In a pulse-pounding finish, leading saddle artiste Trevor Patel packed punch on the favourite Rum Runner to edge out long shot Fjord by the shortest of margins in the Chief Minister’s Trophy run over a sprint on the eve of the second classic of the season, the Mysore 2000 Guineas which is at the mercy of double classic winner Sir Cecil from trainer Padmanabhan’s yard and Trevor it will be who will partner this unbeaten grey from the Dashmesh Stud Farm on the morrow.

Fjord in the hands of Prashanth Dhebe bolted to the front and and kicked on merrily and at one stage it looked like the Michael Eshwer ward will pull it off before the leader shifted out at the all-important end and this provided Rum Runner and Trevor a chance and Trevor in no mood to slip out on the opportunity rode like one possessed to gain the verdict by the shortest of margins. Fringe Benefit finished third behind Fjord who was a trifle unlucky while China One finished fourth.

Earlier Trevor guided home the two favourites, Supernormal and Areca Legend to the delight of the followers of form. The former pitted against mediocre rivals in the lower division of the Coorg Plate had it easy, comfortably sailing home without raising a sweat while the on-money favourite Areca Legend made every post a winning one in the Dr M A M Ramaswamy Trophy. The second in demand at the betting ring, Hukum piloted by Zervan tracked the winner all through the seven furlongs trip but the moment Trevor released his iron grip on the Prasanna ward in the straight, Hukum found Areca Legend too hot to handle and had to rest content with the runner-up berth. Decisive did well to finish third and it will pay to follow this Faraz Arshad ward over a sprint.  Now that Areca Legend is back at his best he is set to provide an encore. So too Supernormal who appears to have improved most after the Bangalore summer season.

The four to one shot Saigar from trainer Monappa’s yard partnered by apprentice jockey Chetan Gowda upset the applecart of the favourite Top Striker in another thrilling finish to claim the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Memorial Trophy run over a sprint. The winner streaked ahead in the final furlong and though Dhebe in this whipless event pushed the favourite hard, the public choice fell short, `head’ separating him from the winner at end. Azure Fire in his attempt to make every post a winning one finished a close third ahead of Kazuri.

The upper division of the Coorg Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs floored the railbirds, Turf Spirit from the stables of Hidayat Khan dropping the biggest bombshell of the season. The winner piloted by Shahid paid a record dividend of Rs 1,324 on a tenner at the tote window. The lesser fancied Shaktiman finished on purposefully at end to gain the runner-up berth ahead of the topweighted Raven Star, while Scarlet Princess who was backed heavily only managed to take a lot of good money down the drain.   

In the opening event, the lower division of the Mandya Plate, trainer S M Jhonson brought off a successful coup on the strongly fancied Classic Jewel booted home by Amyn Merchant. The winner was touted as a moral bet by the insiders and the right connections and it proved true at end, the well backed public choice cruising home without a fuss and on the strength of this performance looks good to chalk out second straight success when saddled next. Aleef did well to finish second ahead of Green Meadow while Reverberating took the fourth spot.

Advantageously placed in at the scales and looking a picture of fitness at the paddock parade, Jon Snow from trainer Irfan Ghatala’s yard garnered the maximum support in the concluding event, the upper division of the Coorg Plate, but the public choice melted into thin ice even before the race came on a boil and finished a poor fifth. The second in demand at the betting ring, Set To Win from Darius Byramji’s yard piloted by leading pro Srinath galloped home to the delight of his supporters while providing an encore. Golden Success finished second ahead of Treasure Delight who was strongly fancied in place while Auric Force made the frame ahead of the listless Jon Snow.