It was a day of close finishes at Mysore and the handicapper seemed to be a happy man at the end of the day. Followers of money returned happy with five firm favourites obliging in a card of eight races. The Continual Trophy, a nine furlongs race for horses rated 60 and above that featured the day’s card saw Manjri Stud bred Dragon (Phoenix Tower-Dramatikos), trained by Micheal Eshwer scoring a sweat less victory. Dragon settled well in third while Dhanyavaad set the pace followed by Kaguya Hemei and the rest behind in an ‘Indian’ line. On entering the straight Dragon ranged alongside the leader and breezed past with utmost ease, giving jockey Suraj Narredu an arm chair ride. Tulip with a lot of effort from the saddle managed to nail Kaguya Himei on the post for the runner-up berth.  

Jockey S.John’s hard riding got Dinesh Pujar’s Lads Ability (Diffident-Shaandaari / Yeravada Stud) a win in the Skyline Plate. Blue Zone set off on a start to finish bid and was looking good as they crossed the distance post. Azure Fire was rallying strongly from the outside and Lads Ability ridden out between them. The three went past the winning post together in a nail biting finish and Lads Ability had scraped through by the proverbial whisker. Azure Fire was third another short-head away. Big Hero was withdrawn before the start.

Michel’s youngster, The Wolf (Arabian Gulf-Amazing Senorita / Manjri Stud) won the first race of its career, the Mauritius Pearl Plate. Racing handily behind Bern till the top of the straight, The Wolf started to move up from the outside. Jockey Arshad Alam gave one crack and the gelding responded at once to forge ahead. Script Writer came with a late dash to finish second by three parts of va length. Bern was a close third. 

In a blanket finish with the first five horses spaced within a length and a quarter, S Santosh Rao trained Starstruck (New Famous-Treasured / Yeravada Stud) won the Karkala Plate, a 1200 metres sprint for horses rated 40 to 65. Rare Emerald was out in front from the start and was still there as they came into the last 100 metres. Starstruck came with a sizzling gallop from mid-field to down Rare Emerald in the dying moments of the race. Flames Of Forest, Sufficient Proof and Icecream finished in that cluster to be third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Trainer S Santosh Rao had scored in the earlier race through Arrivederci in the lower division of the Panaji Plate. Arrivederci (Medicean-Tetisheri / Kunigal Stud) which had not won a race after shifting base from Mumbai made it a start to finish affair over the seven furlongs distance. Jockey Suraj Narredu took Arriverdeci to the front after jumping out and headed to the fence quickly. Maintaining a steady lead all the way Arriverdeci came in first into the home stretch. Refreshed was the only challenger in the final run but Arriverdeci was clear by over two lengths and kicked on to wrap it up. Neron finished third and Overshadow was fourth.

 M.Bobby trained Push The Limit (Arabian Gulf-Night Life / Manjri Stud) won the higher division. The 4 year old was well backed to be the favourite at 16-10 among the dozen runners. Leading all the way Push The Limit started to drift out of the straight course on the straight and the top weighted Beautiful Effect who was just behind was hampered by that. Push The Limit kept kicking on the wide outside, almost on the edge of the turf and won by a good three lengths. The rider of the second placed Beautiful Effect lodged an objection against the winner for bumping at the start and taking his ground on the straight. Invincible Wish who placed third objected on Beautiful Effect for interference. Both the objections were overruled and the original order of placing remained intact.   

Bipin V Salvi trained Stride To Success (Don Michelleto-Success Heiress / Manjri Stud) that had only one success from 26 starts pulled off an upset in the Nelamangala Plate in a tight finish. Peppr and Cesaria were fighting out with 300 metres left on the straight and Friends Forever who had taken the shortest way came into the reckoning. Stride To Success also moved up from the outside and fighting hard with Friends Forever inside the last 150 metres, just managed to put her head in front at the all important end. Cesaria finished third and Peppr fourth.

C.D.Monnappa trained Rustic Sunrise (Mull Of Kintyre-Whispering Shadows / Pratap Stud justified the favouritism in the Ansbach Plate. Racing in about sixth till turning for home, Rustic Sunrise improved from the outside and streaked ahead with a little over half a furlong left. Sunspirit who had dropped out after tracking the leader early came back with renewed effort towards the closing stages but fell short by a neck. All For Cash finished on in third while Robinhood Pandey came in fourth.