Class comes from consistency and it  is no secret in a game where fortunes change hands fast and fine  that  class and  consistency  are the two  factors that  the big players bettors take into consideration before  placing their bets on the horses that fit this bill.  The form has not played true so far this season and that’s one big reason  why most punters continue to lose out this winter. 

Winner of the Hyderabad Derby  before he lost to Bold Majesty in a thriller in the Mysore blue riband, Spreadeagle,  going by the book of form was considered a cinch in the Ashoka Chakra Cup run over a distance of nine furlongs on Saturday. But the Arjun Manglorkar ward after being favourably placed till the heads turned for home surprisingly lacked the gas in the tank to produce a winning gallop and eventually finished in the ruck. The fact that the public choice looked beat before the race came on a boil shocked his supporters who pinned their hopes on the talented colt who they reckon had the required class and the desired consistency to  justify favouritism in the feature event. 

The owner-mate of Spreadeagle  from  Sulaiman Attaollahi’s yard,  Scarlet O’Hara  piloted by leading pro Pradeep Chouhan won the event,   playing to her strength,  customary `catch me if you can’  exercise to accomplish her mission.  Wind Stream finished second while the moody Ambitious Reward who in one of his summer starts finished a close second behind  Amazing Grace, the best horse on the circuit,  continued to disappoint , in no mood to keep pace with his five rivals.

Classic hopeful Nesto back after a nine-month lay-off  was touted a `moral certainty’ by most pundits.  The old hats in the game were of the view that Nesto back after a setback in training was provided sufficient time and space to make a winning comeback by  Neil Darashah, who it must be mentioned nursed the colt  to the best of his ability. The on-money favourite who had impressed in his final mock race looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring  before he troubled the starter at the gates in the seven furlongs event.  His supporters who spent some anxious moments watching Nesto fight the handlers sported a smile the moment the favourite hit the front and travelled nice and easy in the hands of the young Neil Farley for most part of the journey before Vivid Impression who was advantageously placed in at the scales breezed past Nesto and put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. The in-form Speed Hawk from trainer Warren Singh’s yard  finished second while Super Queen who was out to get a good fast run under her belly finished her exercise before negotiating the final curve.   

The Hoysala Trophy produced  a pulsating finish, the talented Ace Badraan and the sparingly raced Aashikaara  locked in the big battle before the Padmanabhan ward gained the day in the hands of the promising Yash Narredu. Ace Badraan who Silva Storai rates high never realised his early classic promise not able to translate his performances on the trial track into race winning efforts. Passing Fulcrum produced his best but he lacked the class to go one better after his second behind Torch Bearer in Mysore. The Artist now has started to paint with the wrong brush and is best ignored till the Sulaiman ward  decides to spear  the right coat of paint   on the  drawing board.

Glittering and Sagrada were the two overwhelming favourites  who  raised no sweat while earning their corn bills and promising that they are in fine shape and condition to add to the list.  The former won the lower division of the Half A Crown Plate while Sagrada had it easy in the lower division of the Saddle Up Plate.

Earlier, the  trainer Faraz Arshad camp fancied Charming Grey sweetly and the grey justified the confidence of his master cantering home in the hands of Ahsan Qureshi. It was clear that Ahsan was listed to partner the grey in their effort to get a decent price on the horse and that worked and  a good gamble paid off to the delight of the followers of money in the opening event.  

Later in the concluding event, after the on-money favourite Azzuro dropped Trevor Patel and bolted on way to the starting gate and was withdrawn, the second in demand at the betting ring,  Arthurian  another from Faraz’s yard garnered big support before he flattered to deceive, going down by the shortest of margins in his last stride to Rapid Advance.