The runaway Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 winner Borsalino heads a quartet of Bangalore-based horses heading to Malakpet this Sunday for the Deccan Bookmakers' Hyderabad Colts' Championship Stakes, Gr.3. With the local forces restricted to just three runners, the raiders have numerical superiority. Last Sunday, not a single Bangalore filly ventured to Hyderabad and the outstation challenge in Deccan Bookmakers' Hyderabad Fillies' Championship Stakes, Gr.3 emanated from Pune. Vijays Pride was good enough to quell that challenge. This Sunday there won't be any Western India challenger in the fray.

In any combat, the eventual outcome is not dependent on just numbers. Quality is an attribute that can easily overcome quantity. However, with Borsalino in their ranks, the Bangalore brigade must surely feel that they have not only the numbers but also quality on their side and are in a position to foil the local hopes of a first Monsoon mile-double.

Borsalino's effortless victory last time out in the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 has made him the first member of the 2009 crop to achieve a three-figure rating. Machiavellianism was a good dozen-plus lengths behind him in that race and it represented a 15 length reversal of form because in the Bangalore Colts' Championship Stakes, Gr.1, Deshmukh's ward had finished three lengths ahead of Borsalino. It would not be wrong to aver that the things unfolded just the way Borsalino would have liked in the Derby, the underfoot conditions and the uncontested lead that he enjoyed being two important factors. He hasn't raced since then but has been kept simmering with consistent track work. He will be coming back in distance after winning over longer and that is often a handicap. One significant fact which escaped attention, possibly because of their mediocrity, is that Borsalino's siblings abroad were all sent over staying trips. That would suggest that his dam Running Flame is prepotent for stamina and he could face problems against classy milers.

Obviously, his astute trainer would be aware of this. One would expect Borsalino to make an attempt to win the race from pillar to post and while he must be fancied to be successful in that mission, he will probably not win as extravagantly as did in Bangalore.

The obvious threat to Borsalino comes from the Deshmukh-trained pair of Machiavellianism and Plenipotent. The former finished ahead of Borsalino in the Poonawalla Breeders' Multi-Million, Gr.1 (1400 m.) in Mumbai and Bangalore Colts' Championship Stakes, Gr.1 (1600 m.) before Borsalino extracted his revenge tellingly in the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1. Since then, Machiavellianism has won a race over 1400 m. on the Hyderabad monsoon track and will, perhaps, strip fitter than Borsalino. He ought to finish much closer to Borsalino on Sunday and certainly holds a realistic chance of upsetting the favourite.

Like Machiavellianism, his bracket-mate Plenipotent has had a winning run during the current Hyderabad season over 1400 m. and so is acquainted with the monsoon track. There are many similarities in the pedigrees of Machiavellianism and Plenipotent. Both are by Mr. Prospector line sires and both are very closely related on the dam's side. Machiavellianism is balanced inbred 4x4 to Raise a Native while Plenipotent is balanced inbred 4x3 to Raise a Native's stalwart son Mr. Prospector. If anything, Plenipotent, being by Iffraaj, appears to be he speedier sort. The big questions are, firstly, whom will the stable jockey select and, secondly, whether Plenipotent will be used as a pacemaker, someone to harry Borsalino.

Borsalino, Machiavellianism and Plenipotent are all 'got-abroads' and the last four Classics have been won by 'got-abroads'. On Sunday evening you can make that five.  Incidentally, Plenipotent was born at Mebajeona Stud. That small nursery at Muktsar in Punjab had 1-3 in the Fillies' race last Sunday and Mr. Harbinder Singh Sidhu's establishment certainly appears to be on a roll at the moment.

The other local runner is Leo D'Silva's San Ramon (Placerville - Sorrento Steel) who comes into race with a hat-trick of wins, all over 1400 m. He won his first race in June at Bangalore and has followed up with two more in July and August at Hyderabad. His dam is a daughter of Montjeu and was a Champion 3YO Filly in Scandinavia in 2005. Overall, however, the damline is rather weak but the Placerville-Montjeu combination is top-drawer.

Jaggy Dhariwal returns to his old base with Maths Baby (Mathematician - Cannon Baby) and Arthur (Burden of Proof - Arizza) who is still a maiden after two starts. The former finished well behind Machiavellianism, Plenitpotent and Borsalino in the Bangalore Colts' Championship Stakes, Gr.1. In his next run, he was a little over three lengths behind Equine Lover -- to whom he was conceding weight -- and had Vijays Pride behind him. That's the kind of record Practicallyperfect, also trained by Dhariwal, had last year when she picked up the Deccan Bookmakers' Hyderabad Fillies' Championship Stakes, Gr.3. The veteran trainer has a habit of springing surprises.

Sandstorm (Tejano - Summer Dust) won his first race on his last start in Mysore. He carries Dr. Mallya's silks. A Kunigal-bred is yet to win this race but Sandstorm's full-brother Astrologica and half-brothers Staranzano and Summer Mood have done well earlier in Hyderabad. Against that is a fact that both Borsalino and San Ramon had his beating in their first races.

PAST THE POST
Fastest Time - GOLDEN EDITION (2007 - 1.40.02)
Slowest Time -  ARISTOCRAT (1979 - 1.47.2)

Biggest Field -  SUPER DUPER (2011 - 13 runners)
Smallest Field - 3 runners. In 1976,1977, 1978, 1979, 1981 and 1982

LEADERS
Owner  - Dr. M.A.M. Ramaswamy (10)
Trainer -  R.R. Byramji (6)
Jockey -  Vasant Shinde (6)
Sire -  Everyday II and Placerville (4 each)
Stud Farm -  Dashmesh/Hargobind (7)

In the Roll of Honour of this race, the name of one great jockey -- Aslam Kader --and one great sire -- Riyahi -- is missing. Curious rather than significant.