An ordinary looking card of eight events was held in ideal conditions at the Mysore Race Club on Thursday. Most of the public choices ran true to form and won their races with a measure of comfort. The Civil Services Trophy, a sprint for horses rated 60 and above, was slated as the day’s feature. Even though this event attracted a dozen acceptors, there were only two youngsters that had agreed to face the starter. Mysore based three year old Yakeen had won a handicap race in a lower category exactly a fortnight ago, and was now running on promotion. She was known to possess a lot of speed, as all her three career victories had been achieved by running freely in front. With Imran Chisty in the saddle, she was expected to run well in the day’s feature. But the obvious favourite in this race was Dominic’s Solitaire Royale. After winning both starts in winter as a juvenile, he was given a lung-opener in summer. This effort in handicap company was in preparation for a subsequent start in The Sprinter’s Million. Since he was a winner of two races, Solitaire Royale was seen conceding weight to a bunch of talented youngsters. Despite a tardy start in that race, he came with a long stretch run in the straight to finish a creditable third behind Jersey Shore. Because of a tightly packed field, his rider had no option but to travel wide at the bend. Those who had supported Solitaire Royale that day, felt that they were distinctly unlucky not to have collected on him in that race. His low handicap, coupled with the presence of PS Chouhan in the saddle, was enough reason for the punters to support him strongly on Thursday .He started as an even-money choice of the punters.

With Scenic Blast, Yakeen and Chestnut Charmer setting a very fast pace in the race, Solitaire Royale took time to find his rhythm. By the time the runners approached the half way mark, the favourite was more than ten lengths off the pace. Chouhan realized that things were getting out of control, and made a serious move at the bend. He produced Solitaire Royale towards the outer portion of the track and put him under pressure. The action in front saw Yakeen and Scenic Blast moving strongly towards the winning post. The former had wrested the initiative and was striding confidently into the final furlong. It was hereabouts that Solitaire Royale gained momentum. His long and free-flowing strides enabled him to collar Yakeen before the finishing line. The favourite finally won with a measure of comfort from Yakeen and Scenic Blast. The last named ran a good race to finish close to his younger rivals, and he can be earmarked for an early victory in a sprint reserved for horses five years old and over later in the season. Since Solitaire Royale ran after a gap of over three months, he can be expected to improve after this effort. As regards Yakeen, she is definitely one of the better three year olds stationed at Mysore and is destined for the highest class at this centre.

The Delhi Race Club Trophy, a sprint for maiden three year olds, was the added attraction in the day’s card.  This race could attract only eight runners. Satish Narredu’s  Accuracy came into this event with such solid credentials, that it was almost impossible to oppose him. After ending a good second in a similar event in summer, Accuracy had traveled to Hyderabad to have a tilt at the Ybrant Million. He ran a great race to finish third behind the highly rated Rock With U. There was none amongst today’s group that could match these performances. The bookmakers refused to offer much odds on him, and Accuracy was close to being an unbackable favourite at race time. Suraj held him on a tight leash and allowed Prazsky to lead them till the bend. It was hereabouts that he released the brakes. Even though Accuracy moved better than Prazsky and went ahead of her, the filly refused to cave-in under pressure. Prazsky continued to fight gallantly till the very end, and was only a length shy of Accuracy at the wire. A hard ridden Prosperity could only manage to finish a distant third.  Prazsky looks like a readymade winner for the Attaolahi stable in her next start.

A couple of very easy victories enabled John to share the day’s honours with his colleague Christopher. Both Whispering Gallery and Oscar Sparkler literally carried him past the winning post. Neil Darashah’s Whispering Gallery had beaten Salzburg out of sight in a maiden’s event during the early stages of the Bangalore Summer Season, but a subsequent disqualification on the grounds of medication, had ensured that she was once again listed as a maiden three year old. This allowed her to race amongst horses rated in the lowest category. Since the filly had played up at the gates and gotten withdrawn because of such unruly behaviour thereafter, Neil chose to give her an easy start on Thursday. He realized that all she would have to do to win amongst those rated 0-25, would be to come out level from the gates. The company that she faced today was so poor, that there was no question of the bookmakers offering any odds on her. The money-back runner took a good jump and waltzed away with the day’s opener. It seemed as though John was giving her light work on the main track. The race thereafter was only for the minor positions. Demand Draft and Pendolino did better than the others and managed to earn their corn bills. Whispering Gallery is a very talented specimen, and one is sure to hear more about her in the months ahead.

