Irfan Ghatala trained Tororosso smashed the Derby field with a sensational performance to lift the Gr 1 B N Gudiyappa Bangalore Derby, the star event of the Bangalore Winter Season on Thursday, the Republic day. Tororosso who gave immense problems to its trainer Irfan Ghatala including giving a bloody face to the trainer while saddling the horse for the first race of his career during the summer season, also rewarded the trainer with the biggest race of the season with an unparalleled performance, getting the distinction of being the first maiden horse to win this Derby.

The connections always had high expectations on the capability of the got abroad whose sire and dam had a distinguished racing career at the USA. Tororosso was a difficult horse to train and had a violent temperament to boot. He had the habit of getting unruly while being saddled and would throw his jockey to the ground which was the reason why he had very little racing experience in his career. With hardly any racing experience, Tororosso had finished third in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas and his subsequent mock race over a mile and quarter where he had got the better of classic winner Battalion was indicative of the fact that this troublesome customer is blessed with loads of talent and if his energies were focussed on the race, he could beat his opponents by his sheer aggression. He was much calmer this time out and looked the part during the paddock parade.

The burden of being the favourite fell on Captain Morgan who had catapulted himself into this position by his last effort when he had lost by a whisker to his accomplished stablemate Azzurro in a race over a mile and quarter. Battalion had no doubt won five races during the Ooty and the ongoing season which also put him into serious contention while the rest in the fray did not merit serious consideration though there was talk that Magistero who had finished second best in the South India Derby could pose a problem or two to the fancied runners. In the event, the race turned out to be a non-contest with Tororosso leaving the field stranded in the final furlong to win by a widening margin of seven lengths of seven lengths over Battalion who battled back to regain the runner-up berth from Captain Morgan. The rest of the runners were simply outclassed.

Though Tororosso won in a smashing manner, trainer Irfan Ghatala said that he would resist the temptation of taking his ward to race at Mumbai in the Indian Derby scheduled to be held in the next 10 days. ``Tororosso is slowly coming into his own and I want to give enough time for the Invitation Cup race which will be held in Bangalore in the first week of March. I am not sure if Tororosso is a good traveller given his temperament,`` said Irfan Ghatala who was basking in the limelight having saddled back to back Derby wins. Salazaar had won the South India Derby two weeks ago, at Chennai.

The designated pacemaker Amber Crown took a while to take charge of the proceedings. Battalion and Captain Morgan who was racing keen were kept in a handy second and third position while Tororosso was eased in about the seventh or eighth position. Captain Morgan showed speed to overhaul Battalion on turning for home but thereafter faltered, clearly indicating the mile and a half trip was a trifle long for him. Tororosso in the meanwhile moved up with a flourish and looked menacing inside the final 300 metres. With the market fancies faltering, Tororosso went storming clear and had built up an unassailable lead in no time. Captain Morgan completely weakened inside the final 100 metres and Battalion fought resolutely to wrest the second position. Fabulous was fourth. Proserpine finished in distress and was later vanned off in the ambulance for veterinary treatment. The winner clocked a time of two minutes 31.29 seconds which is par for this event.

Seven-year-old gelding Mickey Mouse who is in good nick this season made amends for his narrow loss to Bold Command with an impressive win in the 1600 metres Bangalore Race Course 154th Year Commemoration Trophy, a terms race for four-year-olds and over. Bold Command was the firm favourite but the five-year-old gelding ran below expectations to eventually finish a tame third. Jockey Arshad Alam took Mickey Mouse on a start to finish mission and the progeny of Ace who enjoyed an uncontested lead in front kicked on merrily and was not troubled by the challenge essayed by Bold Command in the straight. The latter packed up without a fight under pressure. Auriga who was blocked for a while by Bold Command was angled out and the progeny of China Visit came home with a vigorous effort to edge past the favourite to get the runner-up berth. Acclaimed finished on well but did not have the extra gear to make a difference especially over a trip of a mile which he has not relished in his career.

Prasanna Kumar trained Jersey Wonder with whom jockey Trevor Patel has struck a wonderful partnership, ran out an easy winner in the 1800 metres Indian Republic Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 and above. Trevor kept Jersey Wonder way off the pace in the rear position and brought the progeny of Burden of Proof on the wide outside. Jersey Wonder covered the leeway swiftly and by the final furlong was hailed a winner. Speed Hawk gave a fight but found the winner too strong for comfort. Jockey Arshad Alam rode a poor race on Ambitious Reward by expending the energy of the horse by trying to improve the position soon after jump out on the wide out which perhaps drained his energy. However, Ambitious Reward saved place money.

Neil Darashah trained Apache Sunrise who had created a favourable impression with a debut win, further enhanced his reputation when slamming the opposition in the 1400 metres Mysore Race Club Trophy, a race for three-year-olds. Apache Sunrise had been withdrawn on the last occasion as he played up at the gates but this time out, there were no issues at the gate as he stood in the gates without throwing any tantrums. Apache Sunrise was the favourite though there were many takers for Lawrence of Arabia. Kambaku who was carrying two kgs overweight, led the field into the straight before Apache Sunrise easily overtook the front-runner and sped away for a facile win. Lawrence of Arabia took time to warm up and finished second best ahead of Kambaku indicating that he could be effective over longer trips.

Lightning Attack who had been waited with for a long time to strike finally obliged in the 1400 metres MEG Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Lightning Attack chased Jack of Hearts into the straight before asserting his supremacy for an emphatic win. Erdemir who was slightly interfered at the start finished second best but judging by the quality of win recorded by the Lokanath trainee, Lightning Attack would have been a winner notwithstanding the hiccup that the second favourite suffered when the horses from the inside veered out soon after the jump out. Sterling Role was third, a shade less than a length shy of Erdemir. The lower division of the race was claimed by Padmanabhan trained Ravishing Snow who easily beat the challenge of favourite Call Me Maybe. Ninon was third.

Kishan Thomas trained Fair Game was strongly fancied to win the 1200 metres Vijayanagara Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 30 to 50. Inside the final furlong, a cluster of horses was in a line but in the final stages of the race, Fair Game, in the hands of jockey Cedric Segeon pulled out that bit extra to win in a close finish from Indian Brahmos who flashed on the scene with a late dash on the wide outside. Aguante who was in the reckoning for a long while in the straight was relegated to the third place. Topaz rewarded the connections with an easy win for their patience by winning the lower division of the race quite easily from Manta Ray who found the winner too speedy for comfort. Celestial Storm saved place money.

Fire Glow was switched back to race in a handicap race in the 1400 metres Vidhana Soudha Cup, a race for horses rated 30 to 50 and the progeny of Phoenix Tower had no problem in disposing of the challenge of Lightning Strikes to land the spoils. Lunar Storm was third.