It was good to see the small Delhi owners win a classic at Bengaluru. Despite the fact that the Delhi challenger after making her base here had produced a couple of good efforts in summer and a win in Mysore, Starlet from trainer Dominic’s yard was not put in the classic circle, but the Eljohar out of Cape Africa made a grand entry into the Hall Of Fame winning the first classic of the season, the Bangalore 1000 Guineas in convincing style.

It incidentally was the maiden success of her trainer who is in the business for more than three decades. Owners Hans Federick and Sanjay Rai disclosed that the filly had steadily improved to graduate into the big league and that Dominic gave her a good outside chance in the event.

Bred at the Mukteshwar Stud Farm, Starlet produced her best in the big event, tracking the leader Intelligence, fresh from his Hyderabad success for most part of the mile long journey before she displayed good turn of foot to take command approaching the distance post and with her pilot T S Jodha in no mood to let the initiative slip, kicked on to corner glory. The second in demand at the betting ring, Angel Dust finished second ahead of Let There Be Light while the favourite New Alliance who encountered rough passage at a crucial juncture was a trifle unlucky and ended fourth.

“A delighted Dominic disclosed that Starlet had it in her to compete against the best and she proved that today.” 

The principal added attraction saw the Arjun Manglorkar ward Shivalik Star floor his 11 rivals in the hands of John. Sun Divine from Neil Darashah’s yard was the top fancy on the strength of her victories in Malakpet  and Mahalakshmi  but the public choice  despite Suraj Narredu making every effort to get him going failed to quicken and eventually finished a tame third behind the topweighted Smile Stone who impressed most.

Twice second from her last two starts including her effort behind Eternal Flame in Mysore, the Padmanabhan schooled Valiant Spirit was backed to the exclusion of his nine rivals in the Kanteerava Cup run over a mile. But the on-money favourite after streaking ahead at the top of the straight failed to snuff out the challenge of the two rankoutsiders, Noble Reward and Sagrada and it was the Lokanath ward Noble Reward who charged home to record a big upset. The winner paid a handsome dividend of Rs 967 on a tenner at the tote window.

Earlier, trainer Arvind Ganapathy saddled the first winner of the MAM Ramaswamy Chettiar Trust after the Lord And Master of Indian racing, Dr M A M Ramaswamy passed way in Chennai on Wednesday.  The on-money favourite Krieger making a winning debut in the hands of Sandesh. The winner who had impressed most on the trial track looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring. The runner-up Top Striker from Mohd. Khan’s caught the eye and will benefit most from his first exercise. Aster Rose failed to take a level jump but did well at end to come home third.

A big gamble on Spirit And Truth came good in the Star Luminary Plate. The run-away winner was touted a `moral bet’ by the insiders and the right connections and this proved right, the Neil ward donkey-licking the opposition without the jockey Prabhakaran needing to move a muscle. Spirit And Truth is at his best and is set to provide an encore. Indian Brahmos is slowly yet surely making progress and it will not be long before this Inayathullah ward earns his winning bracket.

Leading pro Imran Chisty made every post a winning one on the second favourite Desert Gilt in the opening event.  It proved to be a walk in the park for the Sirajuddin ward who enjoyed his run, getting stronger at the finish. The public choice Amazing Skill piloted by Suraj who tracked the leader all through the seven furlongs trip only managed to stay there. New Mallet who took the third spot satisfied most and is one for the notebook.

The Punna-trained Madame Sultana always produces her best when she is ignored in the betting ring. Sultana did just that again pegging back the effort of the favourite Super Queen in the lower division of the Galloping Acres Stud Plate run over a sprint.

The upper division of the event too was claimed by rankoutsider Kingston Town who produced a strong gallop in the hands of Tauseef Ahmed to edge out the favourite Topspot by the shortest of margins.

Most punters were running around confused in the concluding event, the Davangere Plate run over a sprint.  Golden Nimbus from Sriram Komandur’s yard and the Narayan Gowda schooled Hapticstar  opened two strong favourites to score before Hapticstar shifted out to (6/1)  in the betting ring. This saw punters go bang-bang on Golden Nimbus and the favourite closed at (13/10). While Golden Nimbus after showing initial promise finished last in the dozen-horse field, Hapticstar cruised home much to the dismay of his supporters who had first chosen to back him before ignoring him only on the count that the price had alarmingly  drifted out. Feet On Fire edged out Thejaguar to take the second spot and this Hidayat ward merits attention.