Southern Empire who swamped the opposition in the Japan Trophy, a terms race for three-year olds, one of the highlights of the Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend racing, is an exceptionally talented horse. The ease with which he beat a quality opposition, in a timing of one minute 25.96 marks him about as the best among his contemporaries. Two other races run over seven furlongs on the same day, had horses belonging to the highest class in the fray and they were slower by two seconds! Full brother to multi-classic winner Smart Chieftain and Derby hero Classical Act, Southern Empire had won twice impressively earlier in the season. Since he was taking on good type of horses like Red Eagle and Einstein, one expected the favourite to meet with stiff resistance but he made the race no contest by showing amazing turn of foot.. Jockey Prakash had the luxury of having a peep over his shoulders and easing up the horse in the final stages of the race. Bold Faith hit the front at the start of the seven furlong race, with Red Eagle fighting hard to be allowed a free run while Southern Empire was beautifully settled in the third position. Red Eagle took charge on turning for home but when Southern Empire joined him on the outside; it ceased to be a race. Southern Empire cantered away without much ado even as Red Eagle plodded on to finish second ahead of Einstein. The beaten brigade has the ability to reach the highest class and the manner in which Southern Empire thrashed them is what makes the son of Placerville as the star of the future. If nothing bothers him, Southern Empire has the Summer Classics at his mercy. Jockey McCullagh’s persistence and driving finish enabled Amazing Power to just about nose out favourite Southern Regent to win the Gr 1 Maj P K Mehra Memorial Super Mile Cup. Champion horse of the year, Southern Regent had won only once in the last year over this trip and considering his class, he was expected to overcome the sharpness of the trip. It took an enormous effort on the part of both the horse and the jockey to halt a clean sweep of all the graded races of the week by trainer Ganapathy and Prakash and their patron Dr M A M Ramaswamy. No body has achieved a clean sweep thus far in the history of Indian Turf Invitation Cup races. Amazing Power had the credentials, having run a close second behind Mystical in the Indian 2000 Guineas but the only question mark about his chances was the fact that he was a known bleeder under stress and this prevented him from enjoying a bigger patronage in the ring. Aashirwaad fought off a grim battle with Polar Force to win the Nanoli Stud Trophy, a seven furlong race for horses rated 40 and above. Jockey Srinath’s power-packed riding ensured the victory of Green Bax over Cedros in the P Dayanand Pai and P Satish Pai Trust Trophy, a term race for four-year olds. Cedros who did not have early pace and raced in the rear, made up ground and even headed Green Bax at one stage but the latter fought back to win in a thrilling finish.