The protest by Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association demanding extra race days resulted in the postponement of last three races of the 11-event card that was to be gone through on Thursday. Soon after the presentation ceremony of V T Velu Memorial Cup was over, representatives of owners association and others entered the paddock demanding that the Stewards concede the demand for extra race days in lieu of the two cancelled races of the opening week of the season.

The Stewards had not yielded to the demand for extending the season which was due to conclude on Friday. Instead, they permitted framing of 11 races each on Thursday and Friday, departing from the practice of not having more than eight and nine races on the two race days of the week. As a result of the protest, horses for the ninth race were not brought to the paddock and after a delay of more than half an hour when chaos reigned, the authorities announced that the last three races will be added to the long card of 11 events framed for the concluding day`s races, with the first race starting at 11 a.m.

	Tomsk (S John up), winner of the V.T.Velu Memorial Cup, being led in by trainer Mr. Arjun Mangalorkar

It is not clear whether racing will be held on Friday as the stalemate appeared to continue, with the trainers having been instructed by KROA not to saddle horses on Friday till the demand for extending the season was conceded. Some owners also wanted to withdraw the horses which were due to run in the last three race days. The confusion is sure to prolong because BTC authorities have said that they will not extend the season come what may. If KROA and Karnataka Trainers Associaiton are unrelenting, the final day`s races may be cancelled.

Be that as it may, the V T Velu Cup, a seven furlong race for horses rated 80 and above, had attracted a creditable field but with none standing out, the odds reflected the open nature of the race. Tomsk who had won a bagful of races including the North India Derby was reckoned to have better credentials to win and as such, he was the favorite ahead of Red Renegade who was being ridden by the newly apprenticed Pravez Pasha who did not have race riding experience as his first ride of his career which was in the second race of the day, Moment of Truth, did not come out of the gates.

Red Renegade was taken on a start to finish mission by the apprentice who got everything right except in the final furlong where he could not extract that bit extra with a hands and heels approach when Tomsk and Stone of Destiny swooped on him. Tomsk, who was languishing at the tail end of the field, came wide and as is his wont, came up with a stunning run to pick the front runners one by one before sailing ahead in the shadow of the post. Soberano closed with a rush to take the runner up berth ahead of Stone of Destiny who necked out Red Renegade from third slot.

Arjun Mangalorkar, who saddled Tomsk, had a treble for the day, his other two winners of the day being Optimus Prime and Work Force. Optimus Prime, who was reckoned as a classic contender, had been laid low by a setback and he was running in the Capricorn Stud Plate (Div I) after a longish break. Still Will who was expected to be in the thick of things, was not enthusiastically supported in the ring and ran as per the market trend. Hitherto non-performer The Spartan came in for sustained support. Optimus Prime had his share of supporters. Lad`s Gladiator showed the way to the field before Optimus Prime left him standing. Lad`s Gladiator held on to the second spot from late rallying Classical Dancer who covered plenty of ground in the straight to be a noteworthy third.

Work Force who had twice let down as a fancied runner, was expected to be more at home over the extended trip of 2000 metres. The Arjun Mangalorkar trainee, who sported blinkers for the first time, was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey C Alford. The progeny of Placerville stayed put in front and held off the belated challenge of Southern King to land the spoils. Incidentally, Alford too is inching his way towards the landmark of riding 1000 winners and he is nine short of the mark.

Padmanabhan had a double for the day through Con Artiste and Balmoral Castle. Con Artiste who had been outclassed in her last run when running with the likes of classic hopeful Magisterial, was available at lucrative odds as last outing winner Montedoro was backed to the exclusion of the rest. Montedoro led from the start but slackened on entering the homestretch. Con Artiste who was in hot pursuit, quickened nicely despite going wide and won comfortably by over three lengths the Maj Newton Davis Memorial Cup (Div II). Sun Dawn displaced Montedoro from the second spot close home.

Balmoral Castle, who was strongly backed to win the Santorini Star Plate, had no problem in accounting for Sunset Grill who led till overhauled by the eventual winner. Spark of Knight was third. Fancied Senor Speedy and Matias made no show.

In a race meant for apprentices who had not ridden a single winner, Ravikumar Vaibhav did a tidy job on fancied Summer Wine. Different Opinion tried runaway tactics and she drifted out also under pressure in the final furlong. Summer Wine, who hugged the rails, shot ahead with a furlong out and comfortably held of the long time leader. Vaibhav is the son of photographer Ravikumar who has spent an entire life time taking leading in photographs of others and he thus had the privilege of freezing for posterity, his son win a race within a fortnight of getting the license on Jaggy Dhariwal`s horse.

Gazaki was the favorite to win the Mystic Memory Plate but jockey C Alford appeared to be ill at ease from the start repeatedly looking down and back to see if everything was alright with the horse. Gazaki fell back to the rear and then picked some steam in the straight to finish sixth. Dance To The Tune who was also strongly fancied, had no problem in disposing of late rallying Lad Diva and long time leader Endurance.