Micheal Eshwar-trained Iron Marshall (Placerville-Rivage) trounced the opposition in the Karnataka Race Horse Owners’ Association Cup, for three-year-old horses, run over seven furlongs. After winning on debut at Mysore, Iron Marshall had failed to bring out the best in him at Bangalore, where he had finished last, after receiving interference during the race. Khwaish was a last start winner and was well supported in the race. Daring Dynamite, a winner on debut, early in the season had performed below par at Hyderabad. The three were the top market fancies with Iron Marshall ending up as the firm favourite during race time.

Positioning in third behind Khwaish and The Fuhrer, Iron Marshall made a swift move, rounding the final bend to stretch out when urged by David Allan on top of the straight. Iron Marshall shifted out of the straight course approaching the last 300 metres but was never in any danger and trounced the field by a big margin. Speaking to Indiarace after the race, David Allan said, “He’s big made horse and went easy in the final stages. He will improve further and will go well over a longer distance.” Khwaish held on to the second place while Demanding Format charged in late to take the third spot.

Trainer Pratap Kamath and Jockey R Ravi teamed up to score a double. Maratha Conqueror (Major Impact-Lovermore) just managed to hold on from the fast-finishing Hidden Pleasures to win the lower division of the Manipal Plate. Maratha Conqueror set the pace and took a long lead in the early stages of the race. Entering the straight with a lead of almost four lengths, he started to kick on in front. Hidden Pleasures moved along the rails and came around Maratha Conqueror with a strong run and the two went past the winning post together.

An over-enthusiastic H.G. Rathod, rider of Hidden Pleasures, had even lifted his whip hand in the air in celebrations but that was not to be as Maratha Conqueror had held on by a short-head. The favourite Showhorse took the third spot. The other winner of Kamath was Theworldismine (Brave Act-Antecedent), in the Simhaghad Plate, the concluding race of the day. Happiness had a useful lead on entering the home stretch but started to veer out of the straight course. Theworldismine moved on the extreme outside but quickly changed his course towards the inner ground and with a resolute gallop surged past Happiness. Social Climber improved late to finish a close third. The favourite Easy was never in the hunt and it was reported after the race that he came back lame on right fore.

Rakesh-trained On Call (Black Cash-Weathering) was backed to the hilt towards race time and the seven-year-old justified the favouritism, with a start to finish win in the higher division of the Manipal Plate. On Call travelled fast from outward draw to take box seat in front. On top of the straight it looked like the field was beginning to get closer but the favourite quickened in a trice and left the field a long way behind. Time Is Precious, Mexican Wave and Badda Rupaiyya filled the frame. R. Mallikarjuna’s Gambit (Burden Of Proof-Ching Mai) was another run-away winner of the day, claiming the lower division of the Nagpur Plate.

Gambit made it start to finish while Hero’s Dominance and Intifada took the second and third places respectively. Actor started to lose ground rapidly on the straight and was reported to have gone lame on the right fore. The consistent Admiranda (Inner City-Luckchickluck) finally got to the winner’s enclosure, winning the higher division. Tracking the leader Nicolleta till the last 300 metres, Admiranda came up with a sustained run with Jockey S. John in full flow, to lift the race. Sandalwood Star finished second ahead of the late-finishing Vertex.

Smile Again and Amazon were in front with Win Pretty Baby a close third approaching the last furlong, in the opener, the Bhagamandala Plate. Amazon went ahead briefly as Smile Again weakened but Win Pretty Baby (Brave Act-Strokes Of Fire) charged in to take control and had to stave off the late dash of Visual Element, who was inching closer with every stride in the last 50 metres only to miss out by a short-neck. Zanzara (Glory Of Dancer-Anadem) won the Aihole Plate with a gutsy gallop from a late-finishing Princess Nero.