Lesser fancied Divine Friendship from trainer Rakesh`s yard brought off an upset in the 1200 metres Amba Vilas Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above, the feature event of Wednesday`s Mysore races. Due to heavy rains, there was doubt whether the programme would be gone through or not but eventually races did go through without any hitch. The underfoot conditions though had a bearing as horses ran all over the course. There were quite a few withdrawals in each of the races. Trainer Rakesh had a rich haul, saddling three winners.

Jockey Ryan Marshall kept Divine Friendship a handy third as Sky High set the pace before pushing his horse to take charge after getting a run along the rails in the straight. Divine Friendship quickened well and opened up a big lead and was hailed a winner long way from home. Impressive Bolt responded late to come up with an eye-catching effort which fetched him the second spot. Divine Deliverance, who raced wide through the race, ran on to finish third necking out Rio Grande while favourite Distant Promise was not spotted at the busy end.

Three year old Tulip, also hailing from trainer Rakesh`s stable, easily won the 1100 metres Ramnagar Plate, a race for maiden three year olds. Tulip had run a good forward race last time out finishing third to Catchy Racer. Tulip shot into the lead inside the final 300 metres and had to wage a stiff battle with Back Bencher who travelled wide into the straight but put up a strong fight before weakening in the final furlong. Tulip won comfortably from late rallying Rising Little Star who warmed up to the task a wee bit late. Nevertheless, this run should stand Rising Little Star in good stead next time out.

The 1400 metres Serengeti Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, saw Santa Maria, Mountain Prince and Clever Trick withdrawn from the fray. The race was won by Flash Time who thus recorded a hat-trick of wins. Flash Time had been recently acquired by trainer Pratap Kamath and the four year old continued his winning ways even with the new master. Flash Time and Mother Ewa made their move precisely at the same juncture but the latter was inconvenienced slightly by the former shifting out of a straight course. However, Flash Time galloped strongly despite drifting out to the edge of the grass track and won by about two lengths over late finishing Cash Is King. Mother Ewa weakened to place third.

Rakesh trained Star Mountain took a while to shake off Gran Turismo before asserting himself in the 1600 metres Red Chieftain Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. The field was spread right across the track in the straight. Always On Top finished third.

Tejaswi`s Young Gallant recorded an encore at nourishing odds in the 1400 metres Dhanushkoti Plate, a race for lowest rated horses. Perhaps the presence of apprentice Chetan Kalay who has ridden only one winner in the last few years may have been the reason why Young Gallant went to the post at nourishing odds. Young Gallant went on a catch me if you mission and kept expanding the lead in the straight to win by a widening margin of six lengths over Zamindar and Stone Warrior.

Feroz M Khan trained Too Cold To Hold raced a handy second behind Greenbro well into the straight before smoothly cruising into the lead and sped away to win the 1600 metres Shivanasamudra Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, with great deal of ease. Favourite Smokehead picked up speed when the cause had been lost and could only finish a tame second.

In a chokingly close finish, Brigade Paradise`s powerfully rally failed to get him past Flirting King as the latter managed to win by the proverbial whisker in the 1200 metres Kengeri Plate, a race for horses rated 0 to 25. Favourite Jazzbythebay who led the field into the straight weakened to finish fifth.