It’s time to speak and let’s all join in and get vocal. `Speaking Of Which’ is the hot topic of discussion in the racing circles and the famed Usha Stud Farm continues to do what it does best, consistently produce champions. After Philosophy, a talented daughter of Speaking Of Which from Padmanabhan’s yard emerged the best of her age and sex winning the Fillies Championship Stakes, Mojito to the delight of Ameeta Mehra and trainer M K Jadhav won the Colts championship in emphatic fashion. The classic Usha double registered by Speaking Of Which is commendable and all credit to Ameeta and her team for time and again raising the bar of Indian racing.

Mojito, despite the fact that he had finished less than a length behind Supernatural in his last start over a seven furlongs trip was totally ignored in the betting ring. The bookmakers quoted Supernatural at (5/2), while Mojito was freely offered and there were no takers at (40/1).  The unbeaten Once You Go Black from James McKeown’s yard, three wins from as many starts including beating the Fillies champion Philosophy, who was in receipt of 5.5 kilos was the favourite. The public choice was seen travelling nice and easy all through the backstretch before he was pressed for room negotiating the final curve and needed to shift out to make his final challenge. Once You Go Black did produce a satisfactory final gallop and stormed up to challenge the winner in the final furlong, but Mojito who had stolen a march at the distance post held on gamely and romped home a deserving winner of the second classic. The Hyderabad hopeful Arthur did well to finish third ahead of another son of Speaking Of Which, Leonardo from the Kolkata camp, while the Mumbai mainhope Supernatural after making all the running in his attempt to make every post a winning one in the mile long classic journey finished in the ruck.

Earlier the principal added attraction, the Karnataka Sub-Area Trophy was claimed by another Speaking Of Which progeny Mirra from the stables of Arjun Manglorkar. The ten to one shot produced a sparkling gallop in the final furlong to overhaul the leader Prague who looked set to score before Mirra stormed up in the hands of leading pro Akshay Kumar to power home in resplendent style.  Roudy from Neil Darashah’s yard finished a creditable third and it will not be long before he sheds his maiden status this summer.

Classic Charm from trainer Ganapathy’s yard was backed to the exclusion of her seven rivals in the opening event, the Hassan Plate run over a sprint. The on-money favourite much to the disappointment of her large supporters lost a couple of lengths at the start and though apprentice jockey Vivek did well to quickly regain lost ground and pose a challenge to the leader Habanero, it was just not good enough, the Dominic ward in the hands of the promising Mumbai apprentice Kirtish Bhagat kicking on gamely to score in convincing fashion. 

Dominic again struck through Anne Boleyn in the next event. The speedy mare, who had finished a game second behind  Acaster in her last essay going one better to earn her cornbill on the classic day. Ultimate Striker from Lokanath's yard gained the runner-up berth ahead of another overwhelming favourite Mount View from Neil Darashah's yard. 

The Pradeep Annaiah-trained Ascoval produced another scintillating performance to donkey-lick his eight rivals in the June Plate run over a sprint. The winner on the strength of this performance is certain to complete a hat-trick of wins when saddled next. Aztec Queen finished a good second edging out Colonel Harty who in his pillar to post effort did manage to save money in place. 

On the strength of her satisfactory effort, second behind Windstorm following her victory on the opening day, Only You was strongly fancied to score in the Parsiana Plate run over nine furlongs. The connections of Southern Dynasty too were `sweet' on the fashionably bred colt who had failed to produce his true potential in his last two starts. The topweighted Ganapathy ward after gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the trip smoothly moved up to challenge the leaders at the top of the straight before assuming command and putting the race to bed in the final furlong. Only You hung on to finish second ahead of last start winner Shubankar, while Rhapsody In Green never really settled in the race and only managed to complete the frame. 

On the strength of his very impressive performance in his last essay, game second behind Crown Consort who finished fourth in the Fillies Championship Stakes, the Prasanna Kumar schooled Forseti was a cinch in the concluding event, the Mauritius Pearl Plate run over a sprint and the even-money favourite justified his top billing in style, powering through in the hands of Trevor to snuff out the challenge of second in demand at the betting ring Del Mar in splendid style. The victory of Forseti provided the Aggarwal brothers, Rajan and Gautam a fine double.