C V G K Kishore trained Class Above lived up to his name by swamping the opposition in the 1200 metres Chamundi Hills Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, the feature event of Tuesday`s Mysore races. Cosmic Touch, who was widely touted as a racing certainty going by the cramped price on the three year old, raced flat and was a beaten horse well before the final furlong.

Cosmic Touch`s last win was emphatic and as such, if punters decided to back him despite the short price, they could not be blamed. What shocked them was the below par performance from the favourite who struggled for speed from the beginning and was failed to pick up speed in the straight so much so that one could write him off even before the final two furlongs. Class Above, who led from the start, kept on increasing the lead in the straight and won pulling up by over three lengths. Clever Trick ran on to finish second with Siddhani who was also enthusiastically backed, overcoming a tardy start and taking the third slot.

Mallikarjuna trained Cinch had finished an eye-caching second last time out though the jockey had to repeatedly resort to aggression to get him going. Now backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1400 metres Phalguni River Plate, a race for horses rated 60 and above, Cinch travelled on the bridle from the word `go` and overhauled the front runners with minimum of fuss. Despite being restrained, Cinch won with plenty in hand over Miss International. Carissa was a well beaten third.

Arctic Rose was running after a longish break and the five year old mare had been stranded at the gates on the last occasion. Arctic Rose was of the fancied runners for the race with money coming on Kolaveri Di and Triple Victory. Jockey Ryan Marshall was able to get a good start on Artic Rose and the mare came home a few lengths adrift of the rest. Ryan could have perhaps waited with the horse before going all out but instead, he drove out the top weight all the way in the final two furlongs. The effort perhaps told on the fancied runner as she slackened close home which enabled long shot Rocketeer to close in the gap and neck out the front runner in the final strides of the race. Kolaveri Di never was a tame third.

Vishal Yadav trained Chandini was toiling in the rear for most part of the trip in the 1400 metres Pinakini Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45 but she came home with a powerful burst, overhauling the front runners one by one and clinched the issue in the shadow of the post from Oriental Mastic who in turn nosed out long time leader Flirting King for the runner up berth. For the record, Chandini was the favourite. Natural Nine who had run a brilliant second to Chandini in his last outing, surprisingly finished down the field. The erratic performance of Natural Nine needs to be looked into by the Stipes.

The one-sided support for Pratap Kamath trained Kallistrate was a clear indication of the shape of things to come in the 1200 metres Chitrakoota Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category. Kallistrate had things under control right from the start and brooked no opposition when checking in well clear of Stride To Success. The latter flashed home late to get the second place from Mountain Glory who stayed on with a front running effort to finish third. The race was held in pouring rain which however eased off after the race was run. Favourite Vrajanandan was a transformed horse once she was angled out from the rails in the final furlong. The six year old swiftly covered the leeway and in to time had stormed clear of Magnetic Power and Queens Cruise in the lower division of the race.

Sajid Qureshi trained Breezo brought off a big upset in the 1600 metres Renowned Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Breezo engaged Robinhood Pandey in a stiff battle for supremacy all the way in the final furlong. The former edged past the latter in the closing moments of the race. Favourite Grand Celebration was not spotted at the busy end.