Forget handicapping. Don’t chase inside information. And throw the form guide out of the window. The new money making mantra is simple. Just invest on the best rides of Trevor Patel and you will come out a winner. And this is happening. The strike rate of the leading pro is amazing and the railbirds who are simply going by the new funda are taking home the green bags.

Trevor has booted home eight winners from the three winter meetings in Bengaluru including two trebles, one on the opening day of the season and a hat-trick on Saturday after he recorded a double on Friday.

Trevor stretched every sinew to open his account through the on-money favourite Satellite in the plum event, the Krishnaraja Cup before he had it easy on the Lokanath schooled She’s Stunning in the next event and in line for a hat-trick, the champion pro packed punch on the favourite Force Ensign to down the colours of Czar Rule close home in the concluding event.

On form the Sulaiman schooled Satellite appeared a cinch in the feature event. The filly was offered at a miserly price (70/100) and despite the short price most big bettors chose to go bang-bang on the Sulaiman ward competing over a distance of seven furlongs which she relishes most.

The seven to one shot Merion from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard in the hands of Imran Chisty stole a march at the top of the straight and quickly established a winning lead before Trevor pulled out all stops on the public choice and after a ding-dong battle, the favourite gained the day at the shadow of the winning post. The ten to one shot Jersey Shore stormed onto the scene late to finish third ahead of the top weighted Emperor Cruise who failed to clear run in the final furlong and is one for the notebook.

Back in the next event, the Udupi Plate run over a mile, Trevor astride the grey She’s Stunning, who looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring didn’t really need to do much, the Lokanath schooled filly  putting the issue beyond doubt, the moment she got into her stride approaching the distance post.  Seven Of Hearts did well to hang onto the second spot ahead of German Guide while the favourite Charming Grey only took a lot of good money down the drain.

The Darius Byramji-trained Force Ensign was the favourite in the upper division of the Huthari Plate, the concluding event. The Narayan Gowda-trained Bazinga garnered good support in the betting ring, backed down from (6/1) to (5/2). But while Trevor punched for home on the Darius ward, Bazinga was not sighted. Czar Rule streaked ahead in the final furlong and was posing like a winner before Trevor setalight Force Ensign and the favourite to the delight of the followers of form galloped home. Del Porto from Irfan’s yard dropped back after the first furlong and infact finished 25 lengths behind the second last horse. The trainer disclosed that the apprentice jockey Syed Imran reported that the bit had shifted out due to handler exercising force at the start and the horse just dropped out unable to quickly properly grab the bit.  Irfan also revealed that the horse had burst his blood vessel during the race.

Earlier jockey Imran Khan after booting home the well supported I’ll Have One More in the opening event, the lower division of the Honnavar Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs partnered the fresh from Mysore campaign, Calico Jack to an impressive victory in the Swarnamukhi Plate run over a sprint. The other fancied runner Afore was knocked badly at the start by Ramu astride Private Party and as a result took time to get back on even keel  before finishing third behind Ramon. But the fact remains that Afore on this day would not have beaten the winner taking into account that Imran relaxed on Calico Jack after establishing a winning lead in the final furlong.

The principal added attraction, the K S Premchand Memorial Trophy was claimed by the four to one shot Southern Surprise from trainer S Ganapathy’s yard. Sandesh rode a copybook race on the winner.  Areca Wonder after a couple of dismal efforts it appears is back at his own. The Puttanna ward finished a game second ahead of What A Wonder while Only Princess took the fourth spot.  Now that Areca Wonder is back in form it will not be long before he makes his owners proud.

The first `baby’ race was claimed by the six to one shot Rafa from trainer Britto’s yard. The son of Mathematician out of Spanish Whisper from Pathy’s stud farm produced a winning gallop at the all-important end to snuff out the challenge of the Neil Darashah schooled Battalion who was fancied the most. It must be mentioned that the bad draw did Battalion in and he will turn out to be a different proposition when he races next.

The upper division of the Huthari Festival produced a pulsating finish, Indian Legend from trainer Prithviraj’s yard and  Western Union  flashing past the post locked together before the `magic eye’ nodded in favour of the Prithviraj ward piloted by Jagadeesh.

The next event, the upper division of the Honnavar Plate was claimed by the favourite Cato’s Call from Rashid Byramji’s yard.  The Byramjis did make hay while the sun shone this wek-end. The father leading in two winners while Darius saddled three including Alexandra Mills, the winner of the feature event on Friday.