Secret Hunter (Bertolini-Ash Moon / Sohna Stud) from the stables of M.Bobby scored an authoritative victory in the Nanie & Sons Cup, the feature of Friday’s races at Mysore. The 5 year old who had won drawing away in its last start in the lower class was strongly fancied to score an encore in the higher set being sent off as the favourite at 6-4. Taking a good jump from the gates he rushed to the front to set a fast pace. Inside the last 400 metres Secret Hunter continued to bowl along in front under Mohammed Shoaib, with no worthy challenger in sight. Virat ran on to be the runner-up while Will Star finished a tame third. Sherlock Holmes filled the judge’s frame.  

The 3 year old bay gelding Topspot (Sussex-Majjani / Badal Stud) from K.Pradeep Annaiah’s stables was a class apart while demolishing his opponents in the higher division of the Mysore Race Club Trophy. Jockey Amyn Merchant was specially brought down from Pune to guide the fortunes of Topspot whose best performance so far was in the Juvenile Sprinters’ Million at Bangalore where he had finished third in a blanket finish. Topspot was well supported as the favourite at 9-4 while Emperor Cruise, the winner of the ‘Million’ had an equal number of supporters at 5-2.

Flying Tricolour set the tempo in his usual fashion with Emperor Cruise on his haunches. Smokey Sid and Topspot were close behind followed by the rest further behind. As they traversed the final turn Topspot made a quick move from the outside to get into striking position even as Emperor Cruise fired the first shot on the straight. Topspot responded brilliantly when Amyn asked him to quicken and the winner was spotted even before approaching the distance marker. Emperor Cruise who was beaten fair and square started to run green under pressure and lost the runner-up berth to Optimus Zone who rallied in late from the rear. Salsburg finished fourth.   

Trainer Zareer Darashah and Jockey Y.S.Srinath had a profitable day, teaming up to score a double with Blue Zone and Gran Turismo. Blue Zone (Noverre-Isle of Mull / Sohna Stud) was given a hard ride by Y.S.Srinath to pull it off from the favourite Charming Night in the J.H.Foley Memorial Cup. Taking the start from the outermost draw, Blue Zone settled easily behind the early leader Stylish Charmer and stayed there even when Final Countdown was brushed up to hit the front. With a little over 300 metres left from home, Blue Zone took charge from Final Countdown and Charming Night who was backed to the exclusion of the other runners started to get closer. Jockey Y.S.Srinath rode out Blue Zone to maintain the advantage till the winning post. Queens Colour finished third ahead of Ultimate Princess. Too Cold To Hold was withdrawn after rearing up inside the gates.

 Jockey Y.S.Srinath rode a brilliant race on Gran Turismo (Glory of Dancer-Octagleam / Nanoli Stud) in the Chettinad Stud Trophy. Held back towards the rear along the fence initially, Gran Turismo was pulled out to make a bid from the outside as they headed past the last 500 metres and once on the home stretch Srinath was quick to take the gelding to the front. The favourite Amistad came out from the pack behind to challenge Gran Turismo but just couldn’t get to him as Srinath kept riding him out to stay ahead by a length. Supreme was finished third many lengths behind.  

S.Dominic trained Cattleya (C P West-Essential Elegance / Galloping Acres Stud) who had found one better in her last two starts came good to win the lower division of the Mysore Race Club Trophy. Showing plenty of speed at start Cattleya shot to the front to lead and came in first on the straight. The favourite Arch Duchess in chase soon began to challenge inside the last 300 metres but jockey P.S.Chouhan rode out Cattleya to keep up the momentum and increase the lead to 3 ¾ lengths at the finish. Jersey Bride rallied on to finish third.

Jockey A.Ramu who is having a good streak of late, made best use of the chance mount on Herculean (Mr.Mellon-Belles in the Mist / Yeravada Stud) in the opener, the Nainital Plate. Heading to lead the field within the first 100 metres, Herculean made every post a winning one thereafter. The favourite Magnetic Power was in hot chase in the final furlong but could only finish second, three quarters of a length behind the winner. Windsor Park and Rocket Ronnie finished third and fourth respectively.

P.C.Tejaswi trained Jazzbythebay (Royal Kingdom-Jazzego / Manjri Stud) stunned the field while winning the P.Shanker Memorial Plate. The 5 year old who had not seen the winning post for almost 22 months covered ground rapidly from the extreme outside in the last 200 metres to flash past Aero Star and Glorious Moments. Aero Star who was on a start to finish bid finished second while Glorious Moments who raise some hopes on the straight fizzled out to be third.

Trainer S.Dominic and jockey P.S.Chouhan who had won earlier with Cattleya, teamed up again to win with Aceempressjessie (Rebuttal-Empress Jessie / Hazara Stud) in the higher division of the Mandakalli Plate. The 4 year old filly whose only win from 13 starts was exactly a year ago on the same track prevailed in a hotly contested fight with Hackett. Tracking the front running Mountain Splendour till the top of the straight, Aceempressjessie took charge and was quickly joined by Hackett. The two fought out till the last stride with the stronger handling of P.S.Chouhan enabling the filly to pull it off by a short-head. The favourite Manta Ray finished third many lengths behind.

In heavy downpour Real Potential (Ajaad-Private Emotions / Sans Craintes Stud) took off to the front at start and won unchallenged in the lower division, the concluding race of the day. It started to rain as the horses came into the paddock and got heavier just before the loading could commence. Jockey Vijaykumar who had replaced an indisposed L.Prashant thought it best to take Bipin Salvi’s trainee to the front at start and that paid dividend. The short priced Always Remembering could only finish second with Inspirator improving late to finish third.