After the pasting they got last week, punters at this centre did manage to get the better of exchanges on the first extra day of the season and hopefully will end the winter season on a healthy note before they gear up for the summer which promises to be a highly competitive and a productive season from the railbirds point of view, most leading trainers from Mumbai and Hyderabad selecting the best from their yards to do battle in Bengaluru.

The Ganapathy-trained Southern Surprise garnered the maximum support in the plum event, the Garden City Cup but even before the dozen runners negotiated the final curve it was clear and it came as no surprise that the public choice was a beaten horse. The three to one shot Super Sunshine from Rajesh Narredu’s yard back after his short stint in Mumbai proved too good in the hands of Suraj Narredu and on the strength of this performance is certain to add a couple more to his kitty in summer. The consistent Russian Link again found one better but taking into account that he lost out to two good horses, Sea Fairey last time out and Super Sunshine on Thursday, this Prasanna ward will gain his pound of flesh in this class early in summer. The same cannot be mentioned in the case of Southern Surprise who performed like a dud and will need time and space to regain his ability and form he displayed while beating Areca Wonder in his first start this season.        

Areca Wonder after failing to earn his cornbill from his five starts this season finally entered the winners’ circle edging out Calico Jack by the shortest of margins in the upper division of the Silicon Valley Stakes run over a sprint. The winner from trainer B Puttanna’s yard piloted by apprentice Nazerul Alam streaked ahead at the top of the straight before gaining the day. Calico Jack piloted by another four kilos claimer Ryan Ahmed challenged the winner strongly past the distance post but went down by the proverbial whisker. The favourite Sir Majestic from Satish Narredu’s yard found the top two too hot to handle and could only finish a tame third.  

A gutsy winner on debut, Lochness from trainer Sandhu’s yard was the favourite before the dozen juveniles came under the starter’s flag after Star Nijinsky from Hidayat Khan’s yard opened the first choice in the Narasimharaja Cup. Star Nijinsky lost the race the moment she failed to break level from the gates and though she did well to produce a good gallop despite hanging in a bit at end, it was clear that she held no threat to Lochness who snuffed out the challenge of Shan Ben Aari comfortably to record his second straight victory in the hands of Trevor Patel.

Trevor next guided home the public rage Dubai One from Rashid Byramji’s yard without really needing to move a muscle in the lower division of the Silicon Valley Stakes run over a sprint. The winner who shifted out and lost a race which he should have easily won in the hands of   Pradeep Chouhan in his last essay as a favourite travelled straight like an arrow and is set to provide an encore the day his connections chose to field him in summer. In line for a hat-trick, Aspasia from trainer Narayan Gowda’s yard it appeared injured herself during the race and failed to make the frame.

Earlier, the 15 to one shot Tic Tac Toe from the stables of Kishan Thomas shocked the followers of form in the opening event beating the public choice Miss Wonder in the opening event, the lower division of the Sarb-Kla Stakes run over a distance of seven furlongs.

The upper division of the event was claimed by the Hidayat Khan schooled Firing Line who justified the strong support of his followers cruising home in the hands of apprentice Sunil Samson. The top weighted Active Grey after streaking ahead at the top of the straight failed to match strides with the winner who clearly didn’t belong to the lowest class. Fioroloco after recording a shock victory in his last effort did well to finish third ahead of Winter Bloom from trainer Inayathullah’s yard.

The Inayathullah-trained Wise Guy who lost to Rapid Advance last week, Deepak Patel failing to provide the required saddle assistance was back competing in the upper division of the Jog Plate and this time the connections chose to put the apprentice Surya on the fancied contestant. The fact that Wise Guy enjoyed a four kilos allowance and the fact that the young apprentice is a better rider than Patel made the case of the Inayathullah ward strong. But Wise Guy produced a dismal effort and shockingly finished in the ruck. The fact that he had comfortably beaten Shining Magic in his last essay despite the inept effort of D Patel and that Shining Magic cantered home in the lower division of the event, Wise Guy’s performance is too bad to be true and the stipes will do well to seek an explanation.  Good one day and bad the next day appears to be the pattern set at this centre and it is time the stipes and stewards get their act right and pull up the blow hot, blow cold performers.

The lesser fancied I Smile from Sharath Kumar’s yard piloted by champion jockey S John won the event while the second in demand at the betting ring, Little Man gained the runner-up berth ahead of Click. Better Than Ever raced in patches while Cullinan and Anfield were never in the hunt.