A brilliant performance from Pesi Shroff’s Amazing Grace in The Maharaja’s Cup (Gr.2) highlighted the proceedings at the Bangalore races on Sunday. The four year old filly demolished her six opponents while posting a bloodless victory in the day’s feature. The Maharaja’s Cup is generally known to be a graveyard for favourites, but Amazing Grace’s victory on Sunday was both expected and popular. The sparingly raced filly had won a couple of handicap races at Mumbai. Even though she lacked experience at the highest level, she was allowed to run in The Indian Derby. She performed quite well to finish ahead of Jeremiah and Agostini in that race. After arriving at Bangalore this summer, she was given a feel of the local track by running her in a class II handicap. Starting as a short-priced favourite, she won as she liked. The astute trainer chose The Chief Justice’s Cup as her next start. This was sure to be a real test for this talented specimen, as this was the first time that Amazing Grace was running in graded company. Furthermore, the nine furlong trip was considered to be slightly short for her. But what she did that day was very satisfying for her connections. Overcoming a number of traffic problems on the way, she had covered a lot of ground in the straight to beat Ambitious Reward and Agostini on the post. The terms in the Maharaja’s Cup were slightly altered. While the others were competing at identical weights, Amazing Grace was asked to carry a two kilo penalty. This got more than negated by the fact that she was running an extra two furlongs. Those who realized that she was blessed with deep reserves of stamina, were rewarded for their opinion. Amazing Grace completed a hat-trick of victories this summer by retiring as an easy winner of The Maharaja’s Cup on Sunday.

The seven runners in The Maharaja’s Cup took off to a level start. Roswald used his early speed and went charging to the front. Within the first couple of furlongs, he was many lengths ahead of Jeremiah, Isn’t She Special, Agostini and Snowdrift. Trevor had apparently gone to sleep astride Amazing Grace and was allowing the filly to travel at her own pace till they began to tackle the rising ground near the four furlong marker. The order remained exactly the same till that stage. Things began to change thereafter. A number of jockeys got active near the bend and started to urge their mounts vigorously. The one that moved steadily on the wide outside was Agostini. With those in front of him getting tired, Suraj and Agostini made a strong move in the straight. Isn’t She Special and Snowdrift were also urged by their riders. But the one that impressed with her movements on the wide outside was Amazing Grace. She devoured ground in the final furlong and won by a widening margin from Agostini, Isn’t She Special and Snowdrift. What she had done today was simply outstanding. After being allowed to canter along in the back-stretch, she had been allowed to gallop only in the straight. This got-abroad filly has obviously struck some fine form and it may take a really good opponent to beat her in the near future. The Bangalore St Leger to be run in a couple of weeks time, could be her very next target. It must be remembered that the 2800 metre trip in the last Classic at Bangalore will be ideally suited to her style of running.

Trevor had to wait till the last race of the day before completing his personal double. With a large number of juveniles accepting to run in a maiden’s sprint on Sunday, the race got divided into two divisions. The upper division had a strong favourite in Faraz Arshad’s Super Force. Even though this was the first time that she was running in her career, the chestnut filly had made a fine impression with her movements on the training track. All those who had seen Super Force working were confident about her ability to win this race. With Suraj in the saddle, she started as the even-money favourite on Sunday. Dhariwal trained Saltoro Ridge was an experienced campaigner. He too cornered stray support in the betting rings.  Trapezoid, Super Force and She’s Stunning headed a closely packed field as they tackled the wide false rails and turned for home. With the pair around him getting tired, Suraj took Super Force to the front. But her dominance was short-lived. Saltoro Ridge had come with a spirited run from the back and forced his way ahead of Super Force. With Trevor waving his whip regularly, Saltoro Ridge maintained his grip on the race and won comfortably from Super Force and a late finishing Ad Astra. The last named made up acres of ground from the rear and ended a respectable third. Ad Astra seems to be better suited over a galloping course and this is one filly that should not be allowed to run friendless in her next start.

The lower division of this maiden’s sprint happened to be the opening race of the day. Imtiaz Sait’s well-bred filly Helping Hand was expected to run away with this race. She had apparently done some good work on the training track. But the scene in the bookmakers ring altered significantly as the runners began to enter the starting gates. A number of horses including Fourth Dimension and Cannon Fire were backed by their respective connections. Pontiac and Fourth Dimension headed the eleven horse field for most of their journey and the pair was close to each other as they entered the final furlong. The only one that was creeping towards the two leaders was Helping Hand. Zervan was making desperate efforts astride this filly and she was gaining ground towards the inner rails. Railbirds were quick to realize that this race was headed for an intense finish. Pontiac was the first one beaten in this race. She slowed down perceptibly and dropped out of contention. Imran Chisty and Fourth Dimension seemed to have things under control and the pair appeared to be headed for a close victory. But Zervan had other ideas. He refused to give up and continued to urge Helping Hand till the very end. The pair was besides each other at the finish. Nobody wanted to predict the winner as there was hardly anything between the two of them. The digital camera confirmed that Helping Hand had won by the shortest possible margin from an unlucky Fourth Dimension.

