Trainer Padmanabhan and jockey David Allan were in the limelight with a treble in the races held on Friday at Bangalore. Big Sur who has been a prolific performer continued his winning form on the local track with a resolute win over Salazaar in the 1800 metres Ashoka Chakra Cup, a terms race for three-year-olds and over, the feature event of the day. The most impressive winner of the day was classic hopeful Knight Templar who is now slated to run in the Indian 2000 Guineas at Mumbai.

Big Sur had run a game race in the Nizam`s Cup at Hyderabad where he had gone down fighting to Star Superior despite running in a week`s time of scoring a success in a graded race in Bangalore. He was racing reportedly after a setback, but his preparatory gallops indicated that was well with him. David Allan took Big Sur on a start to finish mission which the progeny of Win Legend enjoys doing. Secretive Force gave the chase till turning for home but weakened to go out of contention. Salazaar then came up with a strong challenge and the two fought all the way in the final furlong before Big Sur produced that bit extra and skipped away for a win by a length. Secretive Force was third four lengths adrift.

Another Padmanabhan trainee Knight Templar who had run third in the Summer Derby had missed action during the monsoon season due to a track-related injury. He was nursed back to fitness and there was a great deal of expectation on the progeny of Multidimensional who went to the post for the 1600 metres Pratap Stud Plate, a race for horses rated 45 to 65 as a cramped on-money favourite. Once again David Allan did not hesitate to take Knight Templar to the front as the others were not inclined to do so. Knight Templar ran comfortably in the front and in the final furlong spurted clear to win by a widening margin of three lengths over Speedster who was coming on the back of two successive wins. Brooklyn Supreme was third another four-plus lengths adrift.

Kerazano was another winner for Padmanabhan and David Allan combination. The progeny of Multidimensional had recorded an impressive win over seven furlongs at Mysore and the only question mark about his prospects in the 1200 metres Racing Patrons Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 and above, was the sharpness of trip for the four-year-old colt. Into The Groove and Kerazano were backed almost in equal measure while the classic placed Royal Crystal who had finished second in the Deccan Derby was possibly there for a lung opener because he was coming back in distance from running 2000 metres to a sprint and hence had muted support. Kerazano was outpaced in the early part and fell behind and if many believed that they had backed the wrong horse, they were justified in doing so. David Allan was alert to the task and had Kerazano improve swiftly midway through the race to take a handy position. As expected Into the Groove had the first run on her opponents but in the final furlong was sorted out by the superior class of Kerazano who went on to record an emphatic win. Royal Crystal was finishing on strongly when taking the third position a neck behind Into The Groove while Land of Liberty was a suggestive fourth. Kerazano should repeat going by the quality of this win.

Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Lagarde was showing out in the workouts and looked to be more ready than other debutants in the 1200 metres Ranganathittu Plate, the season`s first race for two-year-olds. Lagarde lived up to that expectation as he justified the short price. The progeny of Kingda Ka cantered home by a widening margin of five lengths. Mountain Lion was second with Handsome in the third position more than four lengths adrift.

Pradeep Annaiah trained Attorney General hadn`t won for 936 days after doing well as a juvenile. The field for the 1200 metres Broadacres Stud Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 30 to 50 appeared tailor-made for Attorney General to bounce back to winning ways as the track work too indicated the preparedness. Jockey Y S Srinath had Attorney General chase Birchwood well into the straight before releasing the breaks. Attorney General showed remarkable alacrity in storming clear and win by a margin of over six lengths. Birchwood just about held on by a nose to beat Tokyo Rose for the runner-up berth. The lower division of the race saw an absorbing finish with the lesser fancied Scarlet Princess just about staving off the strong challenge of the fancied Call Me Maybe. There was a cluster finish with the first four horses all finishing in a line. Siyouni who covered good ground in the final furlong being was a close third ahead of Morrane Gabriella.

Kishan Thomas trained Capstone obliged expectations with a late dash which saw the five-year-old mare sail past Bold Runner for a comfortable win in the 1100 metres Madhugiri Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Ispelldangertoall necked out favourite Red Galileo to save place money.

Pradeep Annaiah trained Darahasini produced a winning gallop in the final furlong to easily collar the long-time leader Gin Daisy to win the 1200 metres Huthari Festival Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Kanthaka ran on to finish third.

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Darahasini (Surya P up) winner of the Huttari Festival Plate

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Lagarde (David Egan up) winner of the Ranganathittu Plate

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Capstone (Kiran Rai P up) winner of the Madhugiri Plate

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Attorney General (Y S Srinath up) winner of the Broadacres Stud Plate (Div-I)

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Kerazano (David Allan up) winner of the Racing Patrons Trophy

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Big Sur (David Allan up) winner of the Champion Trainer Cup

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Scarlet Princess (R Marshall up) winner of the Broadacres Stud Plate (Div-II)

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Knight Templar (David Allan up) winner of the Pratap Stud Plate

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