Zareer Darashah schooled Alabama (Ajaad-Aldiora) won the Midnight Cowboy Cup, which featured the opening day’s races of the Mysore Summer Season. Twelve maiden youngsters were declared to take the start but the betting rallied around two fillies, Esoterical and Alabama. Red Cardinal set out in front and cut the wind till the final turn. Esoterical was quick to make headway around the turn and went to the lead swiftly. Jockey Trevor too did not waste time on Alabama and ranged alongside as the heads turned for the final run. A battle royale between the two fillies looked evident at that stage of the race but to the dismay of many, Esoterical looked to be in all sorts of trouble and Alabama quickened in a trice and spurted clear. It took a while for the supporters of Esoterical to realize that the saddle had gone slack and shifted badly. The rider of Esoterical could not give any assistance and towed on to finish second. Bighero took the third spot, many lengths behind.

Zareer Darashah and P.Trevor started the season with a back to back double. They had earlier triumphed earlier on Bright Star (Rebuttal-Florenzza), in the Ramanagar Plate. Tracking Skyfleet till mid-way up the straight, Bright Star surged ahead effortlessly. Thriller and Dream Of Gold finished second and third respectively. This is Bright Star’s second successive victory and hat-trick looks bright.

Micheal Eshwer’s Haggler (Placerville-Sky Rocket) was given a hard ride by Imran Chisty en-route to a win in the Kengeri Plate. Darashah’s ward Huckleberry Finn had surged ahead of Haggler on top of the straight and looked to be travelling well when all of a sudden the saddle slipped and Trevor was unable to keep an even keel. Chisty’s persistence ensured that Haggler took charge from the troubled ‘Finn’ inside the last 100 metres. Breezo and Arianna filled the frame many lengths behind.

Imran Chisty’s second win came through C.D.Monnappa’s Unchallenged (Ajaad-Royal Engagement) in the Oncidium Plate. Backed to the exclusion of the other runners, Unchallenged responded readily to Imran’s urgings on entering the home stretch and stretched out effortlessly. Unchallenged maintained the lead on the straight despite drifting out of the straight course and won with a comfortable margin. Star Of Hearts beat Amber Star for the second place.

Pratap Kamath’s Darling Dynamite (Brave Act-Aylesbury) rallied strongly to beat Perfect Analysis close home, in the Jan-E-Jan Plate, the opening race of the day. Perfect Analysis was quick to go to the front at start, jumping out from the widest draw and tried a start to finish tactics over the six furlongs trip. Darling Dynamite, who was improving along the inner rails all along the straight, quickened instantly when asked for an effort in the last 100 metres and sped past Perfect Analysis in front of the grand stand.

R.Vaibhav rode Feroz Khan’s Prince Of Argyle (Bee’s Prospector-Beloved Pearl) to victory in the Carnival Plate. Prince Of Argyle, Sprawling Elegance and Queens Colour were the smartest out of the gates. As they settled down to race, Queens Colour went to the front with Sprawling Elegance and Prince Of Argyle in tow. Inside the final furlong Prince Of Argyle started to bridge the gap and surged ahead to be a length in front of Queens Colour at the finish. Prost came in late to take the third spot.

Rakesh’s Castle King (Hymn-Castle Beauty) completed a hat trick, winning the lower division of the Capt.Nabi Khan Memorial Plate. Sent into the race as a firm favourite, Castle King surged ahead of the front running Gris Rapide on the straight and won well despite hanging out in the last 200 metres. Bullish Luck who finished second ahead of Nermai was the fastest finishing towards the closing stages.

Girinath trained Perfect Bond (Mischevious Music-Spring Time) got up in the nick of time to get the better of High Treason close to the winning post, in the higher division.