Pune Derby flop Prokofiev came into the 1400m Ranquelino Trophy to show that he had bounced back to original form and didn`t keep the audience waiting. After a stop-start campaign since October, courtesy a niggle and a winter season that vanished due to glanders, the Prasanna Kumar trainee finally had conditions tilted in his favour. Fit, ready, and backed like a moral certainty, he went to the post for the 1400 metres Ranquelino Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 85, the feature event of Sunday`s Bangalore races as a strong favourite ahead of stablemate Reiko.

Prokofiev did what favourites have recently rediscovered as a lost art, he justified the confidence. Reiko did the honest donkey work up front, Prokofiev stalked with patience, and in the final furlong dismissed his rival with clinical ease. Crosswater and Inspire completed the formalities behind.

The second day`s racing unfolded with all the suspense of a rerun. Horses that had been primed early obliged with admirable punctuality, and trainers with depth in their yards enjoyed what can only be described as a statistical picnic. Competitive racing took a polite day off. Favourites led, extended, and won, often without so much as a meaningful question being asked. It was less contest, more confirmation.


Money Bags, another graduate from the School of Interrupted Careers, treated the 1200m Squanderer Plate like a private exhibition. After a flashy mock race, he was held in third by Trevor Patel, who eventually pressed the “go” button. The response was immediate and rather rude to the opposition. Daylight appeared, and stayed. Pole Star finished a distant second, with Defence Counsel arriving late, presumably after realising the race had already been decided.

Sulaiman Attaollahi`s Bullet Proof lived up to the name in the Welcome Plate for maiden three-year-olds. He led throughout, faced no cross-examination, and won like a horse who had read the script beforehand. Osaka and Monsters followed him home, gaining experience.

In the Belmont Park Plate (Div 1), Splendid Dream and Jade Mountain were backed as if the result had been leaked. Splendid Dream led under Shreyas, but when Trevor Patel got serious on Jade Mountain, the race ended with predictable efficiency. Jade Mountain strode clear; Sapporo filled in the blanks.

The lower division saw Mnemosyne justify support with a tidy effort, collaring Honey Pot and winning without fuss. Night Raider grabbed second in a tight finish, holding off Mutual Trust and Tiger Bay, who arrived fashionably late but not quite fashionably enough.

The day`s theme, “Favourites Do As They Please,” continued in the Royal Command Plate (Div 1), where Fils De France led all the way and treated the field like polite company rather than rivals. Steffen and Supreme Success followed at respectful distances.

Blue Storm, after advertising loudly in a mock race, delivered exactly as promised, handing apprentice Pavan a comfortable five-length victory. LG`s Script and Versace filled the minor spots in a race that could best be described as… orderly.