Can you believe it? most racing buffs are of the view that racing at the Madras Race Club (MRC) despite lacking in quality, compared to the two premier centres, Mumbai and Bangalore is more transparent, clean and productive. And is soon becoming happy hunting ground of the railbirds. Yes. It is simply because a higher percentage of favourites enter the winners' circle at Guindy and the odds offered on the favourites are nourishing and the returns on the investments made are highly satisfactory. 

On Sunday, six well-backed favourites and one well supported second choice My Opinion galloped home first to the delight of the punters and none of the favourites were miserly quoted at cramped odds and in fact all the seven winners were offered at more than even-money and that was most satisfying from the punters point of view. A punter dosen't mind making a decent investment if he is offered a satisfactory return rather than empty his big fat wallet to gain a couple of thousands on horses which on paper look outstanding and are miserly quoted at the betting ring.

Punting is no more done in princely fashion, the Maharajas many decades ago put out big money and property on their horses, never mind the small returns or the losses they suffered. Prestige is what mattered and leading in a winner brought the same joy as fighting and winning a bloody battle on their favourite horse. The punter today is cautious and smart. He is calculative and always looking at his balance sheet before making investments after a thorough understanding of what he stands to gain and what will be the loss if he gets it wrong. It is true that most punters get it wrong more than they strike it rich each time they place a bet, but what has now become important is the returns and that's exactly why punters are happy punting on races at Guindy rather than back Hunting Goddess at (20/100) and lose out on Smiles of Fortunes (60/100) at the races in Mahalaxmi. 

Well, Stern Maiden from Ajith Kumar's yard confidently piloted by the vastly improved apprentice Alex Rozario set the favourite trend winning the opening event, the Kilimanjaro Handicap. The favourite offered at (13/10) produced a sparkling gallop in the final furlong to zip past Driftwood Pacific and sail home to the delight of the railbirds. Regal Kid surprised many finishing third ahead of Royal Symbol. The winner, it appears has regained form and fitness and is set to provide an encore.

Next astride Dun It Again from young trainer Vishesh's yard, Rozario again had it easy stealing a march at the distance post before quickly putting the race to bed in the final furlong. The well supported (18/10) winner is in fine nick and it will pay to again support this Vishesh ward when saddled next. Lesser fancied Lord Of The Turf followed the winner home, while the second in demand at the betting ring, Glorious Symphony only managed to save money in place.

After Rozario booted home the first two winners, promising Sah Farid Ansari, who registered a grand treble on Saturday, maintained his winning streak guiding home the well fancied public choice Amber Lightning to a smart win in the lower division of the Red Rufus Handicap run over a distance of seven furlongs. The (5/2) shot from Robert Foley's yard looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring and she readily justified her top billing the moment Ansari reminded the mare of her task ahead at the top of the straight. Lesser fancied Dazzling Dynamite finished on strongly at end to gain the runner-up berth ahead of Wisaka. And it will not be long before this Mandanna mare will earn her cornbill in the weeks ahead. 

Like Rozario, Ansari registered back-to-back victories, booting home the overwhelming favourite Illustrious Ruler to an emphatic win in the Rotary Club Of Madras Trophy run over a sprint. The (6/4) public choice was travelling nice and easy all through the six furlong journey before Ansari pushed him ahead after negotiating the final curve and soon it was all over bar the shouting, Illustrious Ruler providing Ansari and Foley a popular double. Rankoutsider Star Symbol finished second ahead of another long shot Katahdin, while the two lesser fancied runners, Angel Heart and Pirate's Love failed to even save money in place. 

Twice second from as many starts, the B Suresh-trained Royal Icon was fancied most in the Alphabet Million, the principal added attraction for juveniles run over a sprint. The champion trainer from Mysore, Rakesh who is ready and willing for the big challenge, be it taking his horses to Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore locked horns, entering Land Of Gold after his satisfactory debut behind the fancied  stablemate Moonlight Queen. The two frontliners in a small field of five were fancied most by their supporters and most old hats were of the view that the race was strictly between the two. But Seminole Wind from James McKeown's yard spoilt the party beating the `Jodi'. Hindu Singh astride the winner had lost control while driving his mount in the final furlong and as a result interfered with the progress of the local mainhope Royal Icon on the rails. Yash Narredu partnering Royal Icon, who eventually finished third behind the Mysore raider Land Of Gold lodged an objection against the winner and the stewards rightly upheld the protest to the delight of the Mysore camp, Land Of Gold moving up one place from his runner-up berth after Seminole Wind was pushed down to third place. All credit to Rakesh for chalking out another fine victory away from home and sending out a strong message that he can match his skills against the best in the business. 

Leading pro Srinath, who was lucky to to get into the winners' circle on Land Of Gold produced his best on the gutsy money-spinner My Opinion from B Suresh's yard. After tracking the stablemate Emelda in a three-horse race for most part of  gruelling mile-and-half trip for the Stayers Trial Stakes, Srinath pushed My Opinion to the front at the top of the straight and riding like one possessed pegged back the on-money favourite Arc De Triomphe partnered by Trevor Patel. 

Smarting under the defeat at the hands of Rubirosa on Derby eve, the topweighted Arthur from Deepesh Narredu's yard produced a heartwarming effort in the concluding event, the Autonomy Handicap  to settle a score with the McKeown hopeful. A confident Yash Narredu timed his challenge to nicety on the overwhelming favourite (17/10), storming home in the final furlong to whizz past Rubirosa and Vulcanic, who caught the eye while attempting to make every post a winning one in the nine furlongs trip.