The Bangalore challenger La Reina, fresh from her success in the Stayers’ Trial Stakes at her parent-centre won the South India St.Leger in convincing fashion at Guindy on Sunday.

Leading pro Suraj Narredu astride the public rage from Imtiaz Khan’s yard chose to play the waiting game in the 14 furlongs exacting trip.   The B Suresh schooled Multicrown hit the front and set a decent pace for the first four furlongs before he dropped his rider Hindu Singh and at this juncture Chouhan guiding the fortunes of Saigon, who was tailing Multicrown found himself in front and maintained the pace before La Reina produced a strong  gallop approaching the distance post to overhaul Saigon despite shifting out to win her second classic after her success in the Bangalore Winter Derby last year. Magnus from the stables of Faraz Arshad finished third ahead of Lionel. La Reina, it must be mentioned didn’t have it easy and needed to stretch every sinew to gain the verdict. But all credit to the winner for digging deep into her reserves and hanging on to the advantage gained at the all-important end.

Another short-priced favourite Densetsu from James McKeown’s yard made a smashing debut in the AMM Arunachalam Memorial Million donkey-licking his three rivals to win by a margin of over 10 lengths. This James trainee appears a goodtype of a youngster who will make his presence felt against the best juveniles at this campus in the weeks ahead. Aarini followed the winner home.

The even-money favourite Ruling Star recorded a hat-trick, chalking out his third straight success in the Man O War Handicap run over a distance of seven furlongs. Yash Narredu pushed the public choice ahead after the eight runners came under the starter’s flag and never let the initiative slip comfortably  galloping home. Cynosure finished second ahead of the grey Imperial Gesture, who was fancied to upset the applecart of the winner, while Celeste completed the frame.  

The James schooled Neziah, who won her last start without really extending herself, shockingly failed to display her true potential in the Nureyev Handicap run over a distance of seven furlongs. The public rage, who was  a `banker’ in most permutations and combinations of the railbirds to crack the Jackpot pool only managed to finish second behind the lesser fancied Dedicate from Vijay Singh’s yard piloted by Hindu Singh.  The followers of form and the knowledgeable not happy with the effort of Neziah are demanding an explanation.

Ramanathan schooled Dazzling Princess recorded  a shock victory in the Strom Again Handicap snuffing out the challenge of the second in demand at the betting ring, Preakness from Deepesh Narredu’s yard. Umesh who partnered Preakness has failed to boot home one single winner despite the fact that he has partnered many fancied runners at Guindy and Mahalaxmi in the last three weeks.

A five to one shot, Touch Of Fury came up tops in the opening event, the Albert Park Handicap run over a mile. The Parmar ward edged out another lesser fancied contestant Kallipos, while the strongly fancied public choice Cloud Jumper failed to even save money in place, finishing a poor fourth behind Three Of A Kind.