At a time, the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC)  is not able to procure the license required to conduct off-course betting on Mysuru races despite making every effort to obtain the go-ahead from the government, the Mysore Race Club (MRC) is making merry generating extra revenue, more than 500 regular racegoers from Bengaluru travelling to Mysuru on Wednesday. How long will this continue and will the government grant BTC the license to resume off-course betting in the next two weeks? is the question the racing fraternity is asking the mandarins of the club. The decision makers of the club unfortunately cannot provide a right answer or a definite timeline. The management committee headed by Shivashankar, it must be mentioned is running pillar to post, pacing up and down the corridors of power to impress on the government that the club facing a financial crisis needs to conduct off-course betting to generate the required revenue for survival and that the committee has scheduled Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on Friday, July 10 to sort out a couple of issues connected to shifting out from the existing premises. At the time of writing, it is learnt that the committee is heading out to Vidhana Soudha for a meeting with the decision makers of the government, seeking a solution and hopefully the government understands the complex BTC problem and responds favourably. 

Now to narrate what happened at the races in Mysuru on Wednesday. Well most fancied runners, including the Bengaluru raider Efficacy justified their top ranking and rating. Three firm favourites and a couple of well backed second choices entered the winners' circle to the delight of the punters, who enjoyed the better of exchanges in the seven-event card. On the strength of his consistent performances against higher rated horses at his parent-centre (Bengaluru), the Sulaiman Attaollahi-trained Efficacy was fancied strongly in the Stewards Trophy run over a distance of seven furlongs and the on-money favourite in the hands of Shreyas Singh cruised home nice and easy justifying the confidence of the large following. Rise Again from Fahad Khan's yard followed the favourite home ahead of last start winner Gold Kite. 

Silver Quest was another on-money favourite who luckily came good. Competing in the upper division of the Renowned Plate run over a sprint, the top fancy lost a couple of lengths at the start before Vinod Shinde quickly pushed him to gain a favourable position and in the end Vinod needed to drive him out flat to gain the day from the five to one shot Asio from the stables of P Krishna. 

The lower division of the event was claimed by the lesser fancied Sapphire from Mansoor Khan's yard partnered by Ankit Pal. The Ranjeet schooled Falcon Fury and Ladylion from the stables of Gnanashekar garnered the maximum support in the betting ring, but the strongly recommended `Jodi' went out to the delight of the bookies, Sapphire snuffing out the challenge of Falcon Fury. Ladylion, who lost out to Sheeba by the shortest of margins last week surprisingly failed to jump out level from the gates and the stipes and stewards need to gain an explanation from the trainer and jockey, taking into account that inconsistent patterns of running will cast a doubt on the intentions and the credibility of the professionals. 

Earlier, the well-backed Lords Grace from Gnanashekar's yard unlike Ladylion had no issues at the gates, jumping out well and storming home strongly to come up trumps in the upper division of the Republican Plate run over a sprint. The Arvind schooled I Like Too Hoo Haa piloted by the in-form Ashhad Asbar enjoyed the top billing in  the event, but the overwhelming public choice found the winner and the runner-up Hastings Sunrise too hot to handle and only managed to save money in place. Now that Lords Grace started his campaign on a winning note, back after a seven-month long lay-off, he is certain to provide an encore. 

In the lower division of the event, Just Blues from trainer Surender's yard opened on-money favourite after the other top fancied contestant Trump Baby opted out before the start. Shockingly the price on Just Blues kept going up and up and the Surender ward was freely offered at (4/1). The wise punters smelling a rat chose to stay away while the connections of Pette's Choice piloted by apprentice jockey Vishal quickly ascertaining the situation decided to support their runner and the decision brought home the desired result, Pette's Choice comfortably sprinting home ahead of V Caviar, while Just Blues, made it clear that he was never in the hunt, finishing off the frame. 

The Vinesh Naik schooled Isabelle reigned supreme in the Hiriyur Plate run over a mile. The winner partnered by five-kilo claimer Anish Anamo after gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the journey produced an astounding gallop in the ` run in' home to whizz past the overwhelming favourite Sada and power home an emphatic winner. The runner-up Sada from Jaishankar Pillay's yard, who had failed to justify favouritism in her last essay over an identical trip again disappointed her supporters. Sada, It appears is finding the mile long trip a trifle difficult to negotiate though her bloodline suggests that mile and beyond trips are wellwithin her compass. Whatever be it, the Pillay ward it is clear has made no improvement after her maiden attempt this season and it will pay to support Sada only if her connections choose to campaign over a seven furlongs trip. Isabelle on the strength of this sublime performance is tipped to win again next time out.

The Zulquarnain schooled Iron King recorded his second straight success in the Kodlipet Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. Ashhad Asbar, who had partnered him in his last winning effort again did the job, pushing the second in demand at the betting ring Iron King to hit the front soon after the dozen runners came under the starter's flag and never let the initiative slip, comfortably pegging back the challenge of the public choice Walter who despite enjoying a handicap advantage failed again to dethrone the `King.'