Punters lost out big on Friday. Not a single favourite. Three rank outsiders, three eight to one shots and four offered at more than (4/1) waltzed to victory and it was the bookmakers again who went home with three bags full.

The eight to one shot Diva from young Azhar Ali’s yard set the trend. Making her debut in the lower division of the Prince Ardent Plate run over a distance of 1100M, the winner streaked ahead at the distance post and then gamely held on to peg back the effort of Saga. The favourite Back In A Flash piloted by Suraj Narredu failed to produce a winning gallop and eventually finished a poor third.

The Irfan Ghatala schooled Shivalik Dance on the strength of his satisfactory effort in his last essay, second behind Everybreakingwave garnered the maximum support in the next event, the lower division of the Kolar Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs but the even-money favourite despite leading pro Pradeep Chouhan making every effort to get her going only managed to gain the runner-up spot, the five to one shot What A Nice man from trainer Dominic’s yard coming up tops in the hands of Sai Vamshi. Massive Dynamics was seen finishing on purposefully at end to take the third spot and it will pay to follow this Darius Byramji ward early in the summer season.

A race for the lowest rated horses most times provides a shock result and it was no different today, the unfancied Fioroloco from veteran trainer Samar Singh’s yard making every post a winning one in the hands of apprentice Noornabi. The favourite Oriental Belle raced in patches and it was clear even before the race came on a boil that the public choice would fail to save even the place money. Oriental Belle finished a tame fourth behind Bolts Colt while Red Admiral took the second spot.

After failing to justify favouritism a couple of times when he was under the care of Irfan Ghatala, Androstos who is in Sulaiman Attaollahi’s yard was again fancied to earn his cornbill competing in the Hassan Plate run over a mile. But the public choice after raising hopes at the top of the straight failed to match strides with the Narayan Gowda schooled Secret Dimension who produced a winning gallop in the final furlong to reign supreme. Miracles Of Life who also had a fair share of supporters again made the frame, finishing third. The Inayathullah ward has never been of the frame in her six starts this season but that really does not help and it is only a poor consolation in this winner takes all sport.

Narayan Gowda who recorded a fine treble, next struck it rich with the topweighted Mickey Mouse in the plum event, the Delhi Race Club Trophy run over a distance of seven furlongs.  Suraj Narredu produced a top drawer effort on the winner, while Neeraj Rawal astride Dazzling Bay failed to pack the desired punch on the runner-up. It was clearly evident that a better rider and not the better horse won the feature event, a `neck’ separating the two at the wire. Neeraj who has long been on the circuit must get the mickey of his back and learn to score from the winning opportunities which come in his favour and that’s really what separates the men from the boys or more simply that’s what separates the winners from the losers. The favourite Ace Badraan, another favourite from Irfan’s yard who had lost to Pearl Reward by the shortest of margins with an apprentice to guide his fortunes appeared to have lost his galloping shoes with Chouhan on top and this may well prove to be costly for Irfan who is line for the Champion trainer crown.

In line for a treble, the Narayan Gowda camp were pretty confident that last start winner Aspasia would provide an encore in the upper division of the Kolar Plate. The game galloper just did that in the hands of Kiran Rai snuffing out the challenge of another lesser fancied contestant Born Phoenix. The topweighted Cherie Amour from the stables of Nithyanand caught the eye charging home to nose out Proud Prince and the favourite Only Princess for the third spot. The Ganapathy-trained Surnaturel who was also quietly fancied by the insiders and the right connections raised hopes at the top of the straight before quickly fading out of the scene.

Beaten by the goodtype of youngster Rafa who won his second start in Malakpet (Hyderabad), Battalion from Neil Darashah’s yard, back after a minor setback in training was rightly installed the firm favourite in the upper division of the Prince Ardent Plate. But this time to the Neil ward met one better from Dominic’s yard, the ten to one shot Havelock Princess edging him out after a ding-dong battle all through the straight. Despite his failure to shed his maiden status from two starts, Battalion stills look a good type and will be a force to reckon with in the forthcoming Udhagamandalam classics. Good Fortune finished third while the second in demand at the betting ring, Star Line who had finished second behind Goonj in Chennai during the Invitation Cup week-end races appears to have gone of the boil.

A surprise last start winner, Albertino ignored in the betting ring in the upper division of the Siddaganga Plate produced another shock victory in the hands of apprentice jockey Selvaraj. The Irfan ward, it appears has developed a liking for the apprentice, producing his best once again to upset the applecart of Sir Majestic.  Calico Jack was fancied most but the Mohd Khan was never in the hunt.

The principal added attraction, the Bull Temple Trophy was claimed by another eight to one shot Garuda from Prasanna Kumar’s yard. The winner who had let down large following in his last essay over a sprint looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring before donkey-licking the opposition in this mile long journey. Garuda is now at his best and he will certainly graduate to higher league in the summer season.