Tom Cruiser pulled off a blockbuster upset in the Gr 2 Mysore Dasara Sprint Championship, stealing the spotlight like an action hero in a thriller. Helleal Moses`s trainee relished the softer track conditions that seemed to confound most of the fancied runners from Bangalore, including the heavy favourite Isn`t She Special. Jockey Koshi Kumar, stepping in for K Mukesh Kumar, made all the difference, timing his move perfectly and guiding Tom Cruiser to victory in the final furlong.

Isn`t She Special, who was riding high on a three-race winning streak, looked like the obvious choice—at least, that`s what the punters thought, placing their money on her as if she were a sure thing. But, alas, even the best scripts have their twists. Positioned at the back early on, she faced an uphill battle as Sandesh had to navigate her from last place, swinging wide and trying to catch up to the frontrunners. While she did make a spirited charge, it was a case of too little, too late, as Tom Cruiser held a length`s advantage at the wire.

The race started with Ascoval taking the early lead, with Aldgate, O Hansini, Imperial Blue and Polished Girl in proximity while the rear group interestingly was headed by Tom Cruiser, Isn`t She Beautiful and Amreli who occupied the first three slots on the frame. Approaching the final turn, Koshi Kumar made his decisive move on the outside, showing that Tom Cruiser, a progeny of David Livingston, had no issues with the underfoot conditions. The gelding found an extra gear in the last furlong and stormed ahead. Meanwhile, Isn`t She Special, caught wide and struggling to gain ground, tried her best to stage a comeback, but it wasn`t enough to reel in the winner. Amreli followed with a late run to grab the third spot, while the rest of the field who were in the forefront till the final bend, were left trailing, distant and defeated.

Sometimes, even the surest bets crumble when an underdog like Tom Cruiser decides to steal the show, proving once again that sprint races are often the graveyard for favourites, where the only certainty is uncertainty itself.

At, Mysore—the action on the track and in the betting, are inseparable like twins. The truth is, you can often tell which horses are in it to win it by simply following the money. And when it comes to Joseph Awale`s Country`s Light, well, let`s just say the cash poured in faster than monsoon rains. D United, meanwhile, was noticed, but not quite generating the same kind of enthusiasm in the punters.

With that kind of backing, Country`s Light strutted out there like he owned the track. Within the first furlong, jockey Prabhakaran had the race in his pocket, cruising ahead like he was on a victory lap from the start. The margin was a whopping eight lengths. At that point, the rest of the field looked more like spectators than competitors. Lead Singer shuffled in for second place, leaving D United to pick up the participation ribbon. Now, as for Ice On Fire, her debut was less about igniting flames and more about putting them out—thanks to a disastrous start that left her playing catch-up. Despite her late sprint, she ended up in the pack, just another name in the heap.

But, in true Mysore fashion, the real suspense wasn`t on the track but in the judge`s box. It felt like an eternity before the results and the verdicts were announced—long enough for Country`s Light to finish the race, jockey to weigh in, grab a drink, and maybe even consider future plans. This wasn`t just a one-off, either. It became the theme of the day, with every race result dragging on like the judge was auditioning for a suspense thriller.

The Lokapavani Plate saw Aurele and Cayote Girl squabble over favouritism, neither one standing out enough to make a real statement. The betting ring was a muddle of uncertainty, leaving the punters scratching their heads. Meanwhile, Deemed To Fire took matters into his own hands, darting to the front with a lead that seemed almost convincing... until it wasn`t. Deemed To Fire looked comfortable until the final stretch when the speed dropped off.

Enter Monnappa`s Sergent Reckless, a five-year-old gelding who apparently had something to prove. Despite the odds, this one charged down the track with the determination of a late bloomer finally finding his stride. In the last 100 meters, Sergent Reckless surged past the tiring Deemed To Fire and claimed victory, showing that sometimes, the "reckless" approach pays off. Deemed To Fire managed to hold on to second place, while Perfect Heart strolled in for third. As for the supposed favourites, Aurele and Cayote Girl—well, they were nowhere to be found when things got serious.

Satish Narredu`s Ashwa Vedha pulled off a heist in the 1400 meters Sri Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar Sports Club Trophy, leaving both the competition and the bettors watching in awe. In a race for horses rated 40 to 65, the spotlight was on Hand of God, whose betting support surged and dethroned Sherouk as the favourite. Ashwa Vedha had her share of attention too, thanks to a promising forward run.

Hand of God, ridden by Alexa Rozario, tried a start-to-finish tactic, but Vinod Shinde and Ashwa Vedha were having none of it, keeping a close second after the first furlong. Sherouk, on the other hand, lacked speed, dawdling in seventh place as the action unfolded.

As the field straightened up, Hand of God looked set to maintain his lead but decided to take an unexpected detour, veering out and throwing a wrench—or rather, a hoof—into the plans of Ashwa Vedha and Sherouk. Both horses had to switch lanes faster than a city driver in traffic.

But Ashwa Vedha was quick to recover, accelerating and taking full advantage of Hand of God`s little navigational mishap. By the time Rozario had regrouped and changed whip hands, Ashwa Vedha had already sped ahead, claiming a comfortable win. Hand of God had to settle for second, and Sherouk, who seemed content to plod home, managed third.

Interestingly, the top three finishers were all heavily backed in the betting ring, proving once again that when the money speaks, the horses listen—or at least, most of them do.

Warren Singh`s Perfect Choice delivered a sensational encore as a well-backed runner in the 1200 meters Urs Kar Trophy, aimed at horses rated 60 and above. While Vijay Falcon drew significant betting interest, the surge on Perfect Choice told a different story.

Silver Spring took the early lead, setting the pace as they approached the straight. Meanwhile, Perfect Choice, having started poorly due to interference, found himself trailing but made a remarkable recovery. Bursting onto the scene from the wide outside, Perfect Choice powered down the final furlong, leaving the competition in its wake and securing a decisive victory under jockey Vinod Shinde. Prince Corporate, who had been chasing Silver Spring, held on for second place, while Eddie The Eagle rounded out the top three. This win marked the second triumph of the day for Vinod Shinde, who had earlier piloted another well-backed winner, Ashwa Vedha.

In the last race of the day, the 1200 meters Triveni Plate, featuring horses rated 40 to 65, the betting action boiled down to a two-horse showdown between NRI Touch and Miraculous Girl, both attracting equal support.

Trained by Ranjit Shinde, Miraculous Girl got the jump on her rival, making the first move. Despite taking a slightly erratic path in the final furlong, she had enough firepower to clinch victory under jockey Gautham Raj Urs. Meanwhile, Anthony Raj couldn`t coax any extra speed from NRI Touch, who had to settle for second place. Wellington rounded out the top three, securing a bit of place money.