B Puttanna trained Jersey Girl who has been amazingly consistent right through her career rewarded her owners Ananth Iyengar and K G Jairam with their first classic when romping home in the Gr 2 Bangalore 1000 Guineas the first classic of the season. Coming soon after Chase The Sun won the Calcutta Guineas a few minutes earlier, the victory of Jersey Girl provided a classic double for the Kunigal Stud Farm and its most successful stallion Burden of Proof. Srinath was in his elements along with apprentice jockey Noornabi as both these professionals recorded a treble apiece.

Equine Lover was widely expected to win the Guineas especially since she had won the classic at Mysore trouncing the opposition. However, heavy rains the previous day ensured that there would be significant cut in the going and thus put a question mark about Equine Lover’s prospects as the bid made filly had shown dislike for soft underfoot conditions at Mysore. The official penetrometer reading was 5.1 cms but it is only an average reading as there are areas on the track where the going will be considerably worse especially when the horses take the rising ground where water tends to accumulate more than in other areas. The temperamental filly was also proving to be a difficult customer to handle as she cannot be worked on the outer sand track. David Allan had ridden her at Mysore in the 2000 Guineas where the filly showed her aversion to the soft underfoot conditions. Since David had lost on her, Sandesh replaced him as he had won twice on the filly.

Equine Lover led the field by several lengths from the start followed by Stylish Chieftain, Ratham, Nickel Chrome, Jersey Girl, Ring of Fire, Showin’ Off, Art of Enchantment, Auburn Beauty and Thunderbay. Srinath who had settled Jersey Girl in about the fifth position, made his move at the top of the straight and engaged the front runner in a brief tussle before Equine Lover slackened inside the final furlong. Jersey Girl surged ahead and then held off the belated charge of Art of Enchantment who was shy by a length at the finish. Ring of Fire ran on to finish third. Showin’ Off did not raise a fluent gallop at any stage of the race and let down sea of expectations. Equine Lover is blessed with so much of speed that it is her strength as well as weakness. Possibly her exceptional speed will stand her in good stead in trips over seven furlongs and her ability to get the mile depends her on temperament as well as a flat hard track.

It has been a long for trainer Puttanna to get his second classic success. New Jersey based Ananth Iyengar has been an enthusiastic race horse owner who has had fair success with the few horses that he has owned thus far. The classic success could not have come at a more appropriate time for Ananth as only the previous day he had celebrated the wedding of his daughter from Jersey!

Srinath, who had missed the whole of summer season and was seen in regular work only recently, had the most rewarding day in a very long time as apart from the success in classic for his mentor, he also had two other winners through Gun Salute and Chiron. Transcendental was backed strongly to come out of the maidens ranks in the 1600 metres Saddle Up Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Chiron was a better performed horse but the filly was allowed to run at lucrative odds. Chiron who came into the straight a handy third as Cash Is King did the front running, took charge of the proceedings with smooth acceleration in the run in for home and went away for a win by a widening margin of six lengths. Simply Super just about managed to get the second spot ahead of Transcendental and late rallying Grey Connection who dead heated for the third place.

Neil Darashah trained Sun Divine won the 1200 metres Chamarajanagar Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 85 quite easily from Red Bolt and Impressive Bolt who fought for minor placings. The small made Sun Divine has proved to be a quality sprinter and the daughter of Burden of Proof out of a Derby winning dam Divine Dreams easily overhauled the front running Game Dancer inside the final quarter mile and recorded an emphatic win. Disappointing performance came from Carducci who had won his last outing in a smashing manner. Quite the feature of the horses belonging to this stable is the fact that horses don’t repeat their success and they need considerable time before they can win again.

Faraz Arshad trained Wild Nexus brought off an upset in the 1200 metres M S Krishnappa Memorial (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Favourite Swift Star attempted to win with a start to finish dash but Wild Nexus who did not allow the front runner much leeway, swooped down on him and managed to get stronger in the final 100 metres to record a comfortable win. Bessie finished third. Fancied Decorated had a check early on in the race and thereafter went out of contention. Gun Salute had no problem in winning the lower division of the race in the hands of jockey Srinath, going clear with a furlong left in the race to win with ease from Blue Star who was flat footed when the race came on the boil.

Apprentice jockey Noornabi was another professional who stole the limelight with a treble. He drove out lesser fancied Nectar Crown to measure the front running Magic Wave close home in the 1200 metres Huthari Festival Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Nectar Crown was in the rear of the field when the runners took the final bend but the six year old gelding found wings on the wide outside to win with great deal of ease. Noornabi drove out Right On Time to victory in the lower division of the race containing the challenge of Indian Pride who was gaining ground when the front runner had sewn up the race. Windsor Park steadily dropped out of contention as the race progressed and finished dismally.

Noornabi was seen at his best on Veyron who won at nourishing odds the 1400 metres Udupi Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Mr Carpe showed out prominently with a furlong to go in the race but Noornabi managed to elicit good response from Veyron who quickened well for a comfortable win. Own Asset ran on late to be third.

The benefit of a race run had done a world of good to Iran Ghatala trained Show Twister who had the field stranded from the start in the 1200 metres Linganamakki Plate ,a race for horses in the lowest category. Jockey Paswan had Show Twister lead the field by several lengths. The favourite checked in over eight lengths clear of Ballantoy.