A double again on Saturday and the talented Prasanna Kumar is on top of the leader board with Neil Darashah who started the winter with a bang, winning classics and a good number of other races and looked set to emerge a runaway champ. A couple of hard luck results provided Prasanna and Sulaiman the big chance and the two are now in it, the former maintaining the momentum he has generated over the past three weeks.

Prasanna struck it rich through the two public choices Noble Flaire and Areca Cruise, both recording their second straight wins.  The latter who shocked most in his last essay was fancied most in the lower division of the K S Premchand Memorial Trophy run over a sprint and the leading pro Trevor Patel  didn’t really  need to work hard to punch home the Prasanna ward. The moody Leon finished a game second ahead of Romantic Helen who just about lasted out to save place money after making a pillar to post attempt. On the strength of this victory Areca Cruise is set to complete a hat-trick of wins when saddled next.

Competing in the lower division of the Dashmesh Stud Plate Noble Flaire garnered maximum support in what really appeared an open affair. Leading pro S John confidently piloted the winner, assuming command at the distance post before putting the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. Amazing Redd finished second ahead of Mariko while Akha Teej struggled to make the frame.

Another Excellent Art progeny from the Poonawalla Stud Farm made a winning debut to the delight of the Poonawalla camp. The Padmanabhan schooled Lady Barrington offered at (4/1) edging out the well supported Queen Latifia from Neil Darashah’s yard close home in the Virajpet Plate. The Dominic-trained Bora Bora, twice second from as many starts closed the favourite and the speedy filly in her attempt again to make every post a winning one went out of gas in the final furlong and eventually finished a tame third. The winner who won despite not being sent spot on has good scope of improvement and it will pay to follow the progress of Lady Barrington in the weeks ahead.

The plum event, the Karnataka Police Trophy produced a shock result, Arjun Manglorkar schooled Shivalik Star coming up trumps after a couple of dismal performances in her earlier starts.  The favourite Integrated was unlucky, pushed out at a crucial juncture in the race and this cost the Darius Byramji ward dear at end. Coldstream was seen finishing on fastest at end and that helped the trainer get a 1-2 result in the plum. Life Awaits finished a creditable third and it will not be long before this Sriram Komandur ward chalks up his second win this season.

Sriram however shared the professional honours with Prasanna recording a double, the ten to one shot Adriphos and Only Prince entering the winners’ circle. The former won the Dr C Vittal Memorial Cup in the hands of apprentice Sunil Samson edging out the well supported Rapid Advance close home. The Mohd Khan schooled Frenemee was fancied most by the insiders and the right connections, backed down from (8/1) to (4/1) but Rajesh Babu astride the Khan ward failed to gain a favourable position early on in the race and though Frenemee did raise a good gallop at end, he had to rest content with the third spot much to the chagrin of his supporters.

On the strength of his facile victory in his last start Only Prince was fancied strongly to repeat and he did that in convincing fashion pegging back the challenge of Proudprince comfortably in the Cordon Bleu Plate run over a mile. Leading pro Suraj Narredu displayed good poise while partnering the Sriram ward who is now in line for a hat-trick.

Suraj earlier drove home the Irfan Ghatala ward Gypsy to a fine win in the upper division of the K S Premchand Memorial Trophy. The winner despite making an appearance after a five-month lay-off was strongly fancied and the Irfan ward justified the confidence of his supporters despite a bad draw in a sprint event. Gypsy is at the top of his game and is set to provide an encore. Flotus raced in patches and never really looked a serious customer.

The concluding event, the upper division of the Dashmesh Stud Plate too produced a shock result, Royal Defence from Dominic’s yard coming home in the hands of apprentice Ryan Ahmed. The Padmanabhan-trained Eragon was the top fancy in this event but the public choice never got into a good position to stake a claim and eventually finished in the ruck. Royal Defence beat Rich Revival who was fancied better by the connections but another victory to the Rai camp effectively means that the ball is rolling well.

In the opening event when all were looking for Dancing Princess it was Zala Princess who waltzed to victory. The favourite could only finish second ahead of Flying PrinAce and Oriental Belle who caught the eye while finishing an easy fourth.