Arjun Mangalorkar trained Shivalik Star won the Gr 3 Chief Minister`s Cup, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s races against the run of expectations. Sunday was free from rain though persistent rain over the last four days had soaked the track and going was on heavier side notwithstanding the fact that the official penetrometer reading was 4.6 cms. The winner clocked a time of one minute 15.87 seconds which itself indicates the slow nature of the track as a timing of less than one minute 13 seconds is par for a race of this nature. It was not definitely good going as the official announcement stated.

The race contested by time tested veterans whose form fluctuations are something that one has to put up with, saw Dubai One who was attempting to make a quantum jump in class, being installed the favourite. Dubai One had won in the 40 to 65 category in impressive fashion but people forgot that he was running with horses which had reached top handicap long ago and on this score of experience alone, Dubai One did not stand a chance. The four-year-old filly seems to have some allergy for jockey Pradeep Chouhan as the horse, took a slow jump, tried to run out all the time and was a spent force by the time the runners took the final bend. The horse had shown similar tendency with the same jockey when running as a favourite when in the final 200 metres, the horsed had swerved out violently and raced on the edge of the grass track, losing a winning chance. The two subsequent efforts had seen the filly, run straight as an arrow and record handsome wins in the hands of different jockeys.

Seven-year-old gelding Shivalik Star relished the underfoot conditions as he led the field from the start with Acclaimed chasing him in earnest while the rest were spaced out behind. Shivalik Star showed no signs of weakening in the straight and kept striding clear to win easily from Acclaimed while Smile Stone who had plenty of leeway to cover in the straight, finished on well to take the third place ahead of Mickey Mouse. The others in the fray made no show.

Padmanabhan trained Ice Glacier won the 1800 metres Poll Ramachandra Rao Memorial Trophy, a race for horses rated 30 to 50, in impressive fashion. After winning the maidens race, Ice Glacier had run in three group races and her last effort in the Fillies Championship, had seen her finish fifth, about 3.2 lengths from the winner Common Wealth. The trainer perhaps was testing out the filly for her ability to get the longer trip and the effort was pretty satisfying. Ice Glacier tracked Summerhill well into the straight before skipping clear in the final furlong to eventually win by a widening margin of five lengths. Last start winner Swiss Eagle was in third position, another eight lengths behind. Ice Glacier surely can tackle the Derby trip of 2000 metres trip and she is sure to find herself in the line-up for July 10th`s event. Serjeant At Arms towers over his contemporaries but the rest of the contestants are to have issues about the extended trip.

The speedy Knighthood, from the stables of trainer Prithviraj, had no problem in keeping his rivals at bay in the 1200 metres Col Rajkumar C Desraj Urs Memorial Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 45 to 65. Downton Abbey received inspired support in the betting ring but the favourite was flat-footed and by the time the filly could warm up, the race was in the safe keeping of the front runner. Hillsboro was third. Sir Majestic received one-sided support in the betting ring. He had the credentials but not in the manner backed in the ring. Sir Majestic lived up to the hype with an amazing performance, swamping the opposition in tremendous fashion. Ayrton ran on from behind to occupy the runner up berth ahead of poorly performing Integrated.

Sriram Komandur trained Natanza was a failed favourite and looked set to make amends in the 1100 metres Rare Gem Plate, a race for maiden three year olds. The speedy daughter of Arabian Gulf had no problems in winning start to finish, skipping well clear of the rest in the final furlong to win as she pleased. Romantic Helen was a well beaten second ahead of Montana Sky. There was inspired support for Saga but the filly ran a timid race.

Jockey Suraj Narredu who was associated with the success of Natanza and Sir Majestic, had earlier in the day, booted home favourite A Crown to victory in the 1200 metres Supervite Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category to end the day with a treble. A Crown had no problem in tackling the opposition with Goddess of Love being the best of the beaten brigade. One did not know what to expect in the lower division of the race where Irish Prince and Dontworrrymonday were the market fancies. But both these horses were not seen to have any chance during the race. Golden Friend who raced in front, held off late rallying Bolts Colt to land the spoils at long odds.

Narayan Gowda trained Cool Springs was backed to the exclusion of the rest as if the five-year-old mare cannot be beaten in the 1200 metres Honeday Plate, a race for horses rated 15to 35. Cool Springs led from the start before weakening in the straight to eventually finish a poor third. Long shot Indian Brahmos necked out stablemate Raw Gold in the battle of outsiders to land the spoils at big odds. Jockey Amyn Merchant was astride the winner.

The favourites trained by Arjun Mangalorkar are failing consistently. Fabulous was at cramped odds to win the 1400 metres Pendragon Plate, a race for maiden three year olds, on the basis of the performance of the progeny of Burden of Proof in his last effort where he had come from a long way back to be an eye-catching fourth over a sprint. The favourite ran flat, unable to take a good position and was a beaten cause well before the final furlong. Neil Darashah trained Escala won the race at nourishing odds at the expense of Whatchmyscript and Carolina. The last named could be in serious contention before long.