It's Derby time folks. Get on the high horse, hit the high road and bet till you sweat at the Derby-day races on Republic Day. The blue riband of the season, the Winfair247 Bangalore Derby has offered a rich purse of Rs, 101,48,490 to the winner and the three best colts and seven fillies claiming a statutory gender allowance of 1.5 kilos are ready in their effort to gallop to fame in the big showdown at sundown on Friday.

The ladies cheer brigade is up and ready to cheer in the winner, confident that it will be `Ladies Day Out'at the Bangalore Turf Club, the top two fillies Jamari and Tehani  set to dominate the finish of the mega event.

The Pesi Shroff schooled Jamari, who has not lost a classic at this venue, winning the summer Derby before she came up trumps in the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks this winter season is fancied most and the bookmakers too fancy the champion filly to be piloted by top gun Trevor Patel to emerge champ in the biggest plum of the season.

On a day most regulars are working out the many combinations and permutations to successfully solve the five-horse puzzle, the Jackpot pool, the first timers are looking to make money picking the Derby winner. BTC chairman, Arvind Raghavan pleased that the management committee roped in Winfair247 to sponsor the event disclosed that effort was on to provide a quality field and also give-away a handsome purse to the winners of the champion event and the committee has successfully achieved that goal. "We have roped in many sponsors this winter and the pros are happy that many million events for juveniles have been  framed this season, said Arvind Raghavan adding that all the members of the management committee have played a stellar role to help raise the bar.

While the two classy fillies Jamari and Tehani are expected to dominate the finish in their effort to wear the Derby sash and stand tall at the winners' podium, Prana is the lone colt who has the ability to challenge the fillies and G Vivek guiding the fortunes of will be hoping that Prana from Prasanna Kumar's yard produces his best on the big day. "He is working well and he should make his presence felt against the best," said Prasanna.

Well all said and done the stage is set and it appears the two star fillies will call the shots in the rich event.