It was a difficult card and winner picking was no easy task, but the fact that some of the winners tore the form book inside out, producing vastly improved performances indicating that they only change gears when only they chose to while defying the vigil at this centre left most racing buffs asking the one question, when will the stipes at this centre wake up and enforce proper vigilance against the offenders who have made the in and out running a profitable pattern.
 

After winning a seven furlongs event in the 20-45 category, Hillton  ran last in a ten-horse field in the same class  and campaigned in the higher 40-65 category on Saturday, Hillton, it appeared sported wings winning the Ilkal Plate in the hands of Saivamshi. From last in the lower category to first in the higher category floored the punters and the winner paid a handsome dividend of Rs 819 on a tanner at the tote window.

Next in the list was Shahraan who after failing to make the frame in his last five starts won the Murudeshwara Plate with a degree of comfort. The two fancied runners Tic Tac Toe who had finished a creditable second in his last effort found Shahraan and a couple of others who made mockery of  the form book  too hot to handle while Yourescintillating performed below par.

A couple of others including the two winners from Arjun Maglorkar’s yard, Vencedora and Shinnecock Hills gate crashed into  the ‘outsider waltz’ and this only resulted in most punters returning home with a big hole in the pocket.

Well most punters are of the view that it is all happening simply because the stipes at this centre lack the ability and more importantly the willingness to seek explanations and if this continues the punters who are the chief patrons of the sport will lose trust and the confidence to test their skills in the game.

On the strength of his facile victory in his last essay, Agostini from Suleiman Attaollahi’s yard was the overwhelming favourite in the Stayers Trial Stakes but the public rage after assuming command at the top of the straight in the gruelling 2400 metres trip failed in his mission to peg back the challenge of Wind Stream who produced his best when it mattered most.

Valerian’s performance chart this season is shocking to say the least.  In his first start in winter the Darius Byramji ward finished a game second behind Austin.  In the next, when fancied most he finished down the field.  Back again in his third attempt he produced his best and went down fighting to Shivalik Fire. And on Saturday when he was installed the favourite on the strength of that eye-catching effort he again chose to grace the wrong end of the field. The top weighted Virat who had impressed most while finishing third behind Sun Divine and Emperor Cruise won the upper division of the Hurricane Stud Plate from Chul Bul Pandy. Secret Punch raced in patches and it will not be long before he chooses to surprise.

Despite the fact that she won her last start in the lowest class in convincing style, Magnetize from Narayan Gowda’s yard was ignored on the count that she may find the higher rated company tough too handle but the six-year-old mare in the hands of Naveen  produced another good effort to snuff out the challenge of the favourite Cherry Hinton who was asked to scale a mountain, her pilot not able to gain a favourable position early on in the Gaganchukki Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs.  Midtown Delight after a series of poor performances appears to have come into his own, gaining the third berth.
 

In the Narasimharaja Trophy for juveniles split into two divisions, the two second favourites recorded maiden victories. The Lieutenant from Neil Darashah’s yard who had impressed most in the morning trials won the lower division at the nourishing odds of six to one after the on-money favourite Purple Star who was backed to the exclusion of his 11 rivals broke a blood vessel much to the disappointment of Ganapathy camp.

The upper division was claimed by another youngster who had satisfied most in the morning trials, Auriga romping home, beating the strongly fancied China One without really extending himself. Auriga is a goodtype of youngster and more will be heard of this Sriram Komandur ward in the months ahead.