Traditionally, the running of The Calcutta Gold Cup signals the commencement of the festive season at this centre. The high-quality polo matches inside the race-course inevitably add to the ambience and atmosphere. This year, the celebrations were two-fold for the Bangalore camp of Dr Vijay Mallya. The reason being that it was also the birthday of the ‘King of Good Times’. Jockey Paul Mulrennan celebrated it in great style when he piloted the prize property (Arabian Prince) of Dr Mallya to a smashing victory in The Nanoli Stud Calcutta Gold Cup on Saturday. Much like Diabolical in the year 2008, versatile Arabian Prince made the mile race a start-to-finish affair.

Though Record Breaker and Granados tried their utmost to match strides with him, Jaggi Dhariwal’s ward kicked on despite the 62 kg on his back. Though he shifted out in the straight, neither of the other two were moving better than him at any stage and it would be fair to say that the best horse on the day returned a worthy winner. With this victory, Mulrennan completed a well-deserved double for the famous Mallya colours as he had earlier guided Bharath Singh-trained Cayenne (Burden Of Proof-Clear Cut) to a facile victory in The PC Lall of Nazargunj Memorial Cup.

Tracking pace-setter Pocket Rocket till the distance post, Cayenne sailed away from the field. Ante-post favourite Recardo was a poor second. Rather unfortunately, Mulrennan suffered a fall from Spectacular Style in the day’s final event, The Kabuki Cup. Both Prakash on the favourite Finfoot (Captain Rio-Shark Games) and Mulrennan targeted the same opening between Exclusivity and Royal Dance at the top of the straight.

Prakash got there first while the hapless Mulrennan had to check his mount and in the process lost his balance and fell off. He was lucky to escape without any serious injury. The Stewards’ Enquiry into the fall did not find Prakash guilty. Finfoot went on to win the race quite impressively from Debonaire Girl who must be getting used to playing bridesmaid for her mentor Arti Doctor. Jockey Rajinder set the ball rolling for followers of money with a resounding victory in the afternoon’s opening event,

The Revelation Handicap. He rode top-weight The Gordian Knot (Brave Act-Asian Lady) to a six-length victory over Fit For Fray. Form was tossed out of the window as River Warrior (who had finished close to the winner in his last essay) finished way behind – over 13 lengths in fact. The connections obviously decided not to cut ‘The Gordian Knot’ and go along with the tide. A wise decision in retrospect, even if a little unsporting (unscrupulous would be too strong a word), as the winner looked unbeatable on this afternoon. Apart from Mulrennan, jockey D. Ashish was the other rider who recorded a brace.

Both his winners were brilliantly timed runs. In The Juvenile Stakes, the grey colt Alienation (Sunday Doubt-Northern Frontier) moved with a thunderous gallop opposite the grandstand to peg back piping hot favourite Amor Amor after the latter had squeezed past Petaloid along the rails. The stablemate of the last-named on his outside prevented him from choosing an easier path. It was a great victory for young trainer Shafiq Khan. Winning a youngsters’ race with the colt’s maiden start is no mean task. Earlier Ashish had ridden another great finish astride five-year-old Manege (Hymn-Radiance) to win the upper division of The Calorescence Handicap.

While Rajinder on Blood Rayne took his mount on the wide outside, thereby losing precious ground, Ashish managed (pun intended) to take the shortest route home. The favourite Dazzling Flame finished in the ruck. In the lower division of the same race, Bath-trained Queen Vic (Mr Mellon-Assex) made it a start-to-finish affair in Christopher Alford’s hands. Though money poured in on top-weight River Pride, he ran a sluggish race and may have found his 3.5 kg penalty too much to handle. The Fame Star Handicap saw the most thrilling finish of the day. The favourite Rocket Ball and Missoni were fighting for supremacy in the straight when Kamlesh brought the Arti Doctor-trained Riding Fantasy (China Visit-Deserving Lady) with a winning gallop on the outside to emerge victorious in a blanket finish.