Though Aristos recorded a fine win in the Kelachandra New Millennium Cup, a terms race for four-year olds and over, the feature event of Friday`s races, the horse which caught everyone`s fancy was Becket who was running for the first time during the season after being laid low by a setback in training. Becket justified the high expectations of race goers with a smashing performance which brings him into strong contention for the Bangalore Derby though he is just three races old. For the record, Becket has won all this three outings in spectacular fashion.

One has not seen a horse as talented as Becket in recent times. The son of Hawk Wing out of Boiling River has held the high hopes of the stable though several niggles have kept him out of the classics thus far. The big made handsome colt, Becket had won at Mysore and Hyderabad in smashing manner and he was widely expected to sweep the classics in the winter season. However, just as he was getting ready to run in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas, he had an injury which kept him out of action. Now nursed back to top fitness despite being on and off from the track, Becket showed no rustiness as he took charge of the proceedings in the final furlong and left a creditable field stranded.

	Becket (David Allan up) winner of the Raichur Plate, being led in by Mr.S Padmanabhan

Jockey David Allan was able to settle the Padmanabhan trainee in about the fifth position as Nox set the pace followed by Alacrity and Star Assembly while Oban was in the rear, unable to keep pace. Becket smoothly moved up in the homestretch and when asked for an effort, he quickened instantly. Unlike most horses which gradually pick up speed, Becket has this habit of wanting to gointo top gear at once. For anyone observing his action when David Allan asked for an effort would be able to notice this trait of Becket. It is like a car which takes off when one presses the throttle hard. Such is the manner in which Becket wants to quicken. Alacrity was a faraway second ahead of Star Assembly while Oban who was outpaced in the early part, was not far off from the runner up.

Trainer Padmanabhan said that he would like to run Becket in the Poonawalla Bangalore Derby which is scheduled for January 26 as a first step towards targeting his ward for the Indian Derby. Becket has such high cruising speed that horses which pace with him are in danger of coming back with soreness. Whether he gets the mile and half trip or not remains to be seen but there is no doubt that if nothing bothers him, he can claim dual Derby glory.

Aristos looked the best of the lot in the Kelachandra Cup and he was strongly supported to win. Jockey Chris Hayes took Aristos on a start to finish mission and the got abroad colt comfortably held off the threat of Kyles of Bute. Atlantus came up with a good stretch run to nose out Cruising for the third spot.

Earlier in the day, Chris Hayes had driven out favourite Calypso Star to contain the challenge of Ruby Legend. Calypso Star made the entire running and with a furlong out, the filly was hard-pressed by Ruby Light on the inside. However, the progeny of Inner City did not quicken as expected but once David Allan switched out the Ganapathy ward, Ruby Legend finished powerfully only to miss the berth narrowly. Mighty Monarch unexpectedly showed some enthusiasm to keep Sandalwood Star out of place money.

The New Year Day racing was indeed a boon to those who follow a combination of form horses which are also favourites. All the eight races of the day were won by first favourites to give a big respite to punters who had only the previous day, enjoyed a similar outing at Mumbai.

Missoni and first start winner Sure Speed were both backed with enthusiasm in the Near Year Trophy (Div I), a race for first season runners but the latter who was conceding weight to his adversaries, found it hard to give weight so early in his career and was never in the hunt. Unfancied Flying Tricolour led all the way before beaten close home by favourite Missoni. Sure Speed just about held on to nose out Mystic Dawn for the third place. The latter clearly needed this run and he should be better off next time out. Arjun Mangalorkar trained Sky Train gave no chance for his opponents as the progeny of China Visit simply left the field standing in the final furlong to win in tremendous fashion, the lower division of the race. Bugatti, who led from the start, had no answer when the favourite swooped on her inside the final 200 metres.

Darius Byramji`s Ticket To Ride had advertised his readiness to strike as he had a good forward outing in his previous essay. He had no problems when slamming the opposition in the Dr S K Pillay Memorial Plate with a strong run in the final furlong. Dream Park showed some semblance of returning to form by finishing a good second.

Advantage Logan was backed to the exclusion of her rivals in the 1400 metres Somawarpet Plate and the progeny of Juniper who tracked second favourite Spring
A Surprise into the straight, took over the running with minimum of effort and carried the top weight to a resounding win.

Another Irfan Ghatala trainee to oblige during the day was Isinbayeva. Jockey Suraj Narredu had to work hard on the favourite to keep her out of the reach of Guardian Knot to win the mile long Subash Nagar Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class.