Suleiman Attollahi trained Satellite who had struck purple patch at Mysore, barely managed to get the better of Merion in the 1400 metres Krishnaraja Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above, the feature event of Saturday`s Bangalore races. The race produced an absorbing finish, with most of the contestants being keen participants and with a just a length separate the first four finishers. Trevor Patel continued his good form, booting home a treble.

This makes me to take up the oft repeated belief that Bangalore Turf Club is not keen encouraging good quality races and is more bothered to cater to the lowest category races which are unpredictable, more often manipulated and at the mercy of those who command big strings in these classes. It is not merit which rules but whether the connections are really serious about trying their wards. The punters take a big hit in these races ase information rules which is always misleading. If racing is deteriorating in Bangalore, it is because the authorities believe in encouraging these sort of races at the expense of quality races which are always competitive. Nothing else explains the balloting out of 10 horses in the 60 and above category when an additional race could have been easily formed. We don`t have many races for horses in the higher classes whereas every week`s racing features a race for lowest categories. If a compromise had to be made to restrict what BTC considers as sacrosanct to keep only nine races, then they could have balloted horses in the lower class than knock off the race for horses which had reached the highest class. The handicapper is a man of ideas but when it comes to implementing the same, he has always shied away from taking bold decisions putting the onus on Stewards to decide. This is not the first time that a top class race has been made void. Time and again this matter has been brought up and the Stewards have failed to act. One thought that the new committee, with full of youngsters, would come up with fresh ideas but they don`t seem to be bothered, letting the same rot to prevail.

Coming back to racing action, Satellite who had the best form among the contestants was made the on money favourite to prevail. Though the filly had the form, the price quoted on her was too short considering the fact that horses were closely handicapped and a tight finish was on cards. Merion who hadn`t run for quite some time lacked fitness that Satellite commanded. Merion raced a handy second behind Pearl Reward who set a fast pace and weakened on straightening for home. Merion then shot ahead but could not breathe easy as Satellite immediately went in chase. The duo fought the length of the final furlong before the bobbing of heads went in favour of the favourite. Jockey Trevor Patel, as usual, was at his persevering best and showed greater resilience. Jersey Shore and Emperor Cruise finished in close order with half a length each separating these horses from the duo involved in the photo finish.

Ganapathy trained Southern Surprise had good credentials to win the 1400 metres K S Premchand Memorial Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. However, his form had been masked by him being used as a pace maker in the classics. Southern Surprise had the beating of horses like Sea Lord who since then has blossomed as a top classic prospect. Now running after sufficient break, Southern Surprise looked set to make amends in what was an open betting affair. Areca Wonder attempted to win from the start with Southern Surprise chasing him in earnest. The duo fought briefly in the straight before Southern Surprise asserted his supremacy and stretched away for a facile win. What A Wonder held off Only Princess by a whisker for the third slot.

Coming to the favourite race of the authorities, the 1400 metres Honnavar Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, Rashid Byramji trained three year old Cato`s Call was the favourite and the three year old overcame an outside draw and won with hardly any resistance from any of the contestants with long shots Oye Como Va and Sonic Star which were not at all in betting occupying the next two slots. Both these horses returned a dividend of over 10 to 1 on the tote. The ones which had some form, were out for an airing. Only one horse attracted betting which is sure to reflect on the collections on the tote which is showing a downward trend. The division two of the saw one sided betting on Only Prince who eventually finished off board. Fancied I`ll Have One More was driven out to get the better of long shot Summer Star to win the lower division of the race. Kings Kid was third.

The 1600 metres Udupi Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, saw Charming Grey receive inspired support though the current form was not encouraging. The one which deserved full-fledged support was She`s Stunning who had run three and half lengths behind Brilliant Cut in a handicap race at Mysore and subsequently won well in the hands of jockey Adarsh who finds a winner once in few years. Now assigned to Trevor Pate, the filly had the best chance to assert his superiority. Trevor relaxed the filly in about the seventh or eighth position before steadily improving places approaching the final bend. She`s Stunning took the gap along the rails and in a trice went storming clear to win by a widening margin of six lengths over Severn of Hearts and German Guide.

The season`s first race for two year olds, the 1100 metres Beginners Plate, saw Neil Darashah trained Battalion corner all the attention. Battalion was handicapped by the wide outside draw and the two year old too did not get a good start. Suraj improved swiftly and this perhaps had a bearing on the performance of the favourite who slackened after shooting into the lead. Lesser fancied Rafa produced a powerful gallop in the final furlong to measure the favourite close home.

Trevor drove out favourite Force Ensign to measure long shot Czar Rule in the shadow of the post to land the spoils in the 1400 metres Huthari Festival Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. The odds on Force Ensign expanded in the betting ring with Bazinga, with hardly any noteworthy effort in the recent past, attracting tons of money and eventually becoming a favourite. In the event, Czar Rule shaped to bring off an upset but it was the persevering effort of the jockey of the moment Trevor which ensured success for the fancied runner. Arziki necked out Goodwill Warrior for the third place. Prithviraj trained Indian Legend came up with a late burst of speed to win the lower division of the race at the expense of Western Union and One To Note at nourishing odds.

Md Khan trained Calico Jack came in for one sided support in the Swarnamukhi Plate a race for horses rated 20 to 45 which resulted in the odds of strong favourite Afore expanding. Calico Jack had no problem in hitting the front from the word 1go` and checked in well clear of Ramon and Afore.