Azhar Ali trained New Prince straightaway graduated in graded race company by winning the Gr 3 1200 metres Bangalore City Sprint Championship Gold Cup, a terms race for three-year olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s races. The Sprint Championship which is the second richest race in this category after the Sprinter`s Cup with total stakes of Rs 35 lakhs, mostly had horses who have been running amongst themselves right through the season, saw newcomer New Prince make his entry into graded race company a winning one. The progeny of Phoenix Tower justified the final entry fee of Rs 3 lakhs by sweeping the opposition off their feet, with aggressive running in front.

New Prince had recorded a runaway win in his last outing and had seen his rating jump from 52 to 75. One thought that the handicapper had been rather harsh in pushing up the four-year old so much even though the win was an outstanding one. The connections were even more audacious when they sought to take on horses which were rated much higher, with Acclaimed enjoying a rating of 100. New Prince was running without any pull in weights as this was a weight for age race without penalties. As such, New Prince was carrying a weight of 60 kgs on par with his contemporaries who had more accomplishments to their credit. The confidence of the connections must be appreciated for taking this bold move.

Jockey Arshad Alam pushed New Prince to take over the running and went at a good clip which even the seasoned runners found too hot for comfort. The only three-year-old in the fray, Top Striker raced in the second position ahead of Shivalik Star, Acclaimed, Smile Stone and the rest before packing up in the straight. New Prince came into the homestretch with a healthy lead over a quickly improving Acclaimed and fast accelerating Smile Stone. New Prince did not slacken and kept going in front to eventually win the race with a measure of comfort over late-rallying Smile Stone. Acclaimed was a well-beaten third while favourite Satellite ran way below expectations and was not spotted to have any chance. The fast clip at which New Prince went in front and his ability to sustain the same made a critical difference to the outcome of the race. It is clear that horses like Acclaimed, Shivalik Star and the rest have had their innings and now onwards, they will find it hard to win against younger rivals.

The underfoot conditions were far from ideal and only horses which acted on the wet surface, produced winning efforts while many fancied runners lost out on this score.

Neil Darashah trained Spirit And Truth had been pretty consistent this season and he found her bearings over the extended trip of 2000 metres in the J B Mallaradhya Cup, a race for horses rated 45 to 65. Festive Cheer who had last week run in the gruelling Leger, led the field from the start with favourite Iceglow settled in about the third position while Spirit And Truth was relaxed in the rear. Rounding the final turn, Iceglow made a strong bid to take over the running but Festive Cheer was unrelenting. Even as these two were engaged in a battle for supremacy, Spirit And Truth moved up with big strides and sped past these two horses to record a handsome win. Southern Fantasy too rallied well to take the second position while Iceglow finally managed to neck out long-time leader Festive Cheer.

Nothing seems to be going right for trainer Amit Cady whose two horses went down fighting. Fair Game who had finished about 5.8 lengths behind Aster Rose was expected to provide a win for the trainer in the 1200 metres Nanoli Stud Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 30 to 50. The trainer had also taken the services of Sandesh. Fair Game was backed down to on money favouritism. Fair Game was travelling well within himself and looked like he would collar the front runners but he failed to quicken when the pressure was on. Conquistador shot through in the middle to take over the running and stormed towards the winning post. Blues Legend who was running a detached last, suddenly found his wings as he flew on the wide outside but failed narrowly to overhaul the front runner. It was a dramatic finish to what looked like a dull affair. Fair Game struggled for speed and eventually finished third. Sharat Kumar trained Rakshitha was an eye-catching second to Lord Darlington in her last effort and the six-year-old mare came in for sustained betting in the ring to end up as on money favourite in the lower division of the race. Rakshitha obliged thanks to power-packed riding by John whose brilliant effort saw the favourite edge past Colour of Gold close home. Cady thus had the mortification of seeing his fancied runners lose in both the divisions of the race. John who rode the winners of both the divisions had a rich haul of seven winners over the week-end and drew level with Sandesh with 26 winners in the Jockeys Championship Stakes.

Dominic trained Only Princess had been a big let-down, having finished more than 15 lengths adrift of the winner in the 30 to 50 category. She hadn`t won for 359 days. Now running in the lower category, Only Princess readily obliged in the 1200 metres Allied Forces Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Favourite Happy Hours went on a start to finish mission and enjoyed a good lead going into the final 300 metres. At this stage, the favourite began to falter as Only Princes came from behind with a powerful burst of speed, bursting through in the middle of the track. The progeny of Multidimensional quickened for home and won with a measure of comfort from Indian Brahmos. Happy Hours weakened to finish third. Sharat Kumar`s King Smile was backed to on-money favouritism to break his maidens rank in his ninth attempt in the lower division of the race. However, King Smile took a fly jump and thereafter was a spent force. The well backed Youresohandsome got a nice run along the rails at the final turn and shot ahead to win with great ease. Red Admiral came from a long way back to take the second position ahead of long-time leader Ramon. King Smiles was fourth.

Neil Darashah rounded off his tally with three winners for the day as apart from Youresohandsome and Spirit And truth, he led in a winner through Tangalooma who won the 1100 metres Track Lightning Trophy, a race for maiden three-year-olds with a comfortable start to finish dash. Harley Queen tried hard to catch up with the favourite but failed in her mission. Romantic Helen failed to build on her last start effort but managed to save place money, getting the better of Country`s Bloom close home. Saga was badly affected by Stay True who rolled over to the rails soon after jump out and later on broke down in the next furlong.

Prithviraj trained First Step fought off a stiff battle for supremacy with favourite Bolts Colt before prevailing by a narrow margin in the 1400 metres Meydan Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. After Icepick Willie led the field into the straight, First Step and Bolts Colt battled all the way in the final furlong, with the former retaining the initiative right past the winning post.