Make merry while the sun shines. And this is exactly what the French saddle artiste Cedric Segeon did recording a treble in the absence of the top jockeys who decided after the first race that the track was not suitable to parade the skills following a intermittent drizzle and a spell of rain on Friday following the Nada cyclone which hit Chennai and Puducherry.   

 The Stewards of the club who had inspected the track in the morning and certified it fit to conduct racing, surprised by the decision of the senior jockeys, it is learnt asked the members of the Jockeys Association of India (JAI) to don silks and ride in the second race before the men calling the shots will take a fair call on the point made by the jockeys.

The jockeys in no mood to ride stuck to their decision and the Stewards in consultation with the trainers chose to conduct the program with apprentice jockeys.  Despite the fact that the second race started more than an hour after the scheduled time, BTC did well to complete the nine-event meet in fading light.   

A rumour doing the rounds was that jockeys upset by the suspension handed out to jockey Srinath for misconduct during an enquiry, in solidarity chose not to ride. But what panned out at end was that most apprentice boys got a chance to  showcase their skills  and with no leading jockeys and no bookmakers it was a dangerous day out for the punters.

While the Stewards lauded for their decision to run the races with apprentices agreed that the game needs the big players, the jockeys must understand that they too need to appreciate the sentiments of the administrators and the racing public.  It is learnt that the authorities have decided to seriously look into the issue  and hopefully it will be resolved without a dent to the image of the sport which is still considered a mug’s game.

Coming  to racing, the feature event, the  Bangalore Turf Club Trophy was claimed by the lesser fancied New Prince who made every post a winning one.  Sea Fairey back after her smart win at Malakpet was the favourite but the public choice again failed to perform on par at her parent centre. Smile Stone finished a game and it will pay to follow him when next saddled considering the fact that this Sharath ward is now more consistent and on top of his game.  Mickey Mouse who failed to hit the front like he normally does took the thirds spot.

Jockey Cedric Segeon who registered his maiden success on Friday getting a major share of winning rides recorded a treble. The speedy Goldberg was assigned to him after Sandesh failed to mnake his trip to the city and Cedric grabbed the opportunity with both hands taking the Neil Darashah-trained Goldberg to the front and easily retiring home a convincing winner of the upper division of the Daria Daulat Cup. Downtown Abbey came from a long way back to finish second ahead of New Emperor. The lower division of the race was won by long shot Hillsboro in the hands of apprentice jockey Prashanth. After tracking Ravello into the straight, Hillsboro skipped away from the rest to win from Cool Baby and Jersey Shore.

After Goldberg and Thomas More Cedric completed the treble on the Faraz Arshad schooled Tuscano who won the  Antaragange Plate in emphatic fashion.

Cedric astride Thomas More decided to hit the fronjt and let the apprentice boys chase him in the mile long trip and this strategy provided the desired result, the Neil ward holding off the belated challenge of Legacy Dream closew home.

Irfan Ghatala-trained daisy Duke on the strength of her impressive performances on the trial track appeared best in the  Star Luminary Plate but apprentice jockey Anthony Raj in his hurry to get home nearly messed up the big chance not able to correct the filly from shifting out in the straight. But the winner hung on to peg back the challenge of Saffron Intense who covered good ground before narrowly going down.

Atlantis brought off an upset in the  Davanagere Plate barely managing to cling on to the lead from late-charging Wear The Hat to provide apprentice jockey Manesh his  first  career win. Atlantis had a sizeable lead in the straight but was faltering in the end when Wear The Hat  produced a strong gallop and covered acres of ground in the straight before he fell short by less than a length at end.

Arshad Alam on Miniver Rose set a break-neck pace in the Novice Plate before the youngster tired and was legless in the final furlong. Sea King made good the opportunity to sail past and emerge a good winner on debut.  Good Earth was third while the favourite Air of Distinction was never in the hunt.

The Nelamangala Plate was claimed by a long shot Resemblance piloted by apprentice Ryan Ahmed.