The Governor’s Cup Day at Mysore had everything — drama, daylight margins, and a horse named Sea The Sun who decided to outshine the favourite Magnetic. From Drisana’s last-gasp surge to D Fronx’s demolition job and Star Studded’s solo exhibition, the afternoon had more twists than a turf club rumour mill. Even Mescalito added comic relief by nearly refusing to leave the gates. Racing — Mysore style — never disappoints!

The feature event of Friday’s Mysore races, run over 2000 metres turned into a one-horse solar show. Joseph B Awale’s Sea The Sun didn’t just stay — he practically camped out on the track while the favourite Magnetic ran out of batteries trying to keep up.

Magnetic has been a brave performer, yes, but courage doesn’t grow stamina — and being by Multitude, a sprinting specialist, she was always the equine equivalent of a 100-metre runner sent to do a marathon. Sea The Sun, imported from the aristocratic stables of Pesi Shroff, clearly had other ideas. Jockey Sai Kiran set off like he was being chased by the tax department and decided to make it a start-to-finish affair.

Magnetic briefly threatened to make things interesting in the final furlong but faded out when it came to a test of stamina. Sea The Sun, glowing with confidence, stretched away to win by four — a margin that looked far too easy for the supposed “duel” we were promised. Freedom Touch got a distant bronze medal for participation, and Saigon was last seen somewhere in the postal code behind them. As for Mescalito, he stayed so long in the gates, one wondered if he was waiting for divine instructions before joining the race.

The punters’ money was bang on target in the K Thammanna Gowda Memorial Trophy — and for once, justice was served. Drisana, trained by J S Pillay, ran like a horse with something to prove and managed to keep her cool when Creative Girl tried to steal the show in the final furlong.

Creative Girl looked all set to upset the script, opening a nice little lead — but Anil Baandal, who clearly skipped the panic button, coaxed Drisana to find an extra gear (possibly one installed by divine intervention). The filly stormed home, leaving the crowd and the opposition gasping. Too Hot To Touch edged Beautiful Bloom for third, proving again that names can be deceiving.

Apprentice Power: Prabhu Kumar’s Grity Ride

The A R Subramanya Raj Urs Memorial Trophy saw young Prabhu Kumar prove that experience isn’t everything — sometimes it’s pure guts that wins the race. His mount Absolutechallenger was supposed to be an also-ran behind favourite Gold Kite, but the apprentice clearly hadn’t read the script.

Gold Kite loomed large in the final furlong, but Prabhu dug deep — or maybe Absolutechallenger just decided he wasn’t going to lose to a horse with such a pompous name. Either way, the lesser fancied runner held on grimly to win by a whisker. Grizzly rumbled home third, apparently too polite to interfere in the duel.

The Alekona Trophy turned into a personal parade for Star Studded — a horse bred to make headlines and finally living up to the name albeit in the lower class. Trained by Rajesh Narredu and ridden by Suraj Narredu, the colt by Deauville out of Indian Derby queen Immortality led from start to finish like he owned the place.

The others could have used binoculars to spot him — the winning margin was six lengths, but it could’ve been more if Suraj hadn’t decided to ease up out of mercy. Tigerking ran on late to snatch second from Selma, who probably wondered what sort of rocket fuel the winner was on.

In the Lalithamahal Plate, Immortal Beauty decided to actually run like an immortal — or at least like a horse determined not to lose in the lowest class. Suraj Narredu drove her out relentlessly to get the better of Fashionista, who led early and looked like she’d rather be on a ramp than on a racetrack. When Striking Eyes came flying late to take second, it was clear that Immortal Beauty’s win was safe but not spectacular. Still, in the lowest class, style points are optional.

The BVL – Round Table India Cup was a clinic in domination. D Fronx, trained by Azhar Ali and ridden by Salman Khan (no, not that one), took off like a missile and never looked back. He drifted wide in the straight, perhaps sightseeing, yet still won by eight lengths — which says everything about the quality of the opposition. Favourite El Alamein was caught flat-footed and left looking like he’d accidentally entered the wrong race, while Chinky Pinky took third, possibly out of boredom.

In the BVL – Ladies Circle India Cup, City of Hustle showed what happens when determination meets a good turn of foot. Trained by Aditya and ridden by Hindu Singh, the horse charged through the final furlong to win like a pro. Pearl of Mysore, the favourite, remembered her job a little too late and had to settle for second. Alluring Beauty was third, proving yet again that looks can’t win races.