The Gr 3 Nanoli Stud Million, which features Friday’s races, is a pointer to the shape of things to come in the forthcoming monsoon classics. The rich terms event has attracted a classy field. Though Spectacular Quest towers over the opposition because of his splendid performance in the Gr 1 Colts Trials Stake at Bangalore, the scales might go against him. He is set to concede weight to all his adversaries. He has the class to defy the handicap but still there is a feeling that his wins might have an exaggerated aura about them simply because Fantabulous King ran no sort of a race in the classic that he won. Spectacular Quest did not run well in the Kingfisher Derby, well beaten by a host of runners and this is what puts a question mark about him being an undisputed champion. Either he did not stay the Derby trip, which is difficult to believe given his breeding, or he simply is not an outstanding horse, as most believe him to be. But if he defies expectations and scores decisively, then great things are in store for him.

Among the rest, Fly The Fury, Berlioz, Camarioca and Formal Invitation could be grouped as the ones with plenty of promise. Half sister to the well performed Obligado, the small made daughter of Diffident, Fly The Fury showed out to be something special when she won as she liked in appalling ground foot conditions in her debut run. She confirmed that she was something special when she beat a creditable set of runners, which included Gaslight and Polar Force over a sprint in her next essay. The fact that the last two named went on to do well should enhance the rating of Fly The Fury. She is endowed with a great deal of speed and the seven-furlong trip should be well within her reach. As such, she can be the fury that she has been thus far. She gave an impressive workout as a lead up to this race.

Berlioz, the stablemate of Fly The Fury, has made rapid strides and is tipped to win based on the expectations that his two runs have given rise to. Trained by Padmanabhan who was frank enough to admit that Berlioz did not give him hope prior to running a blinder of a race in his first outing. The son of Sri Pekan is a big made horse and was totally sluggish on the track till a race run transformed him. He covered acres of ground to lose his first outing by a whisker. He showed that he was a quick learner by winning next outing from the word `go’. The fact that Berlioz is capable of blinding acceleration as also got the ability to dictate the pace and win in emphatic fashion enhances his value as a horse with classic potential. The big made Berlioz who is swift on his feet, showed further signs of coming into his own when he showed out in a gallop on Tuesday. He was a poor track horse but the fact that he has improved so much is the reason why there is excited anticipation about his run in the million.

Formal Invitation recorded a smashing win in his debut but faltered in his next outing. There is great deal of hype about him but then it has to materialize before one can put him in the elite league. Rashid Byramji’s Camarioca is undoubtedly a classic type of a filly. The daughter of Burden of Proof won twice during the Summer Season and has given great promise. She is taking on a formidable opposition and if she comes out in flying colours, then there is no stopping this Kunigal bred from winning her share of classics.   One cannot ignore the chances of Lindsay, the winner of Gr 1 Fillies Trial Stakes, as she is more at home over the seven-furlong trip. The daughter of Burden of Proof has turned out to be a money-spinner for her connections. Trainer Satish Narredu deserves credit for exploiting her talent to the optimum.