It finally happened. And good it happened. The stewards of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) on Monday decided to permit the outstation horses stationed at the BTC to compete in the races framed for horses in 20-45 category and taking into account that the outstation trainers are ready and willing to put in entries and race the horses under their care in this category, BTC will now be in a position to frame eight or more races each day. The fact that this category was reserved to support local horses this summer didn't really work considering the fact that the lackadaisical approach of the local trainers week after week resulted in races going void before the managing committee of the club spearheaded by chairman Shivkumar Kheny served an ultimatum to the owners and trainers that they need to pull up their socks and and start racing horses in this category failing which the club will be forced to open up this category from July 1. The directive by the conducting authority failed to impress the local trainers and the same order prevailed before BTC decided to crack the whip and this time the local trainers and owners had no choice but to accept the new ruling. 

While the BTC has done well to crack the whip and address this issue, the managing committee in all fairness must ply the whip on their officials too, who time and again are goofing up and denting the image of the club. First it was the decision of the Chief Veterinary officer, R Senthil Kumar who chose to race the half-money favourite Lazarus from Pesi Shroff's yard to race after the horse was in no mood to enter his designated box at the starting gates and later went down and sat on his back before he was injudiciously allowed to race and finished a poor third, which costed the punters and owners dear. 

Next it was the Handicapper R Karthik who shockingly rated Dun It Again (56), when the Vishesh trainee was actually rated 100. And on Sunday, it was the Starter, Vijay Narasimha who loaded General Patton from trainer Azhar Ali's yard without removing the hood and despite jockey Jagadeesh screaming at the time of loading that the hood has to be removed. The trainer had gained permission to send out General Patton sporting a hood till the starting gates and the equipment understandably had to be removed before the horse was put in the box, but Vijay Narasimha shockingly chose to race the horse without discarding the hood and as a result the horse jumped out awkwardly and Jagadeesh lost his stirrup before finishing down the field. Following a stewards enquiry, the stipes and stewards did well to declare General Patton a non-starter which helped the supporters of General Patton gain a refund on their investments, But the big goof up, it is needless to mention, put BTC in bad light and the pros and the racing buffs at this centre are now questioning the ability and knowledgeable capacity of the men in-charge of important roles. 

Now coming to racing, Prithviraj dropped another grenade after Clever Hans stunned the overwhelming favourite Top Dancer in the concluding event on Saturday. In the plum event, the Chief Minister's Cup on Sunday, the ten to one shot All Attractive from his stables romped home nice and easy in the hands of John. Cool Rider in his attempt to make every post a winning one found All Attractive too hot to handle and had to rest content with the runner-up berth, while Kolkata's mainhope Agnostic from Bharath Singh's yard finished a game third. Advantageously placed in at the scales, Isnt She Beautiful in receipt of five kilos from the winner had her share of followers, who were bullish of her chances in the sprint trip, but the Imtiaz Khan ward, it was clear found the first three too hot to handle. 

After failing to justify favouritism in his last essay, Yukan from Sulaiman Attaollahi's yard was again backed to the exclusion of his six rivals in the Karnataka Sub-Area Cup run over a distance of seven furlongs and the public choice this time made ample amends in the hands of top gun Trevor Patel to the delight of the followers of form,. Andorra finished a game second behind the winner, while the second in demand at the betting ring, Artemis Ignacia from Neil Darashah's yard only managed to save money in place.

Neil Darashah earlier struck through the in-form Pavarotti, who completed a hat-trick of wins, coming up trumps in the Adler Plate run over a sprint. Pavarotti is in rousing form and it will come as no surprise if he adds another win to his three in the weeks ahead. Fondness Of You followed the winner home, while the strongly fancied Eridani from Azhar Ali's yard encountered rough passage at a crucial juncture in the straight and had to settle for the third spot. 

After Dominic brought off successful coup on the eight to one shot English Bay, the trainer boldly nominating his ward to score in the Poonawalla Stud Plate on Saturday. Arjun Manglorkar trusted the ability of his trainee Ricardo and pulled off a gamble, the next day, Ricardo making every post a winning one in the upper division of the Littleover Plate run over a sprint. Arjun, who had fancied Ricardo strongly in his last essay again was very bullish of his chances and this time Ricardo in the hands of Antony Raj showed a clean pair of heels to all his 10 rivals including the well supported second favourite Prophecy, who finished third behind the debutant Red Falcon, who was seen finishing on fastest at end. The winner on the strength of this facile victory is likely to provide an encore, while the runner-up is too good to miss out next time out. 

The lower division of the event was claimed by the even-money favourite Prana from Prasanna Kumar's yard, who proved too good in the hands of leading saddle artiste Akshay Kumar.  Lesser fancied Nyaya making her debut gained the runner-up berth ahead of another debutant Aldiva who promised to run Prana close but only finished 9.5 lengths behind the smart winner who is certain to graduate to a higher league in the months ahead. 

The topweighted Always Happy helped Prasanna record a double, coming up tops in  the concluding event, the upper division of the Tudor Jet Plate run over a sprint. The strongly fancied favourite confidently piloted by Antony Raj, who too recorded a double, powered through to score from Opus One, while Stars Above finished a creditable third. General Patton after the hood goof up was declared a non-starter. 

The upper division of the event saw  the half-money favourite Groovin cruise home without really working up a sweat. This M R Singh trainee is on top of his game and is strongly tipped to score again when saddled next. Venus edged out Princess Jasmine by the shortest of margins to gain the runner-up berth. 

Win My Luv from Neil Devaney's yard justified her top billing in the Astronomic Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. The talented apprentice Inayat produced a copybook effort on the public choice who produced a sparkling gallop in the final furlong to cruise home a deserving winner. Golden Time finished second ahead of Extraordinary, while Own Legacy completed the frame.