Newly licensed trainer Dheeraj Venkatswamy could not have asked for a better start to his career as he led in a winner through the first horse he saddled when Super Success broke the drought of wins by winning the 1200 metres Mayor`s Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above, the feature event of opening day`s Bangalore Summer Races on Saturday. Adding to his delight was the fact that the horse is owned by his father Venkatswamy and the horse was also breaking a winless sequence of 603 days which thus gave a unique start to the career of the youngster.

Super Success ( A Sandesh) winner of Mayor`s Cup

Goldberg had impressive credentials and thus was made the favourite as he had the benefit of a race run at Ooty. However, the veterinary report indicated that he was subjected to a tie-back treatment which was bound to affect his chances of winning. However, the majority which ignored this fine print backed the top-weight to oblige but Goldberg wilted under pressured and faded out of reckoning well before the race came to the boil. Side Winder had a commanding lead going into the final furlong but Super Success who rallied late responded well to the urgings of jockey Sandesh and nailed the front-runner close home. Taqdeer Ka Badshah headed Ace Badraan to grab the third place.

Arjun Mangalorkar trained Olympia Fields was the most impressive winner of the day. The progeny of Western Aristocrat, Olympia Field had a forward during the winter season and his preparatory workouts indicated that he surely belonged to the elite league. Backed spiritedly to win the 1400 metres His Majesty Plate, a race for three-year-olds, Olympia Fields moved with a flourish on straightening for home and bounced clear to win in emphatic fashion from Implicit Trust and Ultimate Magic who both found the winner belonging to a different league. It will be interesting to watch the progress of Olympia Fields. We have a good line-up of colts at this centre vying for the Colts Championship Stakes to be held during June.

Trainer Ganapathy made a winning start to the season when the got-abroad colt Grand Empire made a smashing debut in the 1200 metres Welcome Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Grand Empire took command of the race with a furlong left in the race and sped clear to win by a widening margin of five lengths over As Times Go By who held off the well-backed Habanero for the runner-up berth. Afrikaner was the favourite but the odds drifted out dramatically which itself indicated that the three-year-old may not be seen in aggressive action at the finish. Afrikaner travelled wide into the straight and showed no sparkle.

Ganapathy trained Flirting Eyes and Attollahi`s Carolina disputed the favouritism in the 1400 metres Littleover Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Carolina was running after a longish break of 282 days and as such there was always an apprehension as to the reasons why she had been off the race track. However, the filly showed no ring rustiness as she led the field into the straight and shook off a strong challenge from Flirting Eyes to record an easy win. Flirting Eyes herself had to battle it out to retain the second spot from fast-finishing Times Time and Freestyle.

Trainer Neil Darashah who had two strong favourite biting the dust, however, had a consolation win for his supporters when Regency Girl swamped the opposition in the 1200 metres Malenahalli Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 0 to 20. Regency Girl proved too good as she drew clear in the final furlong to win by a margin of three lengths plus over Love For Life and Rocket Punch. Satish Narredu trained Divino was the betting rage in the lower division of the race but the favourite showed no spirit and finished a poor fourth. Kudla Punch shaped to win as she had a good lead going into the final furlong and jockey Chisty was seen looking back to see if any horse was nearby on his outside. He was perhaps caught napping when Brave Girl made a brilliant rally along the rails and edged past the front-runner close home to win at fancy odds.

Chemical Romance looked to be a cut above the rest as the three-year-old had three-placed efforts in the company of good quality maidens and as such, her victory was considered a formality in the 1100 metres Royal Command Plate, a race for horses rated 15 to 35. Samar Singh trained Queenofgoodtimes recorded her first win in 10 efforts as she led all the way and won by a margin of over six lengths despite veering out of a straight course. Chemical Romance was a big failure as she plodded home in second position ahead of Santorini Secret.

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Grand Empire (Y S Srinath up) winner of The Welcome Plate

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Brave Girl (A R Pradeep up) winner of The Malenahalli Plate (Div II)

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Olypia Fields (S John up) winner of The Majesty Plate

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Kangra (Trevor Patel up) winner of The Maj.Newton Davis Memorial Cup

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