Well  it was not the start the railbirds were looking for after the cancellation of the opening week-end races.  Only one public choice Super  Queen justified favouritism in the nine-event card  on Friday  resulting in a majority of followers of form returning home with a hole in the pocket.

While  it was a start most punters would like to quickly forget, it was not the case with the promising Yash Narredu  who started the summer season with a bang  winning the first two races on the two lesser fancied winners, Shining Bay in the opening event and the Amit Caddy schooled As Good As It Gets in the next.

Yash infact needed to stretch every sinew on the Amit Caddy ward who  was seen struggling to gain momentum approaching the distance post  before the never-say-die effort of the youngster helped the Amit ward snuff out the challenge of Ontime close home.  The favourite Indian Legend raced in patches  and eventually finished in the ruck .

The topweighted Carbonado  from Gregory Sandhu’s yard looked a picture e of fitness at the parade ring. The punters yet chose to go with the Britto-trained Meherani  who appeared to have lost her galloping shoes even before the race came on a boil. Carbonado in the hands of apprentice jockey Munna Alam  made every post a winning one  ahead of Breaking Away and Galway Girl who needed this run. The winner of the upper division of the Malenahalli Stakes is in  rousing form and is set to provide an encore when saddled next.

The friendless Go Lucky Go From Kishen Thomas’ yard  dropped the biggest bombshell in the upper division of the M N Prakash Memorial Cup run over a sprint.

After the favourite Country’s Pride  stole a march at the top of the straight and was shaping like a winner, Sai Vamshi  astride Go Lucky Go  in no mood to throw in the towel  packed punch on the Kishen ward and the 40 to one shot  produced a winning gallop in the final furlong to peg back Country’s Pride much to the disappointment of most big bettors who chose to pin their hopes on the Satish Narredu ward.

Despite the fact that Alexandra Mills appeared a trifle gross at the paddock the Darius Byramji ward was the first choice of most railbirds.  The Darius Byramji ward, it was clear was not 100 percent fit took  and took time to raise a gallop and this helped the spot on Schiavone from Suleiman Attaollahi’s  yard gain the day  in the hands of jockey Suraj Naarredu who back after his stint in France recorded a double  guiding home the only favourite Super Queen in the concluding event.

Alexandra Mills, it is needless to mention will benefit most with this run under her belly and it will pay to follow her  in her next essay.  New Emperor found the seven furlongs trip a little beyond his compass in this company  and he is fit enough to strike over a sprint.

The first plum of the season, the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Cup  run over a distance of seven furlongs produced another shock winner, IM Different from trainer Prasanna Kumar’s yard  edging out the favourite Your Royal Majesty.  Full marks to Prasanna for sending out IM Different in top condition and this separated the winner from the runner-up who clearly needed this run. Arrogant Approach who failed to gain a favourable position early on in the race finished on purposefully at end to gain the third spot ahead of Bold Majesty who impressed most, covering acres of ground  in the final furlong.

Spurred by his success in the opening plum, Prasanna led in the lesser fancied Royal Salute in the principal added attraction, the Krishnaja Wadiyar Trophy to the delight of the sporting owner Chandrashekar Rai. Imran Khan’s  powered packed riding helped Royal Salute storm home ahead of the rankoutsider Sun Divine and the second in demand at the betting ring Shivalik Star while the favourite Pentagram for more reasons than one failed to display his true potential.

In the upper division of the Littleover Stakes, Androstos from trainer Irfan Ghatala’s  yard was considered a `moral certainty’ by most big punters. The trainer back after serving a one year suspension  was looking to make a winning comeback  that was not to be, Fresh Start from Faraz Arshad’s  yard  making it a pillar to post victory in the hands of Imran Khan.  Androstos looked fit and it was not a case where one could point that the Ghatala ward needed the run. He it  appears needs ground and will be a different proposition when campaigned over  mile long trip.

Super Queen won the lower division of the M N Prakash Memorial Cup with a degree of comfort from Rustic Sunrise and the second choice Havelock Prince who encountered rough passage early on in the race and as a result was not favourably placed to challenge the favourite. But the fact remains that Havelock Prince  who looked a picture at the paddock parade  does not enjoy the sprint trip and will prove his mettle over an extended trip in the weeks ahead.