Both divisions of The VG Saravanam Memorial Cup were annexed by strongly backed horses. A massive gamble was landed in the upper version of this race. Faraz Arshad’s Shivalik Fire was backed down within minutes from 7/2 to 14/10 with the bookmakers. Since there was hardly any money coming onto the other runners in this race, the turf accountants were seen running for cover. Some amongst them were hoping that the top weight would somehow stop Shivalik Fire from winning today. Srinath took a good jump from an extremely wide draw and brought Shivalik Fire towards the leaders. Cool Approach and Igah Igah Igah were at the helm of affairs as the ten of them turned for home. It was hereabouts that Srinath asked the favourite to “go”. Shivalik Fire gained ground with each stride and moved ahead of the others. The rider made free use of his whalebone while guiding Shivalik Fire safely past the winning post. A late and strong bid from Shaka Zulu enabled him to end close behind the winner. Mark Of Genius made up much ground to take third ahead of a tired Igah Igah Igah. Shaka Zulu seems to be re-discovering his rhythm, and this is one horse that could pick up an age group race over a slightly longer trip this season.

The lower division was won by Sriram Komandur’s Clueless. This horse had served notice of an impending victory by forcing his way into third place behind Violent Storm about a month ago. Since it was a “no whips” race that day, he had taken time to start galloping. There were no such problems today. Suraj nudged him to take the fourth spot behind Optmius Zone, Midnight Cruze and Ballantoy, and allowed him to remain there till the bend. He began to improve with Clueless around the bend and the pair found themselves next to Midnight Cruze in the straight. After a brief duel with the favourite, Clueless responded to Suraj’s whip and forced his way towards the finishing line. Midnight Cruze, Ballantoy and Optimus Zone ended next to each other while taking the minor slots on the result boards.

Hidayat Khan’s Wind Wonder scored a thrilling victory in The Rajah SRK Ranga Row Memorial Cup. The sprint for horses in class II looked like a very competitive race. Four year old Jersey Shore was the youngest amongst a group of nine runners. Since he was stepping down a class, he was assigned a back-breaking weight on Sunday. Trainer Puttanna lightened his burden by entrusting him to an in-form Yash Narredu. The bay started as a firm favourite ahead of last outing surpriser Real Steel.  The Darius trainee had been doing some good work in his morning trials and was expected to run well today. But the surprise packet in this race turned out to be Wind Wonder. He discovered some very old form to post an authoritative victory. Anjar Alam allowed him to canter behind Scenic Blast, Mr Carpe and Catamaran till the bend, and pushed him only after they had straightened for home. Wind Wonder galloped towards the centre of the track and went ahead of the others. Imran Chisty brought Real Steel from the back and engaged Wind Wonder in a duel. But the eventual winner dug further into his reserves of stamina and moved strongly towards the final post. Real Steel and Catamaran ended at respectable intervals to claim the minor berths on the result boards.

This happened to be the second win for Hidayat, as he had already won an earlier event with Feet On Fire. A couple of three year olds had elected to run in this sprint for horses in the bottom class. On the basis of her good track work, Amit Caddy’s Breaking Away cornered huge support with the bookmakers. Since the filly looked well in the paddock, there was further optimism amongst her supporters. The Hidayat camp was equally strong on their ward. They had requisitioned the services of Yash astride Feet On Fire. The two market fancies got straight down to business. A Ramu took Breaking Away to the front and the filly galloped well within herself till the bend. She enjoyed a three length break over Feet On Fire at the top of the straight. The scene changed suddenly thereafter. While Breaking Away slowed down towards the inner rails and faded out of contention, Feet On Fire went charging to the front. With Yash waving his whip at her, Feet On Fire went on to win easily from a late finishing Cherry Hinton and Quarter Cask. The most eye-catching run in this race came from Quarter Cask. Despite looking “soft” in the paddock, she ran a suggestive race. She appears to be ready to score her maiden victory in the very near future.

We have gotten used to Yash Narredu scoring points on a regular basis this season. By posting another double on Sunday, he made it “four” for the weekend. His next winner came later in the day when he partnered Amit Caddy’s Fair Game to a comfortable victory. He had won astride the same filly a fortnight ago. Since the margin that day between her and the second placed Bazinga was only a “nose”, Fair Game had escaped with a light penalty. A mere glance at her in the parade ring was enough to realize that she was looking better than ever before. Even-money favourite Fair Game performed on expected lines. She tracked Youre Rocking till the bend before assuming command of the proceedings. Srinath kept second favourite Cattleya within striking distance of Fair Game till the bend, but it didn’t take him long to realize that they were fighting an unequal battle. Fair Game lengthened her strides and won fluently from Cattleya , Ocean Park and Little Brown Jug. The placed horses in this race are sure to improve after today’s experience and it may not take them long to post overdue victories in the next few months.