Sardar Singh trained Chilli Girl’s best performance thus far has been over a mile but she was brought back in distance after winning the Guineas last year at Hyderabad and this blunted her effectiveness. Now asked to tackle the mile long trip in the Maharaja’s Cup, a handicap race for horses rated 40 and above, Chilli Girl swamped the opposition with effortless ease, with a start to finish dash. Believer, who was a rousing performer in Bangalore winter, has lost his sharpness and it may take a while for him to regain that zest. Crown Royal appeared a spent force after a fluent win only a fortnight ago.

Those who thought that Believer’s last run had to be taken with a pinch of salt, still persisted with him only on the basis of his excellent workouts. The others who thought that he had defaulted and that he needed to prove his credentials all over again, benefited as they looked elsewhere for a winner. Since this was not a match race between Believer and Crown Royal, the ones who chose themselves among others, were Chilli Girl and Zidane, running at the bottom of the scales. However, Chilli Girl settled the issue once the start was given for the mile long trip by taking charge and her supremacy was never threatened as she checked in well clear of Zidane. Believer who was sluggish at the start, made rapid ground to be in striking distance of the front-runner and then lost steam to bow out of contention. The top-weighted horses in the fray for all rousing performers once but they lacked the crucial component which is `form’. Class does not always carry a horse to victory though the belief that class is permanent and form is temporary has often been the ruination of many a dogmatic punter. The fact that both should co-exist is often forgotten.

Be that as it may, sanity was somewhat restored to Thursday’s races. Horses with credentials ruled the roost after a black Wednesday, with the majority of winners for the day having credentials to recommend them. Corsican Gal was stretched out by Splash of Class before romping home. Shalivahana saved placed money but Divine Excellence could have spoiled the party if he had broken level. Despite losing ground at the start, Divine Excellence flew home on the wide outside to be a close fourth.

Prakash who had been receiving a barrage of abuses from the harried punters for failing on many a fancied runner, had a double for the day. Pas De Surprise proved too good for the field in the Sidapur Plate (Div I) where Full Moon, despite not maintaining a straight course and being in a spot of bother, finished second. Armidale asserted herself in the lower division, dragging herself to victory at the expense of Smoke Dancer. Ttreasure who bolted to the front, could have stayed put had his jockey managed to keep the filly on a straight course but the filly drifted out alarmingly and lost her chances. Polar Fair was the other winner for Prakash and the daughter of Ajaad fought out a resolute battle with Chilli Girl to retire home a facile winner.

Darius Byramji trained No Excuses and Speed Mistress were very well supported in the A C Somanna Memorial Trophy but both lost their chances by being tardy at the gates. Water Wood exploited the pull in weights to win from a late-finishing Almond and Winelight. Maurya who was backed to the exclusion of his rivals won quite capably from Strength of Faith and the rest. There was a cavalry charge at the finish, with Strength of Faith edging out Wovoka, Agnivarsh and Finest Flare in the battle for minor slots. In the day’s other action, Real Power was not really tested by the opponents who let the front-runner call the shots. Purple Shadow moved up far too late for the run to be purposeful.