Darius Byramji trained Multifaceted trounced the opposition in spectacular fashion in the 1400 metres Monsoon Cup, a race for horses rated 85 and above, the feature event of the opening day`s races of the truncated Bangalore Summer Season on Saturday. The lack of awareness of the protocols imposed due to Covid was apparent as the authorities ended up in an embarrassing situation of having to conduct spectator less racing, with no betting even in the morning counters.

The fact that the authorities lack grace was also reflected in their refusal to communicate their decisions to the punters who are the backbone of the sport. The punters are simply taken for granted. One has never seen such a shoddy administrative setup.

The authorities are not transparent in their actions. The next week`s racing scheduled for Friday has been postponed by a week supposedly for administrative reasons. Why can`t they state the real reason behind the postponement? The fact is that due to restrictions on the assembly of people, the authorities cannot conduct racing with spectators. This will mean that the club would lose income accruing out of fleecing the punters with a hefty entry of Rs 500 without their conscience pricking them. Can they make the members pay even Rs 50 as an entry fee because of the exigency of circumstances? The members enjoy king size facilities for parting with a king`s ransom of Rs 250 per year as a subscription! The club headed by its inept chairman Vinod Sivappa is galloping from one embarrassment to the other by the way it has been conducting its activities. By the look of things, there appears very little planning. While the patrons in Bangalore were deprived of having a bet on the races, there was betting on the races all over the world. The administrative machinery has been dismantled by the whimsical actions of the flip-flop Managing Committee.

Be that as it may, Multifaceted who is an outstanding performer has also a history of losing when running at cramped odds on several occasions. That was the only doubt that lingered in the minds of everyone. However, Multifaceted was in his best behaviour as he led from the start and cantered home without having to be stretched by his jockey John. The Darius Byramji ward is famous as much for his performances as for his questionable losses. Northern Alliance was the best of the beaten brigade. Automatic edged out Mauritania to get third place.

Arjun Mangalorkar trained Stockbridge obliged in the 1400 metres Dharmaprakasha L S Venkaji Rao Memorial Trophy, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Stockbridge was lucky to pull through because of the poor assistance offered by jockey Yash Narredu on the runner up A Star Is Born. Stockbridge who was handily placed when turning for home managed to get the better of Teresita in the closing stages of the race and managed to survive the late onslaught of debutant A Star Is Born who was full of running at the finish. Had Yash Narredu shown some enterprise, the result could well have been different. Both the runner-up and the third-placed Teresita should win before long.

Darius Byramji trained Lake Tahoe recorded her maiden win while narrowly getting the better of Redoubtable in the 1400 metres Paddiwick Plate, a race for horses rated 45 to 65. Lake Tahoe had run some game races in the classics and was widely expected to break the maidens tag though the distance was expected to be sharp. Pradeep Chouhan was able to drive out the daughter of Multidimensional to snatch a narrow win over Redoubtable who had two wins to his credit. Forever Together who finished a close third was a victim of a poor ride.

Trainer Prithviraj had a double for the day. All Attractive who was well prepared to have a bold show as evidenced by the workouts was a confident choice to win the 1200 metres K N Guruswamy Memorial Trophy (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds. There was a big support for Brunhild in the off-course betting centres. Brunhild put up a dogged resistance by leading all the way in the straight but in the hands of veteran jockey Pradeep Chouhan, All Attractive overwhelmed the front-runner in the shadows of the post. Ruling Goddess was third some distance away. Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Angelico was the one who cornered all the attention in the lower division of the race having been strongly prepared in the morning workouts. Angelico had no problem in sprinting clear of the opposition in the hands of jockey Akshay Kumar. Divine Blessings was second more than three lengths adrift while Analect was a faraway third.

Neil Darashah trained Drusilla looked too good in the 1200 metres Always A Rainbow Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. In her last effort, Drusilla had finished behind stablemate Sovereign Legend who subsequently finished second in the Derby. Drusilla had since been sold and was relocated from Padmanabhan`s yard. Drusilla had no problem in collaring the opposition as Sandesh waited with the favourite till turning for home before storming clear in the run-in for home. Flaming Road rolled on to Embosom before running on to take the second position ahead of late rallying Bloom Buddy. Embosom came in for noticeable support in the betting markets but the four-year-old filly was not up to delivering the goods. Irfan Ghatala trained In A Breeze had been running consistently and her winning was rather delayed for one reason or the other. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan found a ready-made winner in In A Breeze who toyed with the opposition before winning by a widening margin of six lengths. Dynamical and Orleans occupied the next two slots on the frame.

Trainer Prithviraj began the season on a winning note as in the first race of the day, the 1200 metres Accuellir Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category, Indian Star proved too strong for the field. Dream Chaser edged out Sizzler to keep the second place. Perfect Halo was expected to cause a flutter going by the flutter in the betting circles but the four-year-old filly was hopelessly inadequate.

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Indian Star (A Imran Khan up) winner of the ACCUEILLIR PLATE

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In A Breeze (P S Chouhan up) winner of the ALWAYS A RAINBOW PLATE (DIV-II)

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Angelico (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the K. N. GURUSWAMY MEMORIAL TROPHY (DIV-II)

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Stockbridge (Neeraj Rawal up) winner of the DHARMAPRAKASH L. S. VENKAJI RAO MEMORIAL TROPHY

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All Attractive (P S Chouhan up) winner of the K. N. GURUSWAMY MEMORIAL TROPHY (DIV-I)

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Multifaceted (S John up) winner of the MONSOON CUP

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Lake Tahoe (P S Chouhan up) winner of the PADDIWICK PLATE

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Drusilla (A Sandesh up) winner of the ALWAYS A RAINBOW PLATE (DIV-I)

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