On a day, trainers Sulaiman Attaollahi and Shoban Babu recorded a double and the in-form G Vivek in hunt for his maiden Champion Jockey crown at this centre, closed the gap, only a solitary point behind the leader Trevor Patel with three meetings to go before the curtain will be drawn this summer on the first Sunday next month, the race for both the top jockey and trainer titles has generated maximum interest, the cards promising an intense struggle for supremacy, the two jockeys, Trevor and Vivek and the leading trainers Prasanna and Sulaiman locked in a battle royale. It proved to be another walk in the park exercise for the champion sprinter Time And Tide from Adhirajsingh Jodha's yard. The public rage competing in the Bangalore City Sprint Championship Gold Cup was head and shoulders above his four rivals and his pilot Sandesh didn't really need to move a muscle to help the sprint champ add another major plum to his distinguished list. Sandesh, taking no chances, pushed the best sprinter on the Indian racing circuit to the front and in no mood to let the initiative slip, the short-priced favourite sprinted nice and easy to bolt in without raising a sweat. Imperial Blue from Irfan Ghatala's yard followed the winner home ahead of Aldgate.  

The principal added attraction, the Lt.Col.Gaunt Memorial Trophy produced a shock result, Don Carlos from Sulaiman's yard delivering a knock-out blow to the strongly fancied Perfect Legend and the second in demand at the betting ring, Gloriousness. Vivek in line for the Champion Jockey crown after recording a double, having earlier booted home the top fancy Double Vision in the Honey Day Plate, is now poised to pull the plug on Trevor Patel,  while Sulaiman, who led in Efficacy and Don Carlos is tied at the top with Prasanna Kumar at (14) points for the Champion Trainer title.

In the concluding event, the Xisca Plate run over a distance of 1500 metres, a facile last start winner, Kiss Of Grey from Satish Narredu's yard confidently piloted by top gun Suraj Narredu made every post a winning one to the delight of his large following, who punted big on the grey. Another last start winner Sunlit Path rallied well towards the end to gain the runner-up berth ahead of Thrill Of Brazil, while Hyperdrive, it was clear, found the seven-and-half furlongs trip beyond his compass.

Earlier, in the opening event, the Brave Dancer Plate,  Double Scotch from the stables of Shoban Babu provided leading pro Antony Raj an arm-chair ride to success The favourite Highland Dream from Michael Eshwer's yard in the hands of apprentice jockey Abhishek Matre in his bid to make every post a winning one in the nine furlongs trip, shot his bolt at the top of the straight and Double Scotch at this juncture assumed command and quickly put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. Sea Diamond edged out the public choice to gain the runner-up berth, while Royal Whisper was withdrawn at the starting gate.

In the next event, the Red Divine Plate, the half-money favourite Efficacy from Sulaiman Attaollahi's yard proved too good, making every post a winning one in the hands of Shreyas Singh. My Honey finished second ahead of Midnight Blue, while White Secret completed the frame. Now that the winner has shed his maiden status after being withdrawn in his last two starts, it will pay to keep an eye on this Sulaiman ward in the forthcoming Mysore season.

Shoban Babu after leading in Double Scotch in the opening event, recorded a good double through Double Vision. The well-backed joint favourite confidently piloted by G Vivek produced a sparkling gallop at the all-important end to romp home a deserving winner of the Honey Day Plate, run over a distance of seven furlongs. Able One from the stables of Azhar Ali gained the runner-up berth ahead of last start winner Super Kind, while the other top fancied runner Gandolfini from Purshotham's yard piloted by leading pro Akshay Kumar was never in the hunt.

A smart last start winner, Defence Counsel from trainer Dominic's yard chalked out his second straight victory, edging out the well supported Knotty Scotty from the stables of Prasanna Kumar close home. Vivek pushed the public choice to the front soon after the nine runners came under the starter's flag and Knotty Scotty called the shots before he surrendered the advantage to the lesser fancied Dominic ward 100 metres from home, much to the disappointment of the favourite punters. Storm Shadow did well to save money in place, while the second in demand at the betting ring, Corinthian performed below par, failing to keep pace all through the sprint trip.