Vishal Gaikwad trained Oomph scraped home in the Gr 2 1600 metres Bangalore 1000 Guineas, the first classic of the season on Saturday. Oomph had the luck of the race in her favour as the lesser fancied New Creation was boxed for a clear run till the final 100 metres and by the time David Allan could angle his horse out and get the horse into full flight, Oomph had a good cushion which held her in good stead. Favourite Cerise Noir did all the running but weakened when the race came to the boil and finished a tame fourth.

The runaway win recorded by Cerise Noir against a modest lot of horse in a pressure-free situation had earned the filly a lot of respect which perhaps was the reason why a new owner acquired her probably at a fancy price. The timing recorded by Cerise Noir was good but the quality of the opposition she beat was of a poor order and hence it was difficult to gauge her real worth. But in the absence of clear-cut data about the others, Cerise Noir was made the favourite.

New Creation stumbled soon after the jump which inconvenienced the jockey from taking a forward position. As a result, New Creation fell behind with a wall of slow-moving horses affecting her progress. David Allan also could not angle out because that would have meant him going very wide. He hoped to get a run on the inside which could be the reason why he waited on the inside. Cerise Noir led by lengths followed by Blue Moon, Shesmyscript, Harmonia, Orenda, Oomph, New Creation and Hammersmith. Cerise Noir led deep into the straight before Leigh Roche brought Oomph with a powerful run on the wide outside to take charge. In the meanwhile, New Creation was stuck for a clear run and could not get into her full stride. By the time she came home with menacing strides, Oomph had reached the safety of the winning post. New Creation managed to edge past Blue Moon and Cerise Noir to get the runner-up berth. Oomph was bred at the Nanoli Stud Farm and was the produce of the stud farm’s new stallion Midnight Interlude.

Hidayat Khan sheltered Automatic had been a good performer in the classic company though the winning post had always eluded him as he used to falter close home. He was running for the first time after being gelded and was quietly fancied as indicated by the flow of the money in the betting ring in the 1400 metres Bold Majesty Plate, a race for horses rated 60 and above. The horse to attract a huge volume of money was Neil Darashah trained Fire Glow. Surf Romance led from the start with Automatic settled in the rear group. Jockey Ahasan Qureshi was alert to the task as he steadily moved up without going too wide and was within striking distance of the front-runner at the final bend. Automatic produced a strong acceleration in the stretch to measure Surf Romance to record a comfortable win. There was a cavalry charge behind with Pinyada getting the runner-up berth ahead of Sedulous who overcame a lethargic start and finished powerfully. Surf Romance and Fire Glow all finished in a line in the order mentioned. Less than a length separated the four placings behind the winner.

Dominic trained Castaway who had recorded back to back wins maintained the winning form, claiming the 1200 metres S Rangarajan Memorial Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 30 to 50. Alpha led well into the straight, but Castaway measured the front-runner in the final furlong and sped away for a comfortable win over late-rallying Salvador Dalli. Varcasva headed Alpha at the post to save place money. Dominic also saddled the winner of the lower division as well through Wings of Desire who overcame a wide outside draw and led all the way to record a comfortable win over Venus Bay who found foot when the cause had been lost. Summer Palace was third. War Hero who was in the betting, went wide approaching the final bend and then packed up without offering any resistance.

Hidayat Khan trained Akita Pro was an impressive winner of the 1400 metres Dharmasthala Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Jockey Suraj Narredu relaxed Akita Pro in about the third or fourth position as Bazinga and Charmed Life expended their energy by going at a break-neck speed in front. Suraj pushed Akita Pro to take over the running in the gap between the front-runners in the stretch as Bazinga went wide. Akita Pro quickly established a commanding lead with the well-backed Mercury unable to make an impression. Spirit Bruce came up with a late bid to nose out Mercury from the runner-up berth. Neil Darashah trained Sahara came in for big betting in the lower division of the race. The favourite went on a tearaway mission and packed up under pressure. Lofty Thoughts easily measured the favourite in the stretch to storm clear and win the race from late-rallying Armenia. Sahara weakened to finish in the third position eight lengths adrift of Armenia.

Arjun Mangalorkar trained Spanish Beauty had shown out in her last effort when she had finished the second gest. She was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1200 metres Mount Joy Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Suraj had Spanish Beauty assume command from the beginning and the favourite checked in by a widening margin of seven lengths. Three horses finished in a line for the minor berths with Propine necking out Industrialist to get the second spot. The latter was another neck ahead of Vernesco in the third position. Longshot Benediction from the stables of trainer Darius Byramji won the lower division of the race with a start to finish essay. Desert Angel came from the last position at the bend on the wide outside to get the runner-up berth ahead of on-money favourite Constantinople who flopped belying the expectations of making a winning debut.

*******************

---

Benediction (Irvan Singh up) winner of the MOUNT JOY PLATE (DIV-II)

---

Lofty Thoughts (Y S Srinath up) winner of the DHARMASTHALA PLATE (DIV-II)

---

Spanish Beauty (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the MOUNT JOY PLATE (DIV-I)

---

Castaway (Trevor Patel up) winner of the S.RANGARAJAN MEMORIAL TROPHY (DIV-I)

---

Automatic (Ahsan Qureshi up) winner of the BOLD MAJESTY PLATE

---

Oomph (Leigh Roche up) winner of the BANGALORE 1000 GUINEAS (GR.2)

---

Akita Pro (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the DHARMASTHALA PLATE (DIV-I)

---

Wings Of Desire (A Sandesh up) winner of the S.RANGARAJAN MEMORIAL TROPHY (DIV-II)

---