Padmanabhan trained Democraticus recorded a remarkable win in the 1600 metres Shantiniketan Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, which featured Sunday’s races. Democraticus won in the manner of a classic horse and what was striking about the win was the fact that he was running after a setback had kept him out of action for a month. After Mallesh Narredu had lost a certain race due to poor riding on him in the Mysore Juvenile Million, Democraticus had an injury to his hoof which kept him out of Mysore classics. But the manner in which he toyed with the opposition and won the race in a smart time of one minute 38.09 seconds which was reminiscent of his sensational debut win last winter. The son of Royal Kingdom is mostly likely to race in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas and in the condition that he is in, he looks a cinch. Democraticus went into the race as a very short priced horse despite the fact that Gr.1 Fillies Trial Stakes winner Glorious Breaker was in the fray and was not greatly disadvantaged by the scales. Democraticus was also essaying the mile long trip for the first time. Randsberg led the field from the word 'go' with the favourite in the third or fourth position, waiting for a nod from the pilot. Rounding the bend, Appu brought Democraticus alongside the front-runner and the son of Royal Kingdom quickened in a trice to go clear of the field and Appu could afford the luxury of easing the horse in the final furlong itself despite which the gelding clocked an excellent timing and won by a widening margin of eight lengths. Glorious Breaker was a long way second ahead of Randsberg who ran to finish third. Risada too advertised her readiness to make a mark in the classics as she recorded a facile win over Scintilating Skill in the 1400 metres Punjab Stud Plate. The daughter of Placerville, Risada who is bred to stay, chased the well fancied Scintilating Skill well into the straight before surging ahead in the final furlong and winning with a great deal of comfort. Royal Assault, who finished third, is slowly coming back to winning condition. The Air Force Cup which was run in two divisions saw Rashid Byramji trained horses running as favourites. In the first instance, rank outsider Sneak Preview spoilt a quiet touch on Darius Byramji’s Romantic Getaway while in the lower division, his Shaolin won by a whisker at the expense of Divin Lumiere who finished second best for the third time in a row. Cote D’Azur was the betting rage in the upper division of the Air Force Cup but the filly was never in contention, losing steam gradually in the final furlong to completely fade out of the reckoning. Rafaga who ran prominently in the front, shaped to win but ran out of steam in the dying moments of the race but Romantic Getaway who surged ahead of the front-runner, was floored by the finishing burst of rank outsider Sneak Preview. Divin Lumiere was odds-on favourite to win the lower division but the favourite was caught close home by the finishing burst of Shaolin on whom Srinath rode a vigorous ride as contrasted with that by the rider on the loser. Srinath drove out Razpazazz with all the resources at his command to get the better of Fearless Princess in the shadow of the post to ensure success for the Michael Eshwer trainee. At one stage, the cause appeared to have been lost as the filly was crying for more ground but the aggressive riding saw to it that the favourite overcame the disadvantage put by the sharpness of the trip. Royal Scandal obliged as a fancied runner, getting stronger close home to win from Big Thrillz and Dhanush who were quietly fancied by the people in the know. The jockeys of the second and third placed horses coughed up a fine of Rs.1,000 each for excessive use of the whip. Samar Singh’s Pat On the Back justified the smart money that came on him by readily winning the mile long race from Purple Glade who appears to be running into some kind of form. The day’s opener, a sprint race for first season runners, saw Sarvaguna Sampanna backed to the exclusion of his rivals so much so that Sarabande who opened as a joint favourite in the ante-post betting closed at 8/1! In the event, Sarabande, the speedy full sister to classic winner Lindsay, had no problems whatsoever in thrashing the field in splendid fashion. The well bred Savaguna Sampanna is bred to stay though his full brother Admiral’s Force won twice over a sprint and this is what made everybody to believe that pedigree would not come in the way of winning over a short trip.