Bobby trained Flying Show edged out favourite Excelerate close home to win the 1200 metres Air Force Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above, the feature event of the opening day`s races of the Mysore Winter Season held on Wednesday. Barring a couple of races where strongly fancied horses won, the rest of the races were dominated by those which gave higher return on tote. In the absence of bookmakers, the tote odds served as the barometer to determine the trend of betting. Only at Pune, 9 bookmakers operated.

Excelerate and Flying Show broke away from the pack with a furlong left in the race and got down to fight the battle for supremacy. Flying Show had the slight edge which the Mumbai import managed to carry it well past the winning post. Class Above who was finishing on well, was a close third.

Michael Eshwer trained Tiger of Mysore proved too good for the opposition in the 1400 metres Sharavathi Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Tiger of Mysore was settled in about the fourth position as Arrive did all the front-running. Rounding the final turn, Tiger of Mysore steadily gained ascendancy and sped away from the rest in the final furlong to win by a widening margin of five lengths over Arrive who stayed on to take the second place ahead of Classic King. Chackaloochoo who had twice in succession did not hit the front unlike the two occasions when she had won back to back and was not in the hunt. She ran on late to finish fourth.

Last start winner Catharsis had no problem in recording an encore in the 1200 metres Dharwad Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Though entrusted to Noorullah who is rarely seen riding winners, Catharsis chased Dreamliner into the straight before storming clear in the straight for an emphatic win. Savannah Sound impressed when finishing second with a late charge ahead of Felix Legion.

Rakesh trained Top Trainer had come down a lot in scales and with the trainer opting for five kg claimer in Bhaskar, the chances of the progeny of Multidimensional became very strong in the 1200 metres Lt Col C Rudrappa Memorial Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. However, the betting was cornered by Sardinia who failed to make any impression. Top Trainer unleased a powerful run on the wide outside to collar the front-runners with ease. The jockey could exult about his success long way from home though his antics are bound to earn a reprimand from the Stipes. Whenever Bryant Park gets an uncontested lead in front, he has always proved a handy customer. Jockey Santosh Kumar could get into such a position on Bryant Park in the lower division of the race and the eight-year-old gelding had a useful lead going into the final furlong which held him in good stead as Wolf Rock came home with a big effort only to miss the berth by a whisker. Ice Splendour was a close third.

Santosh Rao trained Starsturck benefitted by the strong pace in front set by Young Gallant who went on an energy expending effort in front and then made a strongly rally along the rails to stave off the spirited bid of Alps by a whisker to win the 1400 metres Gadag Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Favourite Al Dorado was a well beaten third.

Friends Forever produced a powerful burst of speed in the final furlong to easily sail past the front-running Flaming Spear to win the 1200 metres B R Hills Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class. Friends Forever moved with such a flourish that jockey Santosh Kumar was not required to exert himself on the winner who proved better class for the opposition. Brown Fairy ran on to finish third.

Jagadeesh drove out Peppr to prevail in a three-horse finish in the 1200 metres Fantasy Dream Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 0 to 25. Peppr came home with a big effort on the wide outside to put his head ahead of Summerville. Dazzle Away who was baulked for a clear run, made a brilliant rally but had to settle for the third slot, not far from the winner. Madhu Babu lodged an optimistic appeal against the first two placed horses for interference but the same was thrown out in quick time. Favourite Precious Script had a hampered passage as he failed to get a run between Neron and Ophira who were battling it out and had to be pulled out in the final stages of the race. The favourite finished powerfully but fell short in the end as Neron scampered home to reach the safety of the winning post in the lower division of the race. The objection by Nitin Singh for interference did not find favour with the Stewards.