Two bad decisions, one by the chief vet of the Mysore Race Club on Wednesday and the other by the stipes and stewards of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) on Sunday resulted in punters losing out big money and another two decisions like this will lead to riots. The punters now have no confidence in the administrators of the game who time and again have failed to address important issues, enhanced performances of the horse, steep increase of odds and below par effort of the favourite when the odds go up and the in and out running pattern chosen by the many stables which is costing the punters dear.  

On Wednesday at Mysuru, the even-money favourite Cosmic Touch, it was clear was trotting lame. The vets after trotting the horse with and without the jockey at the starting gates for lameness shockingly decided to load him. The result, the poor animal who was already lame and in no condition to race jumped out and fractured his hip bone and was euthanized on humanitarian grounds.  Why and how did the vets at MRC chose to decide to let Cosmic Touch race when it was clear from his trotting action that the horse was in discomfort defies logic.  In this game, when in doubt cut it out, is a safe line which is in practice all over the world but the MRC vets, it appears draws their own lines. They got away with this one free though the punters lost a fortune but one more atrocious decision and MRC will end up coughing out big.

 In the first race, the lower division of the Everynsky Trophy in Bengaluru on Sunday, jockey Kiran Naidu astride the rankoutsider Tarini knocked out two horses before winning and still was given a clean chit by the stipes and stewards.  The stipes and stewards of the club before the start of each season announce that zero tolerance policy is in place for jockeys who fail to maintain a straight course and here Kiran Naidu first bumps Island Pearl and knocks him out 200M from home and then bumps and takes out the second favourite Brave Minstrel close home before gaining a small half-length verdict.

Knocking out two different horses in a race and still getting the nod of the wise men to stand tall at the podium is shocking to say the least. The senior stipes view that the bump to Brave Minstrel did not make any material difference was very questionable and this rank bad decision will clearly send the wrong signals to the men plying the whips. They now understand that they can bump, jump, chop and change course and still will be given the candy bar which they can suck and lick standing tall at the podium.

Nowhere in the world a jockey is allowed to keep a race after he has knocked out two different horses in a race and more importantly has made no effort to correct his whiphand all through the dangerous exercise.  This can happen only at BTC and BTC which in the past  paid big on a couple of occasions  will do again if they continue to support the offenders who are violating the rule book .

The all-conquering Desert God back at his parent-centre made a grand appearance winning the Krishnaja Wadiyar over a mile snuffing out the challenge of Booker Jones in convincing fashion. It is no secret that Desert God was not spot on going into this event and this was only a build-up race for the champion for his two targets, the Maharaja’s Cup and the St.Leger this season. Desert God next will come against the most loved one Be Safe In Maharaja’s and that contest again will evoke maximum interest among the racing buffs.

Back after a bad first start in Mumbai, the highly rated Supreme General confirmed that he has the class and ability to match strides with the best at this campus, winning the upper division of the Everynsky Trophy in a smart time. The Karthik Ganapathy ward was getting stronger at the finish suggesting that he will relish longer trips and that is certain to bring the smile back on the face of Karthik.

Top pro Sandesh who partnered Desert God earlier produced a fine never-say-die effort on the favourite Gabino to edge out Flamboyance by the shortest of margins in the V T Velu Memorial Cup run over a mile. Thomas More raced in patches but it will pay to follow this Neil ward over longer trips this season.

Veteran trainer Samar Singh who has posted a couple of good wins added one more, the well backed Anmol Hira making every post a winning one in the New Market Plate before another favourite from his yard Artic Attraction went down fighting to Fresh Start in the upper division of the Chettinad Stud Plate.

The public choice Lunar Storm delighted the railbirds cruising home in rain in the Prabalo Plate. Neeraj Rawal astride the winner rode a copybook race while Kiran Rai on Harley Quinn who finished a good second, it was clear was enjoying the rain, not really interested to move up and make a race of it. The approach and attitude of the rider bordered on arrogance and calls for an explanation. But can the stipes call him in and pull him up. No will be the answer, simply because his act didn’t make any material difference to the outcome of the result.