The seventeen days Mysore Winter Races 2011-12 concluded on Tuesday, with a long card of Eleven races going through on the final day. Veteran trainer Zareer Darashah with 17 wins was adjudged as the leading trainer, while S.John topped the jockey’s tally, also with 17 wins. The highlight of the last day’s races was a fine quadruple being saddled by S.Rakesh. Trainer Feroz M Khan added some zest, pulling off a treble. R.Vaideeshwaran was the lone jockey to score a brace, both for trainer Rakesh.

Micheal Eshwer’s Midnight Cruze (Placerville-Thundering Power) lifted the Mysore City Gold Cup, the feature of the day’s races. After having finished second to Tusker on debut, Midnight Cruze did well to shed her maiden ranks, while beating Ice Weapon. Always Inspiring was the first to be sighted on the final straight and Ice Weapon was quick to throw a challenge. Midnight Cruze looked to be travelling effortlessly as they rounded the final bend and started to gain ground inside the last furlong. Ice Weapon began to drift out of the straight course and Midnight Cruze who was on the outside had to be goaded by Dashrath Singh to surge ahead by a slender margin, close to the winning post. Spirituality and Esoterical warmed up late to finish third and fourth respectively.

Atom Bomb, Ice Splendour, Lake Emerald and Thriller were winners from Rakesh’s yard. Lake Emerald (Black Cash-Eau De Vie), who had finished second to Vigoroso in her last run, made amends to win the Adelisa Plate. Lake Emerald rushed ahead, 250 metres from home, to take charge. Dream Of Gold was shown the daylights, on the wide outside, inside the last two furlongs but Eshwer’s ward started to accelerate only in the last 100 metres and lost out by half a length at the finish. All For Cash tried to make a run between Lake Emerald and the inner rails and was hampered for a clear run when the gap narrowed down. All For Cash finished third and lodged an unsuccessful objection against R.Vaideeshwaran, the rider of Lake Emerald.

Vaideeshwaran steered the even money favourite Thriller (Juniper-Forgotten Dreams) to a facile victory in the Nicolette Plate. Tracking Noble Sacrifice till the top of the straight, Thriller went ahead readily when asked for an effort by the rider and kicked on to score easily. Noble Sacrifice held on to the second spot from Always On Top.

Atom Bomb (Hymn-Applause) gave an encore, in the opener, the higher division of the Fist of Iron Plate. Atom Bomb went past the front runner, Aerial Acrobat, with 300 metres left from home and held on gamely from Prost, Passage Of Time and Badda Rupaiyya, all the three closing in fast towards the finish.

Ice Splendour (Black Cash-Eau De Vie) with a final burst snatched the race from Miyarsprincess, in the shadow of the winning post. Real Potential was in front with Hurricane Jet and Heavenly Divas close behind. Miyarsprincess veered out on entering the straight and lost a good forward position. Jockey Carlor Henrique brought the filly on even keel and moved ahead with a powerful run but was edged out by a faster finishing Ice Splendour.

Ranjeet Shinde’s Nishi Girl (Eljohar-Twothousandfour) won the higher division of the Flashpoint Plate in almost a start to finish bid. Moving well from an outer draw, Nishi Girl headed to lead the field early and never looked back. Wynn was wayward on the straight, drifting out right through and finished second. Precept was withdrawn before the race.

The lower division was won by Feroz Khan’s Kapathos (Juniper-Alidade). Sterling Cruize slipped in along the inner rails and took over from River Gem and was looking good. Kapathos raised a fast gallop from the rear and was successful in getting the better of Sterling Cruize in a thrilling finish. Sterling Speed was withdrawn on veterinary grounds before the race.

The other two winners from Feroz’s stables came through Different Opinion and Gris Rapide. Different Opinion (Bee’s Prospector-Queen And Country) set off in front from the word ‘go’ and extended the margin in the final 400 m. Galaxy ran on to finish second in front of Prince Ashwin. Gris Rapide (Ontario-Lady Of Legend) edged out Caldera in the shadow of the winning post, to win the higher division of the Classic Sky Plate, the concluding race of the day. Sunshower was withdrawn on veterinary grounds before the race.

M. Bobby’s Sauce Piquant (Hammerstein-Rhinefield Beauty) repeated his winning performance by lifting the lower division. Settling behind the pace setter Spark of Napoleon, Sauce Piquant surged ahead on the home stretch. Supreme Arch and Mr Hurricane came up with a sustained inside the last 150 metres and bridged the gap at a fast pace but failed to collar Sauce Piquant. The three finished in that order in a close finish.

Jockey V.R.Jagadeesh who replaced P.S.Chouhan on Faustian (Bee’s Prospector-Dancing Steps) won the Orient Dance Plate in a convincing manner. Going ahead of the field within the first furlong of the race, Faustian came into the straight first and stretched out effortlessly. Time To Time finished second, ahead of Classy Don and Oblique. Awesome Fighter was withdrawn on veterinary grounds before the race.