Pesi Shroff trained Mathaiyus bounced back after a poor outing by swamping the opposition in emphatic fashion in the Gr 2 Bangalore St Leger, the last classic of the season on Sunday. Pesi has had a glorious summer having won three classics and a couple of graded races to make this season a highly profitable one for himself. All the four classics of the season have gone to outstation trainers, with Castleridge from Kolkata being the other classic winner of the season.

The race was at the mercy of Mathaiyus the moment Trevor Patel decided to ride favourite Captain Morgan in exaggerated check, conceding more than 10 lengths head start to the front-runner. Jockeys are expected to follow the cardinal rule of sitting up with the pace if the pace of the race is not brisk and sit back if the pace is hot. Races have been lost and won on this count in India in long distance races where the jockeys have been found wanting in judging the pace. They tend to ride these races with a pre-decided strategy and rarely bother to think on their feet. Horses can give weight but not distance is something that jockeys are not willing to learn

Neeraj Rawal who was guilty of riding a poor race on Mathaiyus last time out is a percentage jockey who looks good if the race is run to an expected pattern. He took Mathaiyus on a start to finish and his task was made easier as the others allowed him an uncontested lead while preferring to settle their horses behind a few lengths adrift of each other. Mathaiyus who is bred to stay enjoyed his foray in front and since he was not required to expend his energy to keep the lead, he had enough ammunition left when he took the home stretch. Mathaiyus kicked clear and had no problem in checking well clear of Tororosso and Captain Morgan who both struggled to cover the leeway. It was indeed a pathetic performance by Captain Morgan who had beaten Mathaiyus when conceding weight and he was running this race at level weights and yet finished more than seven lengths behind. Hard to explain these form fluctuations.

Neeraj Rawal was however found wanting on favourite Hedwig in the 1400 metres Poll Ramachandra Rao Memorial Silver Trophy, a race for horses rated 30 to 50. Hedwig was inconvenienced by the wide outside draw but the jockey compounded his problems by initially committing to make his run wide and then suddenly decided to drop back which saw the horse fall way behind. And then again, he did not try a ground saving run and circled around the field at the final bend and came the widest of the lot. The horse tried to cover for the jockey with a strong effort but fell short narrowly in the end, with three necks and a head separating the first five placed horses. Interestingly, the race saw former jockey K P G Appu record the first win of his career in his new profession as a trainer, with jockey T S Jodha positioning his mount in front from the outside draw with great alacrity. Adriphos, Opening Act, Noble Sapphire and Hedwig all finished almost in a line.

Samar Singh trained Magical Dancer recorded an encore in the 1400 metres S M Ramakrishna Rao Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 45 to 65. Jockey Jagadeesh who tends to rely more on the whip rode a sensible race in a race where jockeys were not allowed to carry their whip. John on Silver Legend attempted start to finish tactics and he was always under pressure to retain the lead from Lozen. Silver Legend held the initiative till the final moments of the race but was done in by the late burst of Magical Dancer who got the nod in the closing strides of the race.

Trainer Pradeep Annaiah had a well-priced double, his wards winning both the races meant for horses in the lowest category. Nagarjuna was backed down from a higher quote to favouritism and duly justified the support by winning the 1200 metres Pune Plate. The six-year-old produced a powerful burst in the final furlong to get past Universal Law who had attempted run away tactics. Appy`s Glamour finished on well to take the third position.

Deepalika was another winner for Pradeep. The six-year-old mare overhauled the front-running Happy Dancing to win the 1400 metres Snow Dew Plate, a race for horses rated 0 to 20. Both Nagarjuna and Deepalika were ridden by jockey Pradeep and possibly this could be his first double in his career.

Malesh Narredu trained Heroine who had failed to oblige huge expectations last time out, was too superior to the field in the 1100 metres Manitou Trophy, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Heroine bolted to the front and finished six lengths clear of Desert Falcon to provide jockey Yash Narredu with a welcome win after a prolonged absence from the track due to a wrist injury. Dunamis was faraway third.

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Mathaiyus (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of The Bangalore St. Leger

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Deepalika (A R Pradeep up) winner of The Snow Dew Plate

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Heroine (Yash Narredu up) winner of The Manitou Trophy

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Native Elements (T S Jodha up) winner of The Poll Ramachandra Rao Memorial Silver Trophy

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Magical Dancer (V R Jagadeesh up) winner of The S. M. Ramakrishna Rao Memorial Cup

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I Smile (S John up) winner of The Noble Prince Plate

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Nagarjuna (A R Pradeep up) winner of The Pune Plate

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