On a day the punters enjoyed the better of exchanges, three firm favourites and a couple of second choices coming through in the small six-event card, the half-money favourite Subah Ka Tara proved too good in the Star Of Mysore Trophy, the plum event run over a sprint.

The speedy Samar Singh ward after failing to justify favouritism in his last essay in the Bangalore summer season, pitted against mediocre rivals looked outstanding, and he really didn’t need to extend himself while romping home without raising a sweat. The winner is on top of his game at the moment and is set to provide an encore when saddled next.

The Prashanth Pawar-trained Gutsy Ruler and Engelberg opened joint favourites in the lower division of the S Hajee Memorial Plate before Engelberg piloted by Srinath topped the bookmakers board as  the contestants made their way to the starting gate for the opening event. Gutsy Ruler partnered by Umesh came up tops though he lost pace halfway home and Umesh needed to remind him of the task at the top of the straight. The moment the Prashanth ward regained composure and gained focus he outwitted his rivals in the final furlong to emerge a deserving winner. Lightning Touch  gained the runner-up berth ahead of Gran Turismo while the public choice Engelberg finished a poor fourth.

Kaguya Himei garnered the maximum support in the T Dougall Memorial Plate run over a mile. The favourite after making all the running for most part of the race failed to match strides with the winner Felix Legion in the final furlong and had to rest content with the second spot much to the chagrin of the followers of form. Chandini did well to finish third ahead of Kir Royale despite racing in patches.

The lesser fancied Malkia from trainer Shravanan’s yard edged out the public choice Draugen close home in the Ranga Family Cup run over a distance of seven furlongs. All credit to jockey Rajesh Kumar who in a never-say-die effort kept punching Malkia all through the straight to get the better of Draugen who looked set to enter the winners’ circle after establishing a comfortable cushion at the distance post. Protector Of Paris finished third ahead of Amazing.

On the strength of his impressive showing in the morning trials, Murcilago from trainer Monnappa’s yard was strongly fancied by the railbirds to score in the Maj Sardar L Mahadevaiah Memorial Trophy run over a sprint and to the delight of the punters, Murcilago zoomed past his rivals when the race came on a boil. The winner is in rousing form and it will pay to follow Murcilago again when saddled next. Excelonce finished second ahead of Wonder Story while Good Opinion came home fourth.

Trainer Sajid Qureshi brought off a good gamble in the concluding event, the upper division of the S Hajee Memorial Plate, Leap Of Faith comfortably sprinting home despite shifting out close home. Prabhakaran rode a copybook race on the winner exercising good control and alert to the task when the well-backed winner shifted out. Flaming Spear caught the eye while finishing second and is one for the notebook. Last start winner Durer found this company too hot to handle while Archimedis needs a longer trip to display his true potential.