Most racing buffs including a majority of hardcore punters were delighted when racing resumed at the Bangalore Turf Club after a series of postponements and cancellations following unseasonal rains. But at the end of the two-day affair, it is the bookies who are merrily walking all the way to the bank, while the dejected punters are pulling their hair and tearing the book of form inside out. 

Unlike the results on Thursday, which saw most on-money favourites bite the dust, all the four short-priced on-money favourites proved too good on Friday, but a few rankoutsiders including Three Aces who paid out a rich dividend of Rs 670 on a tenner at the tote window and the 15 to one shot Reczai made sure that there was no milk and sugar in the `Black Coffee’ at the end of the day. 

It was no `Good Friday’ and no capital gains were made in the opening event, the third division of the World Children’s Plate. The Dominic schooled Capital Gain was backed to the exclusion of her nine rivals. The connections were very bullish of her chances and soon big investments started to flow on the Dominic ward despite the fact that it was a race for the lowest rated horses. 

Rayan Ahmed astride the well-backed favourite was under pressure the moment the lowest class horses came under the starter’s flag. Rayan made every effort to get Capital Gain going but the Dominic ward simply was not equal to the task and even before the race came on a boil, it was clear that it was total loss and no `Capital Gain’. The seven to one shot Princess Jasmine from the stables of Lokanath Gowda reigned supreme while Capable after doing all the front running did manage to hold onto the runner-up spot after the `Princess’ assumed command at the distance post. 

After the surgical strike in the first event, Lokanath dropped the biggest bombshell which floored the big punters in the upper division of the Youre So Beautiful Plate run over a sprint.  The Pradeep Annaiah-trained Rule Of Engagement was touted a `good and safe’ bet and soon most big bettors got into Pradeep’s boat. It was clear half-way from home that the boat was sinking, unable to shoulder the heavyweight of the biggies and their many pink money sacks. Three Aces piloted by Delhi-based jockey Md.Habeeb `nosed’ out Griffin in a humdinger, while Rule Of Engagement to pen down a racing line `is still running’. 

The lower division of the event saw the money-back public rage Sovereign Orb cruise home in a common canter suggesting that it will pay to follow him in his next couple of attempts too though the Sulaiman Attaollahi ward will now need to compete against higher rated rivals. Flamingo Road did well to finish second ahead of Ultimate Striker and it will not be long before the runner-up goes one better and earns her cornbill in the weeks ahead. 

Following the effortless victory of Sovereign Orb, Winmylove, another on-money favourite waltzed to victory without unduly extending herself in the second division of the World Children’s Day Plate. The winner from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard is in fine nick and is set to provide an encore. The unfancied Narayan Gowda ward Hitomi Sakuma finished second resulting in a rich Second Horse Pool (SHP) payout, Ra 444 on a tenner. 

The Sulaiman-trained Teresita and Multifaceted from trainer Darius Byramji’s yard were the two other on-money favourites who won without a fuss. The former proved too good in the Sea Bisquit Trophy run over a sprint while Multifaceted maintained his winning streak with what proved to be a walk in the park exercise in the plum event, the BTC Trophy run over a sprint. The two Padmanabhan hopefuls, Golden Oaks and Mauritania expectedly followed Multifaceted home and with this good run under their belt will soon aim to stand tall on the podium in the months ahead. 

After the big disappointment following the no show of Rule Of Engagement when fancied  most, Limited Source brought the smile back on the faces of the Aggarwal brothers, Rajan and Gautam. The winner, who was second in demand at the betting ring in the Siachen Plate, big late money pouring in on Own Legacy, produced a sparkling gallop in the hands of Arul to register a deserving success. Own Legacy after a tardy beginning was never in the hunt and eventually finished in the ruck. 
After Limited Source lifted the spirit in the Pradeep camp, it was down again and back at square one,  hot favourite Aceros failing to figure in the frame, leave alone winning the Southern Bay Plate. Reczai from Sharath Kumar’s yard piloted by Vishal Bunde shocked the followers of form winning with a measure of comfort from Caesars Palace while Rendition managed to save place money edging out Star And Garter to grab the third spot.