Padmanabhan trained Baracchus readily obliged in the 1400 metres Civil Service Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 60 and above, which featured the card of nine events that were gone through on Saturday. Baracchus benefitted from the forward run that he had earlier in the season and he was firmly in control of the race all the way in the final furlong. Aravind Ganapathy trained Pearl Secret recorded an encore in style to claim the lower division of the race.

Baracchus was backed to the exclusion of the rest as is the trend in Bangalore. If a horse is identified as capable of being a favourite, that horse gets disproportionate support in the ring even if there are other horses in the fray with merit to win so much so that good horses get disguised and often punters end up barking at the wrong tree. It was not so with Baracchus as the progeny of Razeen who was raced well off the pace, came up with sparkling acceleration down the final furlong to have the race sewn up long way from home. Super Force came up with a late charge to take the second place ahead of Ethophian. Apprentice jockey S Shareef on Amazing Charm perhaps thought he was racing in a quarter mile race which is so popular in America and opened up a lead of a distance half way through the stage. Amazing Charm packed up in the straight to finish a dismal last.

Kolkata challenge Captain Cook was the favourite to win the lower division of the race though the best performances of the progeny of Admiralofthefleet had always come over longer trips. Captain Cook did not show out in the parade ring and did not look the part. There was some support for Super Queen, with the odds on last start winner Pearl Secret easing off. David Breux on Pearl Secret rode a confident race, keeping the filly in the rear group as Madame Sultana set the pace followed by Captain Cook and the rest. Breux brought Pearl Secret with a clear run on the wide outside and the progeny of Rebuttal produced sparkling acceleration in the final furlong to go storming clear of Super Queen to record an emphatic win. Captain Cook weakened to finish third. In the form that she is in, Pearl Secret can be judiciously placed to extract another win.

The 1200 metres Lumbini Stud Plate, a race for horses rated 30 to 50, looked competitive as there was some good type of three year olds were in the fray. Arvak who had finished a little more than nine lengths behind Accolade with a run from way behind in the Poonawalla Multi-Million was considered to have the best chance to win ahead of Sydney Harbour who had made her last run at Mumbai, a winning one. Sydney Harbour raced in earnest in front and the progeny of Phoenix Tower gave hopes for her supporters. However, the late but successful rally by Arvak fetched the desired results as Arvak, another Phoenix Tower progeny, got stronger close home to record a comfortable win. Sydney Harbour should be better off for this effort. Havelock Princess was third ahead of Saladin.

The wrong `un fired in the 1600 metres Royal Challenge Plate, a race for horses rated 30 to 50. Swiss Eagle`s last win in winter had been outstanding but with the trainer preferring to declare Mudassar who rarely finds himself on a winner and assigning last start winner Storm Ahead to his first jockey John, the latter was the well backed horse along with Multi App. Both these horses were not spotted at the busy end as Swiss Eagle, with a forward effort, bounced clear in the straight to win at long odds from Hostess who stayed on despite attempting start to finish tactics to take the second position ahead of Desert Guilt.

Prasanna Kumar trained Blue Blazer got inspired support in the 1100 metres Own Opinion Trophy, a race for maiden three year olds. The two previous efforts of Blue Blazer were run of the mill and as such the confidence of the trainer in declaring the four kg allowance jockey P P Dhebe when he could not claim any allowance in this race apart from being handicapped by not being allowed to use the whip indicated that something was brewing which would ensure the success of the horse as indicated by the huge volume that he attracted in the betting ring to eventually become a joint favourite with Papadokia. The latter, moved swiftly from the wide outside draw, took over the running from the start with Blue Blazer in chase. After a brief duel in the straight, Blue Blazer burst clear to justify the expectations. One cannot understand the mind-set of the trainers who keep complaining that the handicapper is harsh on their winning horses when they themselves handicap the horse in the form of putting allowance jockeys when they lack the experience and cannot claim the allowance. To pull a wool, anything goes.

Neil Darashah trained Arctic Convoy had faltered close home with a runaway effort and was expected to make amends with the trainer opting to take the services of a four kg claimer in the Diablo Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Vishal rode a pathetic race and the fancied runner finished off the frame. Precious Glitter shaped to record an encore but close home, was overhauled by lesser fancied Wise Guy. Cool Springs was third. Suraj Narredu who was riding after a break of three weeks forced by a fall during morning track work, had no problem in steering favourite Native Elements to a comfortable win over Youresohandsome in the lower division of the race. Red Admiral ran on to finish third.

Suleiman Attaollahi trained Opening Act was backed to the shortest price possible in a race of this nature. Though Opening Act had good credentials to win the 1400 metres Star Sunrise Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35, the price quoted on him was surprising to say the least. The reason why Opening Act went to the post at this price was the fact that the rest of the runners seemed to be there more for an airing than with any self-belief. The job of Opening Act was made easy because barring Kolkata`s Say You Say Me alone trying to make a match of it, the rest were mere participants. Legacy Dream who led from the start, stayed on to finish third.

The one-sided support for Thundersquall appeared to be misplaced in the 1200 metres Mahalakshmi Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. The favourite failed to live up to expectations. Arjun Mangalorkar trained One More Toy made good the apparent lack of interest on the part of the others to win the race at lucrative odds from Winter Bloom and Splendid Brave.