Kishan Thomas`s charge, Mayne Magic, lived up to the hype, breezing through the competition to win the 1200-metre H H Sri Chamaraja Wadiyar Memorial Trophy, the highlight of Thursday`s seven-race card at Mysore. Coming into the race with solid form, it was no surprise the three-year-old colt was sent off as the odds-on favourite. Jockey Vivek G had little to sweat over, as Mayne Magic cruised up on the wide outside and, by the time they turned for home, had already stamped his authority.

In Mysore, betting patterns often tell the story—either the favourites romp home, or, when punters are thrown off the scent, a long shot sneaks in for the kill. In Mayne Magic`s case, the smart money was bang on. The other contenders, despite having prior runs, failed to show anything that could ruffle the favourite`s feathers. Too Hot To Touch and Royal Deccan took the early initiative, vying for the lead, while Mayne Magic settled comfortably in fourth, biding his time.

Meanwhile, NRI Victory practically walked out of the gates, and debutant Emphatic languished at the rear. Without breaking a sweat, Mayne Magic shifted gears, gliding past the frontrunners to score an emphatic and almost effortless win. Behind him, it was a close scramble, with Carter edging out Too Hot To Touch, Emphatic, and Femme Fatale for second.

Emphatic, despite her slow start, made significant strides to finish in the mix. If she continues this upward trajectory, she could very well be one to watch in the future.

As the earlier races proved, punters often learn the hard way that money alone can`t make a horse run. This lesson was painfully reinforced when Neil Devaney`s Super Marvella became the latest in a line of costly disappointments. Backed to the hilt, punters thought the race was over before it had even begun, but they were in for a rude awakening., Super Marvella was out of steam after struggling in about the fourth position. Enter Ring Master, trained by Azhar Ali, who swooped in on the outside and galloped away to win by a stunning five-length margin. Irish Rock took second place, while Super Marvella clung to third by a whisker, just edging out Habibti. The latter had led the field into the final furlong but was no match for Ring Master, who stormed ahead to score an easy, emphatic win. Super Marvella, already feeling the heat long before the race reached its climax, was a beaten horse by the time the others struck.

In the 1600-metre Fleet Indian Plate, a contest for horses rated 40 to 65, it was a different story—a case of "money talks" as Narayan Gowda`s six-year-old mare Armory delivered exactly what the betting ring had anticipated. While Mazal Tov had looked the likely favourite after a solid previous run, the script followed that of Super Marvella—backers left high and dry. Mazal Tov gave chase to Crimson Flame heading into the straight, even grabbing the lead going into the final furlong, only to fall apart under pressure.

Meanwhile, Armory, who had been settled mid-pack in sixth, quietly made her way through the field. By the final furlong, jockey Rajesh Kumar had her perfectly poised to take charge, and take charge she did, storming to the front and sealing a comfortable victory. Free To Play made a late charge to secure second, with Ashwa Veda filling the third spot. As for Mazal Tov, the favourite was relegated to a disappointing fourth, further underscoring the day`s harsh lesson—betting big doesn`t always mean winning big.

The withdrawal of Ricardo, the short-priced ante-post favourite, left the 1200-metre B A Nanaiah Memorial Trophy wide open for Auspicious Queen and Tripitaka to battle it out for top honours. In the end, it was Tripitaka who claimed victory by a narrow neck over Vijay Falcon, while Auspicious Queen is yet to regain the form of its formative years. Jockey Vivek G gave Tripitaka a smooth ride, leading from the start and enjoying an uncontested run upfront. But in the final furlong, Vijay Falcon surged to challenge, setting up a thrilling fight to the wire. Ultimately, Tripitaka held on to win by a long neck, with Auspicious Queen finishing third, unable to make an impact.

Meanwhile, there was no doubt about the superiority of Rakesh-trained Raise A Buck in the 1400-metre Fair Wood Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Withdrawn last time due to gate issues, the six-year-old gelding had no such concerns this time around. He entered without incident and proceeded to put on a dominant display, winning by a comfortable five lengths over the late-finishing Heroism and Natural Speed. Perfect Perfecto, who set a scorching early pace, ran out of steam in the straight and faded to finish sixth. Jockey Anthony Raj couldn`t have asked for an easier ride as Raise A Buck proved vastly superior to the rest of the field while completing a hat-trick of wins.

In the 1200-metre Eclipse Plate, a race for horses rated 0 to 25, V. Apachu`s Deemed To Fire delivered a perfectly timed run to snatch victory. The heavily-backed favourite, Eco System, was a major disappointment, never featuring in the race. City of Hustle took the early lead, but Deemed To Fire took over in the final stages and surged clear to win easily from last-start winner Mystical Merlin. City of Hustle weakened and finished third.