Another flop show from the most loved horse on the circuit, Be Safe hit his supporters hard.  The Indian Derby winner after his satisfactory effort against the best including the all-conquering Desert God and the all-time great Quasar in the Indian Turf Invitation Cup in Chennai was tipped to have it easy against moderate rivals, the lone exception being another Indian Derby winner Alaindair who in his last start in Mumbai had finished more than five lengths behind Phoenix Tiger, while Be Safe at Chennai had finished only four lengths behind Desert God and Quasar.  From this it was clear that Be Safe towered over his rivals and he was rightly the even-money favourite while Alaindair was a chance offered at (7/1).  But Alaindair, it was who romped home in effortless fashion while the public choice struggled to finish second.  And this again made it clear that Alaindair had improved most while Be Safe forget the improvement had only scaled down the ladder.  The only time he won at this centre was his first essay after losing to Quasar in the Indian Turf Invitation Cup and each of his dismal efforts after that have cost the punters dear. His connections, it is learnt were planning to pit him against Desert God in the Maharaja’s next but after his performance in the Chief Justice’s Cup even God will say no and that’s how bad the stock of Be Safe is at the moment.

Credit to the champion Hyderabad pro Vittal Deshmukh for sending out Alaindair in best of health and good nick. The winner who like Be Safe had impressed in a mock race is a vastly improved performer and it will not be surprising if his connections now choose to take a shot against Desert God in the Maharaja’s.

Before Be Safe’s debacle, the Nithyanand-trained Cherie Amour and the Narayan Gowda schooled Reverberating set the bookmakers ring on fire. The former was hammered down as if defeat was out of the question while the connections of latter thought that it will be a walk in the park.  Well Reverberating was only walking in the Ramkirpal Plate and there was cherry on the cake for the owner of Cherie Amour who finished down the field. The upper division of the AMC Gowda Memorial Trophy was claimed by the second in demand at the betting ring Fantasy Queen who established a winning lead in the hands of Suraj Narredu before pegging back the strong challenge of Afore close home while Honour finished a tame third.

Jockey T S Jodha who recorded a fine double booted home Granada in the Ramkirpal Plate before he produced his best on the Hidayat Khan-trained Star Nijinsky in the Paddiwick Plate run over a mile. The winner who had finished second behind Advocate General in her last effort was the best on form but the Ganapathy camp fancied Magistero strongly on the strength of his easy third behind Star Nijinsky and his subsequent impressive performance in a mock race. Magistero had finished only three lengths behind Star Nijinsky who was flat out while the Ganapathy ward was not unduly extended and this provided the confidence for Magistero connections and he was slammed down to (9/4) while Star Nijinsky was offered at (4/1).  In the end it was Star Nijinsky who sailed home and Magistero only came home after Hidayat’s Iftaar party, finishing more than six lengths behind the filly.  Hall Of Famer from Padmanbhan’s yard too was also quietly fancied but the famed hall proved too far for this hopeful from the Dashmesh farm.  

Leading trainer Arjun Manglorkar who is enjoying a fine run this summer back after his success in the Fillies Championship Stakes led in Quaker Ridge who recorded an encore winning the D M Shivaswamy Memorial Cup in a thriller from the lesser fancied Spirit And Truth from Neil Darashah’s yard. The Sandhu schooled New Prince in his effort to make every post a winning one again looked on course before the `Prince’ started to tire in the final furlong and this helped the favourite to squeak through at end. Bonfire was not in the hunt and Lozen only raced in patches.

The Irfan Ghatala-trained Babushka justified her top billing in the lower division of the event providing Zervan a comfortable ride to success. Rankoutsider Open Page did pose a threat but the winner had enough gas in the tank to speed through to the delight of her supporters.

Earlier the opening event, the Aboline Plate was claimed by the well supported second choice Tarini from Satish Narredu’s yard. Island Pearl finished a game second ahead of the Inayathullah schooled Roaring Thunder who was heavily backed on the strength of his suggestive last attempt.

The short-priced In the Sunrise from Padmanabhan’s yard provided Sandesh an arm-chair ride to success in the Sweet Memories Plate and is set to record an encore when saddled next.