on by wafer thin margin from Highland Flame to win the Aihole Plate. Alizadeh made headway to get to the front running Miss Ruby, as they showed up in the straight for the final run and the favourite Highland Flame was looking to take the path in-between the two. As the gap narrowed down, Highland Flame was pulled on the outside and challenged Alizadeh strongly. The two fought out every inch of the last 150 metres and the stronger handling of S.John enabled Alizadeh to have his ‘nose’ in front at the wire.

Apprentice Sarvan Kumar who got his riding license recently, did well to score a double. The young lad rode Color Me (Brave Act-Color Me Red) to a hat-trick victory, in the lower division of the Simhaghad Plate. Racing in about fifth position as they rounded the final turn for home and progressed steadily to challenge Sterling Cruise and One In All inside the last 300 metres. Color Me surged ahead readily, to take her third straight victory. Winning Tale was withdrawn from the race.

Sarvan had started the day with C.V.G.K.Kishore’s Trafalgar Square (Serious Splender Allelujah) in the lower division of the Bhagamandala Plate. Trafalgar Square was quick to settle behind the leader Prince Ashwin and travelled the better on the home stretch. South Paradise made a late bid from behind but the asking was a bit tuff and could only collar Prince Ashwin to finish second, three parts of a length behind the winner. Corbett Queen and Secret Girl were withdrawn.

C.Girinath’s Sequana (Tirol-Progressing) got to lead the field early and kicked on gallantly to win the higher division. Time Matters made a valiant bid but could not collar Sequana and had to settle for the runner-up berth. Haute Appeal was withdrawn from the race.

Santosh Rao’s Enforcer (Polar Falcon-Vee Alley) who had gone down to Sauce Piquant in his earlier run, made amends to lift the Nagpur Plate, in a close finish with Best Move. My Boy was the first to show up on the home stretch, four lengths clear of the nearest runner. Best Move and Enforcer moved ahead together and the duo continued the tussle till the winning post. Enforcer emerged the victor by a ‘neck’ at the wire. Sun Device and Time Secret finished third and fourth respectively, a further two lengths adrift.

Apprentice Irvan Singh rode Ranjeet Shinde’s Super Sha and Vertex to victories, in the last two races of the day. Super Sha surged ahead of Bella Coola inside the final furlong and won the higher division of the Simhaghad Plate.Wynn and Winning Desire took the third and fourth spots respectively. The favourite Time For All planted in the gates when the start was given and took no practical part in the race.

Vertex (Young Senor-Alzira) lifted the Manipal Plate, the concluding race of the race, warding off Snow Peaks. Rising Queen rallied late to get to the money beating Faustian close home.