It was one helluva shock. The final dance of the `Dragon’ this season proved to be a disaster. Going down to Kambaku after beating the classy Lady In Lace in the Maharaja’s Cup defied logic. For the railbirds it was a bitter pill to swallow. It simply was an injudicious effort from Trevor Patel which cost the Neil Darashah-trained Dancing Dragon dear. It proved to be a hare and tortoise fable. Trevor on the public rage took a nap while Yash Narredu guiding the fortunes of Kambaku built a substantial lead and entered the straight more than 50 metres ahead of his six rivals. It was clear at this stage that it would prove to be a herculean task for Dancing Dragon and it did. The star performer of the season produced his best but could not stop Kambaku and Yash from winning the Governor’s Cup. In this game one can give weight and still win, but the moment you provide distance, most times you end up on the losing side.

It is surprising that an experienced and top pro Trevor made an error in judgement twice this season. It happened with Corfe Castle during the Derby week-end and on Friday Dancing Dragon paid the penalty. It is needless to mention that Neil Darashah would be most disappointed while Arjun Manglorkar would be celebrating uncorking the bubbly. But that’s racing and that’s how the cookie crumbles.

Earlier the Prasanna Kumar-trained St.Pauli Girl in the hands of apprentice Antony Raj flashed home first in the principal added attraction, the R S Nagendra Kumar Memorial Trophy run over a mile. The lesser fancied winner streaked ahead at the distance post and gamely held on to score from the favourite Good Time Indeed and Sporting Pleasure. The Warren Singh schooled Nanhipari too had her fair share of followers in this event, but the grey after being favourably placed at the top of the straight went phut like a pricked balloon and finished in the ruck.

Antony Raj next booted home Ewandor to a smart victory in the Col.Rajkumar Desraj Urs Memorial Cup. The winner who had made a fine impression while winning his maiden start this season in emphatic fashion was surprisingly quoted at (6/1), money pouring in on the Neil Darashah ward War Hero. But the `Hero’ proved to be a big zero finishing a poor fourth in the hands of another apprentice Chetan Gowda while Ewandor recorded his second straight success in style. Mayweather did well to gain the runner-up berth ahead of Black Lightning, stablemate of the winner, who is ready to make his presence felt when saddled next.

The four to one shot, The Invader from Nithyanand’s yard proved too good in the Quasar Plate snuffing out the challenge of the favourite Summer Palace from Sulaiman Attaollahi’s yard. The Darius Byramji schooled Dazzling Beauty and Summer Palace were the two hot choices in this event but at the end it was The Invader who sliced out the `Jodi’ to the delight of the bookies.

Trainer Narayan Gowda after providing Princess Holly a perfect pair of wings to fly, four days after the `Princess’ had performed like a dud recorded a popular double through the well backed Moon Blink in the opening event, the lower division of the Lively Emprey Plate and Amalfi Coast in the upper division of the event. Kiran Rai didn’t really need to raise a sweat on the two ready made winners who romped home to the delight of their supporters who made a big killing. Amalfi Coast beat the topweighted All By Myself while Moon Blink cruised past Toronto who was no match to the well prepared winner.

The six to one shot Rosebrook from trainer Britto’s yard helped Trevor salvage some pride coming up tops in the concluding event, the Treasure Girl Plate. The Padmanabhan schooled Princess Rumela started the favourite before the Prithviraj  brigade went bang-bang on Limato, but both found Rosebrook too hot to handle. Princess Rumela finished second while Limato came home third much to the disappointment of the Prithviraj camp.