Lesser fancied Scarlet O`Hara escaped to victory benefitting from the slow pace as she sprinted home in the richly endowed 1800 metres Ashoka Chakra Cup, a terms race for three year olds and over, the feature event of Saturday`s races. Deccan Derby winner Spreadeagle who was making a quantum jump having last won in the lower category race before courting fame with Derby success was out of depth against seasoned older performers and was flat-footed when the race came on the boil and was a lost cause well before the final furlong.

Pradeep Chouhan had Scarlet O`Hara dictating a slow pace and enjoyed an uncontested lead as the others were content to race behind. Pursuit of Fame, Spreadeagle, Ambitious Reward, Spanish Cannon and Wind Stream raced behind the pace setter. Spanish Cannon, who was pinched at the start, was last before he made progress to race in the penultimate position. The slow pace of the race ensured that it would take a strong effort from those coming from behind to catch up with the front runner and it proved so as Scarlet O`Hara skipped away in the final furlong and managed to stave off the spirited late bid of Wind Stream and won by a shade less than a length. Pursuit of Fame ran on to finish third ahead of Spreadeagle.

While the slow pace decided the outcome of the Ashoka Chakra Cup, a similar lack of pace judgment on the part of the others saw Padmanabhan trained Aashikaara pull off a narrow win over Ace Badraan and the rest in the 1600 metres Hoysala Trophy, a race for horses rated 80 and above. Yash Narredu had Aashikaara break into a good lead from the start as the others did not force the issue and kept company with each other. When Yash stepped the pace on Aashikaara with about 800 metres left in the race, the others did not react to the situation so much so that the front runner had a winning lead coming into the straight. Though Aashikaara was halting in the final stages of the race, he scraped home from late finishing Ace Badraan who covered plenty of leeway in the straight only to find the winning post coming frustratingly early. There was a cluster finish behind with Passing Fulcrum, and Mannat being involved in the four horse photo finish for the slots from second to fourth position. The Artist, who was once rated highly being a final entry for the Mysore Derby, ran way below expectations.

Two horses who had previous history of getting stranded at the gates, won against the run of expectations. Inayathullah trained Vivid Impression broke off level from the gates, steadily improved places on the wide outside and stormed clear of the rest in the 1400 metres Udupi Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, in the manner of a good type of a horse. Nesto who was running after his effort in the Poonawalla Multi-Million in February was backed to the exclusion of the rest trusting his class and the two mock races that he had as lead up to this race to guarantee success. In the event, Nesto who led from the start began to send distress signals in the straight and eventually finished down the field. Speed Hawk who was bidding for a hat-trick made a late rally only to find Vivid Impression gone too far ahead and had to settle for the second spot ahead of Mystic Music.

Samar Singh trained Apollo Master was backed spiritedly to win the Half A Crown Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45 and shaped to win when he came into prominence in the final furlong. However, Shrewd Master who had been stranded at the gates in his previous run had broken off level from the gates and essayed a strong challenge to the favourite and eventually managed to pull ahead at the finish. Glittering was the on money favourite to win the lower division of the race and the three year old filly won untroubled with a start to finish dash with Corbonado finishing second best.

Favourite Azzurro bolted dropping jockey Trevor Patel in front of the Grand Stand and was withdrawn from the fray in the 1400 metres Saddle Up Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Arthurian who became a favourite by default got the better of front running Spanish Moon in the straight and shaped to win. However, Arthurian literally grinded to a halt as Rapid Advance got strong in the final furlong and managed to nail the front runner in the final stride of the race. On money favourite Sagrada packed too much of punch for the rest in the Division II of the race having no problem in keeping his rivals at bay with Passion Flora being the best of the beaten brigade. The tons of money that Charming Grey attracted in the betting ring in the Division III of the race indicated that the Faraz Arshad trainee would be hard to toss. Charming Grey tore away to the front from the wide outside draw and was so far ahead of the rest that jockey Quereshi could repeatedly look back to see how far he had come away from the rest. Goodwill Warrior who also was well backed chased the favourite without any realistic chance to eventually finish a poor second.

Loveofmylife got the better of Arch Duchess in the closing strides of the race to win at nourishing odds, the 1200 metres Yadgir Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, at the expense of Arch Duchess who faltered after giving hopes in the final furlong.