Malesh Narredu’s Godspeed justified favouritism by posting an easy victory in The Bangalore Summer Million (Gr.3) on Sunday. The filly lived up to her reputation of being a top class youngster. Godspeed was brought to Bangalore from Mumbai to have a tilt at the summer classics. She had won both her starts over seven furlongs in identical fashion at Mahalakshmi. In those races, Godspeed had moved ahead of the others from the word “go” and gotten stronger in the straight. Since there were no problems of stamina, Godspeed was expected to do well on the Bangalore track. She started as a fancied runner in the first classic of the season.  In a field of fourteen participants in The Fillies Championship Stakes, she was hampered at the start. Unable to get a clear run for most of the way, Godspeed had rallied late on the wide outside to finish a respectable third behind Maisha and Alexandra Mills. Since she reportedly lost a bit of condition after that run, Malesh gave her some rest. She was kept back at Bangalore and targeted at the day’s feature. Her main opponents in this race were considered to be Bold Majesty and Torch Bearer. Bold Majesty had scored back-to-back victories this season before running fourth in the Kingfisher Derby. Being a stout galloper, he was known to be extremely comfortable over a mile. Bold Majesty looked as well as Godspeed in the parade ring. Torch Bearer’s runaway victory over a mile in a maiden set earlier in the season had been very suggestive. The terms of today’s race saw him at an advantage of three kilos from Bold Majesty and Godspeed. He too was expected to run a big race on Sunday. The bookmakers had little hesitation in installing Godspeed as a firm favourite ahead of Bold Majesty and Torch Bearer. 

The nine runners in the “million” got off to an even start. Utilizing her early speed, Suraj took Godspeed to the front. Bold Majesty improved steadily from an outer draw and settled into a rhythm in second place. PS Chouhan pushed Lucia on the wide outside and forced her to move ahead of The General and Torch Bearer, as the runners began to take the rising ground near the three furlong marker. The action in front remained the same in the straight. Godspeed led by a few lengths from Bold Majesty and Lucia. With Suraj making free use of his whip, the filly stretched out nicely to keep Bold Majesty at bay. Godspeed maintained her three length advantage till the very end. The action at the back revealed a few facts. The first pertained to Torch Bearer. The well backed horse was the first one beaten in this race. He dropped back steadily towards the inner rails and ended many lengths behind the winner. On the other hand, The General was seen doing some good work in the final furlong. He came with a good run to take the third spot ahead of Lucia. The General will prove to be a good handicapper after his return to Pune. In both starts this season, he has displayed an ability to tackle a longer trip.

Suraj cornered the day’s honours by winning astride all his mounts on Sunday. He had begun the day by posting runaway victories in the first two races of the afternoon. He was asked to partner Amit Caddy’s Summer Gold in the day’s opener. This four year old had run unplaced nine times in his career. It was learnt that he had been plagued by a number of problems as a youngster. Additionally, he had also been getting left at the gates. With the new rules in force, it was understood that should this horse fail to touch the board in his tenth consecutive run today, he would be forced to leave the BTC premises. The trainer had given him a long rest of four months and tested him in a mock race earlier in the season. The track reporters felt that his recent track trials were more than suggestive. Based on all these facts, the horse started as an odds-on choice of the punters. His backers were quite concerned when they saw him taking a slow jump at the gates. Not wanting to take any chances, Suraj nudged him to improve his position, and the pair was soon alongside early leader Mystic Lavenders at the bend. Summer Dawn took over the running in the straight and came away from his rivals. He won on tight reins from Nation’s Glory and Youre A Star. The winner has it in him to defy the stiff penalty that he is likely to receive from the handicapper. 

Satish Narredu’s Super Queen made an impressive debut while carrying Suraj to a comfortable victory in The Track Lightning Trophy. The filly was reported to be amongst the costliest youngsters currently racing in the country.  The light framed specimen displayed amazing acceleration in the straight while trouncing her opponents. A small group of nine faced the starter.  Suraj allowed Our Little Dragon to go ahead of Super Queen, and was content to hold her in second position till the bend. Getting her onto an even keel in the straight, he gave her a nudge. Super Queen responded like a seasoned campaigner and strode away from the pack. Our Little Dragon and Good Fruit fought a minor battle for the second spot. The winner certainly possesses a lot of “class”. It will be interesting to see how Satish Narredu campaigns her hereafter. 