Kishore trained Oscar Sparkler had won a maidens event during the month of July on the local track, and had been beaten into second place by Cannes in an open handicap exactly a month ago. She was running this time against Mysore based horses, and on all known form, was an outstanding contender for the top prize. The youngster had the seven year old Euphoria as her main opponent. By the time the “old man” started galloping, the race was over. John took Oscar Sparkler on a start-to-finish mission, and set a strong pace ahead of The Senator, Infatuation and Pepper King. The field was fairly strung out as the dozen runners traversed the back-stretch and moved into the straight. The winner was sighted a long way from home. Oscar Sparkler reacted favourably to a tap from John’s whip, and sped away for a bloodless victory. Euphoria came from seventh position at the bend and managed to beat The Senator into third place. Most of the others in this race seemed to be on a weight reducing mission.

Jockey Christopher was the other professional to score more than once today. The upper division of The WT Craig Jones Memorial Trophy looked like a match race between Abbas Dreams and Sand Dune. The pair was backed to the exclusion of their eight rivals. Both of them had good recent form, as they had figured prominently on the result boards earlier in the season. Since neither had done anything of note over the present trip of seven furlongs, both camps were only hoping that this would not prove to be an impediment. In the end, both “stayed” the trip and delighted the railbirds by fighting a stirring duel. Tauseef ridden Abbas Dreams made the first move near the final bend and enjoyed a fair advantage into the straight. However, it was Christopher’s stronger riding astride Sand Dune that tilted the balance in his favour. With both riders making free use of their whips, the pair matched strides throughout the straight. A camera print was consulted to separate them at the finishing line, and it was the Sharavanan trained Sand Dune that finally got the nod from the judge.. A totally disinterested Frenemee made up much ground in the final furlong to amble into third place.

Bipin Salvi’s Spark of Beauty was another strongly backed favourite to oblige on Thursday. The six year old was running in a sprint amongst Mysore based horses, and she was the second winner for Christopher during the afternoon. Unlike his earlier winner Sand Dune, on which he was forced to use all his energies, this was a relatively easy victory. The speedy mare carried Christopher to the front , and all he had to do thereafter, was to make sure that she stayed there. Spark Of Beauty was tracked closely by Alabama and Time Flies till the bend, but it ceased to be a race thereafter. She lengthened her strides in the final furlong and galloped away from the two of them. Wynn came with a long stretch run to finish alongside Alabama and Time Flies, but was unable to save place money for his followers. Alabama showed that she will be able to pick up a similar event before the end of this season.

The Racingpulse.in Website Trophy, a mile race for horses four years old and over in class IV, produced the closest finish of the day. While most of the other races were won by public choices, this was one race in which an outsider upset the applecart of the favourite. Strong support for Prasanna Kumar’s Ensatus Elegans saw the four year old filly moving ahead of Deep Blue Sea and Zermatt, and climbing to the top of the betting boards. She was a winner of her last two starts and a win today would complete the coveted hat-trick for her. The race was run at a fairly fast pace. From an extreme outside draw, See You Later moved marginally ahead of Supreme , Bighero and Zermatt. John astride Ensatus Elegans and Suraj on Deep Blue Sea were seen biding their time in mid division, as the runners skirted the false rails and turned for home. Imran Chisty put further pressure on See You Later in the straight , and asked the Darius trainee to pick up momentum. She responded gamely and continued to lead along the inner rails. Ensatus Elegans moved threateningly on the wide outside, while Deep Blue Sea ran out of gas and settled for the third spot. At one stage it appeared as though Ensatus Elegans had overtaken See You Later, but that turned out to be an optical illusion. The digital camera confirmed that Imran Chisty had managed to push his mount successfully across the wire.

A seven furlong handicap for horses in class III witnessed equal support for three runners. Mark, Starstruck and Brigade’s Supreme were fancied by their respective yards, and this sentiment was evident on the betting boards. Once Starstruck was “withdrawn” at the starting gates, there was further action in the rings. While Ace Princess, Indian and Mark raced prominently in front, the others were spread right across the track. Because of her innermost draw, Brigade’s Supreme was caught towards the inner rails and the five year old was forced to wait for an “opening” till they entered the straight. The scene altered suddenly at that stage. Quite a few amongst this group of nine, including Mark, veered out under pressure and moved towards the outer edge of the track. Brigade’s Supreme made full use of the open space and thundered past the rest of them. She increased the tempo and won by a widening margin from Distant Promise and Ace Princess. Mark was distinctly out of depth at this level, and it may take him a long while to re-enter the winner’s enclosure.