It was a memorable day for trainer M.Pratap Kamath and jockey P.S.Chouhan on Thursday, at Mysore. The duo combined to win half the day’s card of six races, through Boston Ranger, Aerial Acrobat and Bold Police and the icing on the cake was a record breaking performance by Bold Police. While most of the records are held by Bangalore based horses, Bold Police has done Mysore proud by being the only one from this centre to get into the big league.

Pratap Kamath has been granted a ‘B’ license to train at Kolkata and he shall be shunting between Mysore and Kolkata in the coming days. Speaking to India Race he said,” I am planning to shift my youngsters to Cal and the older ones will continue to race in Mysore”. When asked about Bold Police, he added,” my boy has well for himself here and you will hear more of him from Kolkata”.

Bold Police (Brave Act-Traffic Police) set the track ablaze, in the Nethravati Plate, a seven furlongs handicap for horses rated 80 and above. The 4 year old gelding stopped the clock at 1 min.22.81 secs., beating the earlier record which stood in the name of Aristos for almost three years. Miss Ruby forced her way after jumping out and went ahead to lead the field. Rounding the final turn Honey Buzzard tactfully took the shortest way along the rails and Chouhan brought Bold Police with a challenge on the far side while Miss Ruby started to fade out. Bold Police showed plenty of speed and with a blistering turn of foot shot ahead to score an authoritative victory. Color Me finished second just ahead of Hurricane Bay who covered plenty of ground on the straight.

Aerial Acrobat (Brave Act-Circus Maid) lifted the Star Supreme Cup, which was the only trophy race of the day. Three horses, Mr.Magic, Amber Star and Pearl Of Bangalore were withdrawn before the race, after they started to throw tantrums near the gates and nine runners finally took the start. There was spirited betting on Atom Bomb as the race time approached and Rakesh’s ward went in as the firm favourite at 18-10, while the odds, on Aerial Acrobat eased to 2-1. Hammerstrike did the running in front till approaching the last 400 metres while Aerial Acrobat made steady progress from fourth to be at a striking position in second. Aerial Acrobat went past the leader with ease and stretched clear to score an encore. Admiranda improved towards the closing stages to take the second spot while Atom Bomb had to be contented with a third.

Kamath and Chouhan had earlier in the day succeeded through Boston Ranger (Don Micheletto-Taurina), in the Ganjam Plate. Boston Ranger chased Awesome Fighter till entering the home stretch and surged ahead. Happiness moved with a strong challenge on top of the straight but started to drift out of the straight course and finished second.

The last race of the day, the Bannerghatta Plate generated a lot of attention with two of the best fillies at this centre, Alabama and Esoterical making it a worthwhile duel right through the final straight. Trevor on Alabama and P.S.Chouhan on Esoterical were using every trick under their sleeve to get the better and it was the first named that prevailed at the wire by a slender margin. Esoterical was not disgraced in defeat as both of them finished the six furlongs sprint in the range of 1 min 12 secs which is indeed a creditable performance. Sun Device was withdrawn before the race.

Trained C.D.Monnappa saddled a double through Time Matters and Cationic. Time Matters (International-Claribel) won the opening event, the Tapathi Plate. Seriously Perfect was withdrawn from the race early in the day and Rakesh’s Lake Of Magic started as the favourite at evens. After the horses left the parade ring the odds, on Lake Of Magic started to drift out and closed at 5-2 in the betting ring. Harini who is still a maiden at 6 years was quite surprisingly backed down to favouritism.

Lake Of Magic and Splash Of Beauty raced together in front till turning for home. Once on the home stretch M.Noornabi, the rider of Lake Of Magic gave one backhander and the filly responded instantly, to move ahead by a little over two lengths. Quite surprisingly the jockey did not persist with the stick and just pushed his mount. To the utter shock of racegoers the whip ‘fell’ off from Noornabi’s hands inside the last 150 metres and Time Matters who had started to inch closer under apprentice A.Vishwanath surged past. An enquiry has been opened into the riding of the jockey (‘falling of the whip’) and those interested in fair racing will eagerly look forward to the outcome. Cationic (Emerald Cat-Loving Girl) raced in fourth till the final bend and made way through horses to take charge on entering the straight and drew clear. Vertex, Game Of Life and Youre Kiss’s Due went past the post together in that order for the minor placing.