A seven furlong handicap for horses in the highest class attracted nine runners. The Stewards Cup was the added attraction in the day’s card. Arjun Mangalorkar’s Ridgeway looked like an outstanding runner in this race. He had ended a good fourth behind Machiavellianism, Bullseye and Invincible Prince in a graded event a few weeks ago. The terms of the race were definitely against him that day. Since highly regarded horses like Supreme Star and Gentle Knowledge had ended behind him, there were many who were waiting for Ridgeway to run at his own mark. They got an opportunity to back him at 9/4 with the bookmakers on Sunday. Ridgeway took a lethargic jump from the gates and was seen trailing the pack in the initial stages of this race. John gave him a couple of cracks with his whip and showed him daylight thereafter. Ridgeway was forced to come around the horses in front of him.  He lengthened his strides and moved steadily towards the front-running Field Marshal. With Field Marshal slowing down in the straight, Ridgeway took over the running. His nearest challenger at that stage was Inquisition. With nothing really looking threatening at that stage, Ridgeway seemed to be headed for an expected victory. But he was given a fright in the final furlong by a late rushing Southern Emperor. The latter made up much ground from the rear and moved dangerously towards the leader.  John was forced to gather Ridgeway once again and push him strongly across the wire. Southern Emperor and Inquisition took the minor berths on the result boards. 

A Class III sprint, for horses five years old and over, was split into two divisions. Since it was a “no whips” event, a number of apprentice boys were asked to partner strongly fancied runners. It was interesting to note that Mumbai based apprentice Bhawani Singh won both these races. In the top division, Yash Narredu’s mount Wind And Flight received one-sided support with the bookmakers. AR Pradeep ridden Sans Frontieres was a second choice of the punters. The speedy Scenic Blast set a blistering pace ahead of Whistlejacket, Wind And Flight and Ballantoy. Sans Frontieres and Samara Sun headed the chasing pack as the ten horse field entered the straight. With Scenic Blast getting exhausted near the two furlong marker, the runners started to get close to each other. Since each one was plodding, it was difficult to predict a winner at that stage of the race. However, the purple and yellow colours of Samara Sun suddenly appeared on the wide outside. The Dhariwal trainee responded to Bhawani’s urgings and came with a superb turn of foot to sail past his opponents. In a close fight for the minor berths, Wind And Flight managed to finish marginally ahead of Summer Sun and a tired Whistlejacket. Sans Frontieres reportedly bled to finish at the back of the pack. He is one runner that should be left alone from a betting perspective in future. 

Bhawani had an easier time on Amit Caddy’s Cool Hand in the lower version of this race. Cool Hand had scored as a top weight exactly a week ago, and since the horse had won without raising a sweat that day, the trainer chose to give him another opportunity. Most of the penalty handed out to him by the handicapper was negated by the four kilo allowance claimed by his rider. Cool Hand started as the second favourite behind a strongly supported King Julien in this race. Allowing Amazon Bay to lead on sufferance, both the market fancies raced steadily till the final bend. It was hereabouts that John made his move astride King Julien. Within the next couple of seconds, Cool Hand joined the fray. The two of them raced alongside for the next furlong. But the weight difference between them proved to be decisive. Cool Hand moved ahead in the last furlong to stride clear of King Julien and a late finishing Bessie. This was the second winner for trainer Amit Caddy this afternoon. Considering the three points that he has added to his tally over the weekend, it is almost certain that the young trainer will claim his first ever Trainer’s Championship at the end of this season. Cool Hand has earned himself a well-deserved rest after these back to back victories. As regards the fine performances of apprentice Bhawani Singh this summer, it is clearly visible that he is a talented youngster with a very bright future. 

The day ended on a disappointing note for quite a few punters. A strongly backed Vivid Impression played up in her gate, and once the start was effected, the chestnut refused to budge from her stationary position. On the other hand, an equally fancied Republican Star failed in his start-to-finish mission in this race. The son of Multidimensional slowed down suddenly near the furlong marker and faded completely out of contention. Trevor made full use of these happenings around him by piloting Suleiman Attaollahi’s Passing Fulcrum to a fairly comfortable victory. He tracked the public choice till the bend and joined issue with him thereafter. Moving slightly off the inner rails, Passing Fulcrum enjoyed his solitude in front and went on to score a decisive victory. A hard ridden Sakchi could do no better than finish a tame second. The others headed by Arziki ended more than a distance behind the first two finishers.