Ranjeet Shinde trained His Eminence brought off an upset in the 1400 metres H H Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Memorial Trophy, a race for horses 80 and above, the feature event of the opening day`s races of the Mysore Regular Season on Thursday. Though it had rained hard the previous night, it had no bearing on the running of the races as the track had quickly dried up for things to start without any hiccup.

Chennai challenger Emelda was backed down strongly in the betting ring though the four-year-old filly had no significant performance to back her credentials barring the default finishing behind her stablemate My Opinion on several occasions. Those who backed Emelda were soon to regret their decision as the favourite did not make much progress from the rear group.

Sai Kumar brought Emelda wide into the straight but the favourite did not pick up momentum at any stage of the race to eventually finish second last. After Nothing To Worry led from the start and weakened in the stretch, His Eminence moved with raking strides from way off the pace in the hands of jockey Anthony Raj. He was back in action after an injury had sidelined him for a long. His eminence bounced clear in the final furlong for a win by a widening margin of three lengths over Segera and Nothing To Worry. Make My Way who was the second favourite, raced in about the third position till entering the stretch and thereafter made no show to finish in the ruck. The betting ring gave no clue as to the shape of things to come in this race and in other races.

Apprentice jockey Hasib Alam had a back-to-back winner when he guided fancied Aberlour to get the better of Sound of Cannon by a whisker in the 1400 metres Star of Mysore Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 85. After Furious Fun led the field into the final furlong and weakened, Sound of Cannon`s took charge and shaped like a winner. But a strong ride by Alam got the desired response from Aberlour who flashed home with a big effort to get the nod in the closing stride of the race. Drusilla who raced up with the field stayed on to take the third position ahead of favourite Flash Bond on whom Hindu Singh rode a poor race. Hindu Singh failed to position the consistent performer, Flash Bond in an advantageous position, brought his horse very wide into the straight and needlessly ducked towards the rails inside the final 100 metres. This sort of manoeuvre was self-defeating for, in the end, he lost by less than three lengths.

The 1200 metres Somanathpur Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category, threw a confusing scenario as those in the betting did not have a good racing form to back their credentials. In the fitness of things, it was long shot Felicita from the stables of trainer Helleal Moses who pulled off an upset win in the hands of jockey Kiran Naidu. Felicita who led by lengths from the start came off the rails in the closing stages of the race allowing another long shot Double Trouble to shoot through along the rails but the former had enough legs to eke out a narrow win. Fancied Come Alive ran on to finish third. Vijay Saurabhi and King`s Command who were also in serious consideration made no show. More than half the runners in the 15-horse field seemed to be lacking in fitness as they struggled to make ground from far behind.

The inaugural race of the Mysore Regular Season was an eventful one in that the winner Mystic Divine had to not only on the track but had to win again in the Stewards following an objection. Sarvan Kumar on Elevado managed to squeeze his way in the centre, on the outside of Mystic Divine who veered out of a straight course and went on to win by a comfortable margin in the hands of apprentice Angad. Jockey Sarvan Kumar put an objection against Angad for taking him out which cost him the race. The winner was too good and the interference did not make any material difference. The Chairman said that the jockey will be pulled up for interference while announcing that the objection would be overruled. There is no need to come to any conclusion on the part of the Stewards because they sit with the limited purpose of deciding on the objection. Whether the jockey needs to be pulled up and whether he should be given punishment could be the subject matter of a separate enquiry after the Stipes finish their preliminary enquiry.

Lesser fancied Eddie The Eagle had the first run on his opponents and held off a late charge from a host of runners to win the 1200 metres Krishnadevaraj Urs Memorial Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. In what was an open betting affair, the drift in the odds on Kingofthejungle who had run a noteworthy second last time out was a clear indication of the shape of things to come. Country`s Flash became a favourite more by default. In the event, Eddie The Eagle who had some form to go by raced a handy second behind Silver Days who set a fast pace before weakening in the final furlong. Jockey Hasib Alam then pushed Eddie The Eagle to take charge and the lesser fancied runner quickly established a few lengths lead which turned out to be a winning one for the Sajid Qureshi trainee. Crimson Fire, Wind Power and Country`s Flash all rallied late to occupy the slots behind the winner.

The 1400 metres Pune Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category, looked like a minefield and in keeping with the expectations, all the horses which were in serious betting including Festive Star who came in for big support in the ring, were not seen at the busy end. Despite losing ground at the start, Impelling Power moved up steadily and essayed a strong challenge inside the final furlong. Impelling Power veered out of a straight course but still managed to neck out Percivale in the closing stages of the race to land the spoils at long odds for trainer Girinath. Festive Star who graced the wrong end of the field was angled out very wide by jockey Darshan Anthony in the stretch and the fancied runner managed to take the third slot. Niche Cannabis who went to the post as a favourite was not spotted.

Jockey Srinath`s powerful riding enabled the lesser fancied Aurele to land the spoils in the 1600 metres Lavasa Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Aurele was strongly challenged by Cayote Girl close home but Srinath ensured that he stayed in front at the post. Vandan was third while favourite Coorg General was lost in the clouds.