B R Sharan Kumar

It is difficult to be aggressive while selecting the fancies for Saturday’s Bangalore races. Aboline is no doubt a good type of a horse, having shown precocious speed, appears deceptively as a good bet. Aboline has shown speed and has swept the opposition of their feet. But then when it comes to the second season, the horses tend to show greater physical maturity and as a result, the equation changes. As such, Aboline, despite enjoying an edge, has his task cut out as Classerville is no mean performer. If Aboline beats Classerville at this handicap disadvantage, then there is no stopping this son of Burden of Proof in the Colts Classics. The card for the day appears tricky but at a cursory glance, the horses which one can back with some measure of confidence are Social Climber, Classerville and Sugar Ray. The last named may be stable’s second choice but for me he looks like a horse with better class.

Chief Minister of Karnataka Yeddyurappa is a man in a hurry. He is keen to push the Bangalore Turf Club out of its premises on December 31 so that he executes his plan of having a public garden and a tall structure which can give a panoramic view of Bangalore City. Race horse owners and racing enthusiasts are going through anxious moments about what is in store for racing in Bangalore. The Chief Minister also said in a lighter vein that it was better racing was shifted out of the city as early as possible as it would help improve administrative machinery. Too many officials are seen bunking their work and attending races, he said. Government officials becoming enamored by racing and absenting themselves from government work is not something new. It has been happening for ages. One of my classmates who is a police officer came to race course as part of the squad to prevent illegal betting and got hooked on to racing. While many of his colleagues had plenty to show, my friend had lost mo

How superstitious are you? In racing, most people are superstitious which finds expression in various forms. India’s biggest winner Dr M A M Ramaswamy has been sporting the same tie for the last 30 years on all big occasions. He carries the same purse and the hanky on all big days. ``I believe in superstition.  These things are my lucky mascots. It is not my tie or hanky will make the horse run faster. It is the belief factor,’’ said Ramaswamy when I queried him about his superstitions. ``I am a god-fearing man,’’ he added. Somebody as successful as Pesi Shroff believes in positive vibrations. ``I am not superstitious,’’ he told me once. However, over the years I have observed that on days when he was riding in a big race, he never spoke strongly about the horse that he was very confident on. Now that he has become a trainer, his ``positive vibrations’’ have of course changed. He was sporting a blue tie on one of the big days and when one of my friends asked him if he would part with

By Sharan Kumar Karnataka Chef Minister B S Yeddyurappa has said that the government would lease land to Bangalore Turf Club for building a race course and also extend some benefits but would under no circumstance extend the deadline beyond December 31. All activities should cease at the present location on December 31, he has said. The government is open to providing the same facilities to a private consortium should the BTC fail to act, he has added. He has instructed the heads of various departments in the government to hasten the process of finalizing the land for the said purpose and carry out the work involved. The government will only lease the land for an extended period of time but it will not be sold outright. Further it has been clarified that no piece of land at the existing race course will be given to the turf club for conducting off course betting facilities.

Padmanabhan trained D’Artagnan bounced back into classic contention with an impressive win in the Gr 2 Fernhill’s Palace Juvenile Million, the highlight of races held at Bangalore on Sunday. The most impressive winner of the day was Messalina who made a smashing debut despite looking far from ready. Jockey Wayne Smith, who was back after an excellent season at Dubai, booted home a fine double. By Sharan Kumar Padmanabhan trained D’Artagnan bounced back into classic contention with an impressive win in the Gr 2 Fernhill’s Palace Juvenile Million, the highlight of races held on Sunday. The highly rated son of Placerville ran straight as an arrow and won the premier event the hard way, by making it start to finish in difficult underfoot conditions. This run should bring D’Artagnan into contention for the Colts Trial Stakes. D’Artagnan had gone down to Aboline in the winter million by about five lengths. On that occasion, D’Artagnan ran green, drifting in and out under the use of the whip.

Ganapathy trained Bourbon Bay who had been running fair races in good company, bounced back to winning form in the six furlong Police Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, the main event of races held at Bangalore on Saturday. The rains had taken its toll on the track and the going was ``dead’’ as evidenced by the slow timings clocked in all the races of the day. By Sharan Kumar Ganapathy trained Bourbon Bay who had been running fair races in good company, bounced back to winning form in the six furlong Police Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, the main event of races held on Saturday. Bourbon Bay who had finished sixth in the Poonawalla Million, lived up to expectations with a powerful run in the final furlong to win as he pleased. Angelfire who had recorded an impressive on debut was the favourite though the filly steadily supporters in the ring possibly due to the fact that a setback had kept her out of action from running a second time during the winter season and that her rec

