Twice  second from her two earlier starts, Honour  on the sole count that the goodtype of filly from Dominic’s yard had finished second behind Eternal Flame  from trainer S Ganapathy’s yard,  who went on to win the Breeders’ Produce Stakes in Mumbai  rightly opened the favourite in the Bangalore Winter Million before money came pouring in on the Padmanbhan ward Sun Moon And Stars who had made a smashing debut. Super Sunshine from Rajesh Narredu’s yard too  also  had his fair share of supporters though it appeared from the paddock parade that the good looking son of Holy Roman Emperor was short of one good gallop.

Imran Chisty did  well to take Honour to the front soon after the five runners came  under the starter’s flag. It was a smart move. The idea was to establish a good lead at the top of the straight which would help at end, taking into account that Sun Moon And Stars displayed good turn of foot in the final furlong in her debut. Well for the Dominic camp it worked out according to the plan, the Padmanabhan ward despite producing a sizzling gallop in the final furlong falling short at end. Super Sunshine who tracked Honour for most part of the six furlongs trip lacked the fitness and it will pay to follow this youngster when next saddled.

Earlier, Dominic struck through the in-form Why Should I who completed a hat-trick of wins this season, winning the lower division of the Mandya Plate from the favourite Our Little Dragon. The winner needed to win a second time in the Stewards room following a frivolous objection lodged by apprentice jockey Chetan Kalay, rider of Our Little Dragon. The protest was quickly and rightly  overruled.

Padmanabhan after his grand treble on Friday had four good contestants but lady luck deserted the leading pro on two occasions, Sun Moon And Stars and Remembrance of You losing out at the shadow of the winning post.

Scarlet Emperor from his yard justified the topbilling  in the Bull Temple Trophy, David Allan confidently guiding the last start winner  home without any worry or fuss and later in the Dharmasthala Plate run over a sprint, the public choice Eragon cantered home suggesting that he has know peaked and it will play to support him till he is beaten. Sands Of Time did well to finish second ahead of Meherani in this event while the Narayan Gowda schooled Forest Queen who was strongly fancied was never in the hunt.

In the upper division of the Mandya Plate, the odds on Remembrance Of You drifted alarmingly from evens to (18/10), New Emperor from Nithyanand’s yard garnering good support.  While the two topped the betting chart, Arvind Ganapathy was quietly fancying his charge Shrewd Master who had the credentials to upset the `Jodi’. 

David Allan took the Padmanabhan ward to the front and in his effort to steal the race went a little too quick. New Emperor who suffered interference after the jump was ineptly piloted by Shobhan Babu who in his bid to recover the lost ground needlessly pushed his mount  wide and  it appeared he was on a conducted tour of Bengaluru. The Nithyanand hopeful it was clear had killed himself in this fatal exercise and this helped Remembrance assume command  at the distance post before Dashrath Singh astride Shrewd Master in a never-say-die effort  packed punch on the Arvind  ward to gain the day by the shortest of margins in the final stride.

The topweighted Arun From new entrant Kishen Thomas’ yard was a medium of a good gamble, Gnaneswar seizing a good opening on the rails to snuff out the challenge of Bella Pinky  who attempted a pillar to post victory. Midtown Delight despite being favourably placed all through the seven furlongs trip lacked the gas to make a race of it and finished a tame third in the Octogonal Plate.

The Prithviraj schooled Secret Launch dropped the biggest bombshell in the Tiptur Plate.  It is no secret that the `Launch’ was not planned but as things turned out the rocket took off without the green signal and spoiled the party of One To Note who was the top fancy in this event.  The favourite who had impressed most while finishing an unextended third in the hands of Deepak Patel last time was struggling to keep pace and  again ended a poor third behind Secret Launch and Tree Lounge.

In the race for juveniles, the Rashid Byramji-trained Garv on the strength of his second behind Private Paradise in his maiden run garnered the maximum support but the public choice  flopped badly unable to keep pace. The lesser fancied Let There Be Light in the hands of David Allan  made a winning debut snuffing out the game challenge of Miss Adler who caught the eye and it will not be long before this Arazan filly graduates to the winners’ circle.