The race for the champion trainer and champion jockey titles is really getting hot, Arjun Manglorkar and Sandesh on top of the leader board holding a definite edge against Padmanabhan, Suraj Narredu and winter champion John who have the daggers out in chase for the kill.

Arjun and John combined successfully to record a popular double through the speedy Castle Key and  Powerscourt on Saturday. The double helped Arjun enjoy a good four point advantage over Padmanabhan while it provided John an outside chance to challenge the leaders Sandesh and Suraj.

Despite the fact that Castle Key was heavily penalised for her run-away victory in lower class and was asked to shoulder a back-breaking weight of 62 kilos in the Karnataka Sub-Area Cup run over a sprint, the in-form gelding produced another outstanding effort to record his second straight success. John was happy to track the two leaders Sir Majestic and Topspot who in fact cut each others throat running like scalded cats in front and that made the task of John simple at end.

The public choice produced good turn of foot to assume command at the distance post before John needed to pack punch and drive out the Arjun ward to peg back the effort of Albertino who impressed most in the hands of apprentice Surya.

Earlier, John and Arjun struck through Powerscourt in the Astronomic Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs.  The well supported public choice who looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring responded gamely to her master’s call to put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. The lesser fancied Exemplar finished second ahead of Shivalik Dance while the second in demand at the betting ring, Surnaturel from Ganapathy’s yard after being favourably placed at the top of the straight packed up and eventually failed to make the frame.

The Prithviraj camp fancied Flotus strongly in the Alekona Trophy. The trainer was confident that apprentice Prashanth Dhebe was enough to do the job. Prithviraj was right.  All Dhebe needed to do was hit the front and show the way and Flotus showed a clean pair of heels to another well fancied youngster Santorini Secret from Dominic’s yard and the favourite Cadillac Sky who lost all her chances the moment she found herself in rear for most part of the 1100M trip.  The fact that Cadillac Sky did well in straight to finish third suggests that this Neil ward will earn her corbill when saddled next particularly over a seven furlongs trip.

 After a long long time, the King bravely came to hold court but the exercise it appears cost him dear, the favourite King Of The Court from Padmanabhan’s yard coming back lame after winning the upper division of the Buck Passer Plate in the hands of top pro Sandesh.  It is no secret that this Padmanabhan ward is suffering from a ligament problem but when fancied most the brave heart produced his best to the delight of his supporters before coming back in pain. Secret Dimension was quietly fancied in this event but the Narayan Gowda hopeful found the `King’ too hot to handle at end.

The lower division of the event was claimed by another public choice Royal Defence who was backed to the exclusion of his 10 rivals. Leading pro Imran Khan produced a neat copybook effort on the even-money favourite, closely tracking his chief rival Aguante for most part of the seven furlongs trip before he assumed command at the distance post and put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong.

It was a welcome victory for the M R Stud Farms camp struggling to break the ice this season and now that they have managed to do it, they certainly will pick up a few more before the curtains are drawn.

It was also good to see Chandrashekar Rai back.  The unassuming owner it appears brought the much needed luck to the group and he it is needless to mention was delighted, making what is a good winning comeback.

After opting out on a couple of occasions, Grecian Light from Irfan Ghatala’s yard finally chose to start his career, competing in the Ministrella Plate run over a sprint. The good looking son of Win Legend on the strength of his impressive performances on the trial track garnered the maximum support but failed in his mission to emerge a winner on debut, going down to the fashionably bred Admiral One from Rajesh Narredu’s yard. Suraj produced his best on his younger brother’s ward who despite hanging in a trifle at the all-important end got up in time to romp home a convincing winner. Scion from Arjun’s yard too had his fair share of supporters but he made a debut his connections would like to forget, struggling to keep pace and eventually finishing in the ruck.

The B Puttanna-trained Nagarjuna who had let down large following in his last essay, made ample amends winning the lower division of the Pune Plate in the hands of apprentice Nazer-ul-Alam while the upper division saw the seven to one shot Shining Bay from Imtiaz Khan’s yard make every post a winning one in the hands of Srinath.  This was the only lesser fancied winner on a day five firm favourites and two well supported second choices helped punters maintain their good run after the Derby-day success.