By Sharan Kumar Padmanabhan trained D’Artagnan who ran third to Aboline in the Juvenile Million in March, can make amends in the 1400 metres Gr 2 Fernhill’s Palace Juvenile Million, the main event of races programmed for Sunday. The speedy son of Placerville, D’Artagnan ran green in his last outing which hurt his chances. Moreover, he was taking on a seasoned horse in Aboline who enjoys the highest rating among three-year olds in Bangalore. As such, he should be given another chance as he has had a good break from that run and has shown greater maturity in his workouts. Cieolo Rey, who recorded a smashing win in his debut run, is being doubted as one of the best three-year olds in Bangalore. His win was no doubt smashing but he did not beat classic type of horses and as such, one has to wait and see if he is truly something special. Forest Flair who won the Kunigal Breeders’ Cup at Mumbai is conceding weight to his adversaries but there is no denying his class. Cruising who ran on to f

By Sharan Kumar Angelfire appears a safe bet considering the fact that the progeny of Placerville had recorded a smashing win in her debut during the winter season. However, an injury kept her out of action for the season. However, she seems to have bounced back to form as evidenced by track works. She looks outstanding in her race but is she a good thing? It is always difficult to predict the improvement that a good three-year old can make. Younger horses make improvements that cannot be easily quantified. Considering the fact that Angelfire appears a good type, she looks a good enough bet. But the long absence from racing is the worrying factor. There are two horses which enjoy a good rating. The got abroad filly Greens has not been exploited to win her share of races. She is no doubt a talented filly but coming as it does from a stable which is not unpredictable, Greens, despite having a good chance of causing a ripple, cannot be backed with conviction though she may drag herself t

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has made it clear to the Bangalore Turf Club that the termination of the lease of land on December 31, 2009 is final and no extension will be considered. The Chief Minister, who seems to be in an unrelenting mood, has said that racing activities could cease till such time the new race course is built. There is need for concerted action form all wings that comprise the sport. By Sharan Kumar Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has made it clear to the Bangalore Turf Club that the termination of the lease of land on December 31, 2009 is final and no extension will be considered. The Chief Minister, who seems to be in an unrelenting mood, has said that racing activities could cease till such time the new race course is built. ``The government is willing to give 95 acres of land at Chikkajala/Doddajala and also consider giving other help but the decision of the government to close racing activities at the existing venue was not negotiable. If need be, the Bangalor

Visit http://www.racingpulse.in/ , India's best website on horse racing Indian racing is in need of a drastic overhaul if the king of sports is to survive the many hiccups that have begun to hurt the sport. Without exception, all the turf authorities in India need to have a re-think on the way the sport is being administered at their centres to give greater thrust to the sport and to re-launch it is as a more acceptable life style sport. By Sharan Kumar With the Mumbai Racing Season having just concluded, it is time to make an assessment of the eventful year. Racing was devastated by equine influenza which very nearly threatened to cause long term economic ruin on the sport. The epidemic also showed lack of preparedness on the part of the authorities. Luckily, there was swift recovery and Indian racing was back on track within three months of the dreaded infectious disease affecting horses in Pune, Kolkata, Delhi and Mysore. While the Mumbai season was delayed by over three months,

visit www.racingpulse.in Eviction or shift is the question haunting BTC Will this be the last full racing season that Bangalore Turf Club would conduct at its race course where racing has been held since 1905? This is the question upper most in the minds of race goers because the government has made it clear that it is not going to extend the lease beyond December 31, 2009 under any circumstance. By Sharan Kumar Will this be the last full racing season that Bangalore Turf Club would conduct at its race course where racing has been held since 1905? This is the question upper most in the minds of race goers because the government has made it clear that it is not going to extend the lease beyond December 31, 2009 under any circumstance. However, BTC Chairman P V Shetty exuded confidence at Press Conference on Thursday that government will extend the lease by two years at least by which time the new land which had been identified on way to the new Airport will become operational for conduc

M P Mahaesh trained Splendid Surprise trounced the opposition in the Gr 3 Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Cup which highlighted the races held at Bangalore on Sunday. Splendid Surprise, who has accumulated a bagful of big wins, has been on the boil for a longish period of time during which time the progeny of Steinbeck has also won the Mysore Derby and the Mysore Guineas. By Sharan Kumar M P Mahaesh trained Splendid Surprise has been a veritable money spinner. The five-year old who has won a bagful of races in his career, all of which are coveted events, once again produced his best when slamming the opposition in the Gr 1400 metres Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Cup, the star attraction of second day’s Bangalore Summer Races held on Sunday. The progeny of Steinbeck has been on the boil for a long time as each season he has bounced back with amazing quality of wins. Splendid Surprise, who has grossed over Rs 1 crores in stake money, has been consistent over a long period of time. The trainer deserves cr