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Bipin and Stephane had already won an earlier race with Look Alike. She had run a mighty race in her first start this season, wherein after making all the running, Look Alike had been beaten on the post. In fact, her 10/1 odds that afternoon suggested that she wasn't expected to win that race. Look Alike was sharpened subsequently and entrusted to Stephane. The leading jockey used different tactics and decided to exert restrain today. He rode Look Alike for eventual acceleration and the eight year-old enjoyed his handling. She came from behind and nailed Skyfleet near the final post.
The Darashah stable had quite a few fancied runners in the day's card. The most prominent amongst them were Mr Sunrise, Del Gratia and Mystic Enchantress. The three runners ran kindly for Appu, and were involved in extremely close finishes. While the first two scored for the stable, the third named was unlucky to get beaten on the post. Mr Sunrise won the day's opener. He tracked a runaway Lapiz Lazuli till the final furlong before making his charge, and was able to wear down the leader near the winning post. The margin of victory was only half a length. A disinterested Greek Ship ambled into third place.
Del Gratia's victory was more thrilling. The four year-old filly tracked the speedy Chamcha in Chief and Noname till the bend. Appu was distinctly lucky to find a huge gap between the two leaders as the runners straightened for home. Del Gratia overtook the pair of them and skipped away to establish a winning lead at that stage. It was either a dislike for the underfoot conditions or a tremendous strain from her earlier efforts that saw the filly stopping in her tracks. The shortening strides enabled Chamcha In Chief to get closer to her. Del Gratia was lucky to retain her advantage till the wire, and her supporters were relieved to see her winning by the narrowest of margins.
The veteran trainer's attempt to complete a trebly by winning The Grey Gaston Trophy came to nought, when Mystic Enchantress succumbed under pressure and lost a race that she would have won in normal circumstances. The inexperienced three year-old was carrying the top weight in a mile race for horses in Class V. She was tackling this distance and the soft going for the first time in her short career. The manner in which she took the final bend and accelerated thereafter, roused hopes of an easy victory. However, it was not to be. The small made filly got tired at the end and lost in a blanket finish to the M Bobby-trained Bold Success and Aspiring Seven. Mystic Enchantress can be expected to score comfortably over a slightly shorter trip in normal going.
The only other race in the day's card was won by the highly regarded three year-old Bucethalis. This well-bred horse had emerged from the maiden ranks last month and had been shining on the training track. His trainer decided to run him at a low handicap in Class III, and asked Rajesh to ride him. Bucethalis had clocked a superb timing while winning over a seven-furlong trip, and keeping in mind the weight that he was receiving from his out of form adversaries today, it was difficult to look beyond this runner. The bookmakers held a similar view, and the same was reflected on the betting boards. The hot favourite was ridden only hands and heels, and this seemed to be more than enough as he sailed away from stablemate Arabian Memories and Jugnu. This victory confirmed that Bucethalis is one of the best three year-olds in training at Mysore.
