After enjoying a fine run during the Invitation Cup week-end in Chennai, railbirds lost out on Thursday in Bengaluru, only three favourites justifying their top billing in the eight-event card.

The Faraz Arshad ward Major Attraction started the day well for the punters, landing a successful gamble for the owners who strongly fancied the `major’ to take salute and he did it in style. The Satish Narredu-trained Miss Ceylon opened the favourite before the connections of Major Attraction got busy in the betting ring and soon the Faraz ward was installed the favourite and the winner romped home in the hands of Velu. Miss Ceylon gained the runner-up spot ahead of Irish Prince who also had a fair share of his followers while the moody Western Lady made the frame.

On the strength of his impressive second behind Justice Angel in her debut, the Satish Narredu schooled Love For Life was backed to the exclusion of her 11 rivals but all that the half-money favourite did was take sacks of good money down the drain. Rankoutsider Emidio from Prithviraj’s yard shocked all making a winning debut in the hands of apprentice Prashanth Dhebe. Another debutant Red Galileo from the stables of Nithyanand finished ahead of the public rage while the Samar Singh-trained Romantic Helen took the fourth spot.

After Emidio dropped the biggest bombshell, Mahesh fresh after leading in Ayaan in Guindy struck through the seven to one shot Real Generous. The connections of Real Generous did fancy the winner and he was touted a good win and place proposition. The fact that he won convincingly with M Kumar suggests that Real Generous has the ability to provide an encore. Jeyem’s Pride finished second while the public choice Shining Bay from Rajesh Narredu’s yard failed to hit the board.

After drawing a blank in Guindy, Arjun Manglorkar led in the half-money favourite Everybreakingwave who produced a timely gallop when all looked lost to score in the Devarayanadurga Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. The leading saddle artiste John needed to stretch every sinew on the favourite to snuff out the challenge of Shivalik Dance. The runner-up is slowly, yet surely, improving and it will pay to keep an eye on this Irfan Ghatala ward in the forthcoming summer season.

The two top fancies, Areca Wonder who appears to have lost form and the facile last start winner Taqdeer Ka Badshah garnered the maximum support in the Stewards Trophy, the plum event run over a sprint but soon after the field of dozen runners came under the starter’s flag, it was the 10 to one shot Topspot who hit the front and gained control before pegging back the belated charge of another lesser fancied contestant  Super Force. The `Jodi’ went out of the window much to the disappointment of the big bettors who were of the view that the feature event would end in a straight fight between the top two fancies.

The principal added attraction, the Bugs Bunny Trophy for juveniles saw the bred in the purple debutant War Envoy from the stables of Sriram Komandur  attract big support despite the fact that the son of Multidimensional was drawn badly and didn’t really appeal most in the parade ring. War Envoy who opened (5/1) in the morning was backed down to even money, his supporters confident that his first start will prove a walk in the park. The heavily backed juvenile failed to get the desired start and was sluggish throughout the sprint trip and only managed to finish a poor fourth. Golden Success finished second ahead of Towering Heights who impressed most and this Arjun ward will earn his cornbill early in summer.

After missing the bus in Chennai, balloted out, the Neil Darashah schooled Spirit And Truth, who won from his first attempt this season by more than 12 lengths before he faltered in Mumbai was the top fancy in the Bhagamandala Plate though many pundits were of the view that the Neil ward may not relish the 2000 metres trip. John astride the public choice travelled nice and easy in third position for most part of the trip while the eight to one shot Saptajit set a decent pace all through the backstretch before kicking on gamely to shut out Spirit And Truth. The truth is that the public choice found the trip beyond his compass and this made the task of the Azhar ward easy at end.

The Gregory Sandhu schooled Zaalim and Aspasia from Narayan Gowda’s yard started the favourites in the concluding event, the Gadag Plate before money came pouring in on the Gowda’s ward and he readily justified the confidence of his stable romping home a deserving winner. The Dominic-trained Pull The Plug charged home late to take the second spot ahead of Arctic Convoy and both the runner-up and the third placed finisher will be hard to beat when next saddled. Zaalim was never in the hunt and Livin’ On A Prayer continued to disappoint.