Anthony Raj must be wondering why jockeys don’t get frequent flier miles for their victories—because the way he’s soaring this season, he’d be a platinum member by now. His latest triumph aboard Prasanna Kumar’s Ravishing Beauty in the Gr 2 Mysore 1000 Guineas wasn’t just a win; it was an emphatic announcement that he’s officially graduated into the elite club of Indian jockeys.

And what a way to do it: guiding a filly who had been parked in the stables longer than most punters’ unpaid betting dues—224 days, to be precise. Trainer Prasanna Kumar deserves credit too; after all, bringing a horse back in prime condition after missing an entire summer is no mean feat. One might say Win Legend’s daughter was “worth the wait”—though the bookmakers, who offered a ravishing price, probably wished she’d stayed in hibernation.

The script was straight out of a thriller: Ziva set the early tone, Kiss of Grey flirted briefly with glory, and Miracle Star strutted into the straight as though the race was already signed, sealed, and delivered. But 100 metres from home, the miracle fizzled and Ravishing Beauty thundered past with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Indian Brocade stormed in late but alas, a touch too late. Fourth Wing stayed true to its name, finishing—you guessed it—fourth.

There were no hard luck stories here; the best horse won, the favourite flopped, and punters who dared to trust the returning filly cashed in handsomely. For her owner, Chennai’s Kaliaperumal, it was pure bliss; for trainer Prasanna Kumar, it was sweet redemption after the heartbreak of losing the Colts Championship on Prokofiev at Hyderabad by the cruelest whisker.

Prasanna Kumar explained that Ravishing Beauty had missed action due to sore shins. Though she impressed in a mock race at Bangalore, the problem persisted, and the trainer chose to nurse her back carefully, keeping the workload light in her preparations. The measured approach paid off handsomely, with the filly returning at her best when it mattered most.

If betting trends were driven by logic, turf accountants would be out of business. More often than not, it’s the hype that dictates the odds, not the hard facts. Case in point: Power of Beauty. The Pradeep Annaiah-trained filly was lumbered with a stiff penalty after a runaway win last time, climbed into tougher company, and still went to the gates at cramped odds. Punters, convinced lightning always strikes twice, happily lined up. But this time, Anthony Raj’s magic touch deserted him. The filly fluffed the start, sulked through the race, and trotted home out of sight. Hype met reality—and reality smirked.

Meanwhile, H Moses-trained Confident Game, a horse with credentials hiding in plain sight, was ignored in the ring like a singer at a karaoke bar nobody wanted to hear. Vinod Shinde clearly didn’t read the script, because he slipped the gelding through, hit the front by the final furlong, and dared the field to catch him. Mazal Tov, true to form, remembered far too late that he was in a race, stormed home under Akshay Kumar’s whip, but the finishing burst only served to irritate punters who’d been here before. Spectacular, Kanya Rashi, and Auspicious Queen trailed in a bunch, good enough for minor money, but not enough to console anyone’s betting slips.

For Anthony Raj, the day was beginning to feel like an exercise in futility. The classics had been sweet, but elsewhere the winning post kept slipping away like a mirage. Ocean, another public rage, was expected to splash to victory in the Maj Sardar L Mahadevaiah Memorial Trophy. He led them into the straight with aggressive flair but began to gasp just when it mattered most. Falcon Fury, lurking in fourth, finally unleashed his wings. With S Imran timing the charge to perfection, Falcon mugged the favourite on the post. Sherouk did all the chasing but still failed to find the silver medal by a whisker. Ocean, once again, drowned late.

And just when punters thought salvation was around the corner, Ranjeet Shinde’s Born Dancer decided to perform a solo act in the Haveri Plate. Shyam Kumar blasted him to the front and never looked back, leaving the rest chasing shadows. Court Jester at least played along with some hope but lacked the punch to make the finale interesting. As for the much-fancied Moonlight Queen, she spent most of the trip daydreaming on the wide outside and only belatedly remembered to run—finishing third with all the urgency of someone answering the last boarding call.

If Mysore racing has taught punters anything, it’s this: the house always wins. The cycle is as predictable as it is cruel—come in to recoup, go back lighter. Yet, hope springs eternal, and the turnstiles will keep spinning. After all, what’s racing without a few heartbreaks to season the joy?
The first three races of the day looked harmless enough—little did anyone know what drama lay ahead.

The opener, the Valaroso Plate, was Suraj Narredu’s “welcome back” handshake with Indian racing after scripting history at Ascot. Riding Unforgettable Star, he shadowed Supreme Success till the bend, then pressed the accelerator and said goodbye. It was the sort of win that looked effortless, more like a warm-up trot than a race. Ceremonial pinched second from the fading Supreme Success, while Sundance Kid seemed to prefer anonymity, vanishing from sight when the real running began.

Next up, Anthony Raj continued his headline season in the Son Of The Light Plate, doing precisely what the name promised—setting off like a beacon in front aboard My Life My Rules and refusing to let anyone dim his shine. Gentleman’s Word and Warrior Woman threw everything into the chase, but Anthony had already written the script: “Catch me if you can.” They couldn’t.

The third race, the Jayanagar Plate, saw apprentice Asirvatham prove he’s more than just a passenger. Baltimore, backed with confidence, hugged the rails like an old friend, found a decisive burst, and fended off late lunges from Sorrento Secret and Sunday Lagoon. It was the kind of ride that makes punters breathe a sigh of relief—yes, favourites can actually deliver.