For the last 21 years, Mysore's first Classic has always been a sponsored event except in 1999 when Artwork won. It started with UB Export in 1991, the year Golden Fantasy was victorious. After four runnings, UB Export's place was taken by Kingfisher which sponsored the next four renewals. Then, after a gap of a year, Karnataka Racehorse Owners' Association stepped in to sponsor the race for 12 consecutive years.

 Over the last ten years, the Mysore Million, Gr.3 which is run early in the season, has been a significant pointer. Five of the Million winners -- Priceless, Fond Fantasy, Diabolical, Mystic Quest and Southern Bay -- went on to pick up a Classic during the same Mysore season, though, it has to be mentioned that Southern Bay could not hold on to the prize when she tested positive for a prohibited substance. Of the other five, Berlioz, Icebreaker and Balmoral Castle were future Classic winners but not at Mysore. Only Greenbax and Queen Rania failed to win a Classic subsequently though they did find a place on the board. 

This year's field of eight features a trio of fillies from trainer S. Padmanabhan's yard. 31 years ago, Padmanabhan saddled Golden Fantasy to win his first ever Classic. Golden Fantasy went on to beat the colts in the UB Export Mysore 2000 Guineas, Gr.2 and later annexed the Blue Riband Bangalore 1000 Guineas, Gr.1. Last year, In the Spotlight got the race after Southern Bay was disqualified. That was fortuitous but the daughter of Alnasr Alwasheek has gone from strength to strength subsequently, winning no less than seven Classics all across the country.

Padmanabhan's trio is Ace high with Equine Lover (Ace - Free Radical) heading the ratings on a mark of 82. Unbeaten after two starts, her last victory in the Nawab M. Arshad Ali Khan Memorial Cup saw the Handicapper hiking her up by 33 points. She is from the first crop of the Danehill horse Ace, her dam won the Kingfisher Indian 1000 Guineas, Gr.1 and her Placerville half-sister Mystic Quest won this very race in in 2009. When she won her last race, she was three and a half lengths to the good of Maths Baby and that horse ran within a length -- despite running closer the stand side rail than the running rail -- of the battling pair of Machiavellianism and Borsalino last Sunday at Malakpet to boost the form. It's been a while since Equine Lover was last under the silks but she has been working brilliantly and regularly.

Equine Lover ran with the bottom weight last time.  Also, she did wander about -- maybe due the underfoot conditions -- and drifted out in the straight. The choice of Prakash to ride her is interesting and surprising. Prakash has had a long and illustrious career in the saddle but he hasn't been astride many horses of Equine Lover's connections. Besides, Prakash has been found wanting on some well fancied runners of late. Perhaps, Sandesh's failure to win on Borsalino on Sunday has rubbed a bit of the sheen off the rising star. Incidentally, Borsalino and Equine Lover are from the same family. The Hill Prince mare Levee is the fourth dam of Equine Lover and the fifth dam of Borsalino.

The interestingly bred Chase the Sun (Burden of Proof - Catch Fire), the second best rated runner in the field at 72, is also in Padmanabhan's charge. Both her victories from four starts so far have come over 1200 m. and she will be essaying the mile for the first time in her short career. Her full-brother Cavalry Charge has wins over 2000 m. and 1800 m. while her full-sister Catchphrase has won over a mile. So, the distance should be within the compass of Dr. Mallya's filly. 

With the last five Classics of this year having been won by 'got-abroads', Padmanabhan's third filly Art of Enchantment (Excellent Art - Baffling), born at Nanoli Stud and running in the colours of the Nathanis -- one of his long time patrons -- is bound to attract attention. After having placed third twice, Art of Enchantment left the maiden ranks towards the end of the Bangalore season with a stylish four length win. However, what she beat was moderate. Her sire, a winner of the St. James's Palace Stakes, Gr.1, has been somewhat disappointing at Coolmore, his stud fee having dropped down from 25,000 euros to 10,000 euros. Baffling, who won her two races over 2200 m. and 2500 m. in the French provinces, cost 48,000 euros. Art of Enchantment's Verglas half-sister Choky Rani also had to go into the French countryside to win. This is a staying family -- Usha Stud stallion Treasure Leaf belonged to it -- and Art of Enchantment may have a better shot in an Oaks during the winter. Her trainer could well be giving her the experience here and quietly measuring her class.

Wind Stream, the winner of the Mysore Million, Gr.3, will not be in the fray but the filly who finished a neck behind her in that race will participate in Dr. Ramaswamy's colours. That filly is Simply Stylish (Steinbeck - Silken Star) who has had eight starts so far to make her the most experienced of the lot. She has been fairly consistent but is another who is going to appreciate time and longer distances. (Her China Visit half-sister Capriole is only now showing her true colours though her three-parts sister Real Excellence did win this race in 2006). Silken Star is a full-sister to Allaire who won the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 and the Kingfisher Indian Oaks, Gr.1. The stable, however, seems to have lost its way of late.

Finishing behind Simply Stylish in that Million race were Auburn Beauty, Jersey Girl and Midnight Cruze. It is more than possible that those three fillies were just out for an airing that day; especially Jersey Girl who had earlier run third behind Vijays Pride and Portia in the Bangalore Fillies' Trial Stakes, Gr.1. Jersey Girl (Burden of Proof - Chilli Girl) was almost five lengths behind Vijays Pride that day though she had the beating of Chase the Sun who is also bred on the same cross. I Say (Danehill Star - Pamela Bordes) won on her last start in Mysore. At 52, she has the lowest rating of the eight fillies. There is no filly in the field who has won beyond 1400 m. while Midnight Cruze and I Say are the two who have a course win against their names.

It is prudent to make the most of a winning streak so long as one remembers that no streak stretches to infinity. Over a period of time parity is restored. After five consecutive wins by 'got-abroads', that streak is now perhaps heading for a snap. The big anticipation of this year was the Ace vs Noverre duel. Both the stallions having their first crops in India were expected to make a striking impact. A first crop stallion should not be judged till at least his progeny has had a chance to run in the Invitation Cup. So we are only at about the mid-point right now. Noverre has had a Gr.1 winner in Hachiko and Ace has had a Gr.2 winner in Neona and a Gr.3 winner in Blue Ace. Neither has had a Classic winner so far. Maybe Ace can steal a march with Equine Lover on Friday.

PAST THE POST

 One final thought. As any bridge player knows, an ace can be trumped!

 LEADERS

 Owner - Dr.M.A.M. Ramaswamy (14)

 Trainer - R.R. Byramji (9)

 Jockey - B.Prakash (7) (Could that be the reason he is riding Equine Lover ?)

 Sire - Placerville (4)

 Stud Farm - Poonawalla Group (10) including the last five in-a-row

 Fastest Time - STAR WAVE (2008 - 1.37.22)

Slowest Time - SWEET MEMORIES (1974 - 1.55.4)

Biggest Field - 10 (STAR WAVE - 2008)

Smallest Field - 3 (SWEET MEMORIES 1974, TREASURE GIRL 1988 and CORDON ROUGE 1989)

Three 'got-abroads' -- Crown Treasure, Scenic Royale and Starry Scene -- have won this race before.