The gates flew open for race three at Bangalore, the Smart Chieftan Plate, where promising three-year-olds battled over 1400 meters for maiden honors. Scheduled at 2:30 PM with a prize purse of ₹11,00,000, the contest quickly turned into one of the day’s most gripping racing event.
Emerging on top was Hyperdrive, trained by Irfan Ghatala and piloted confidently by Vivek G., who secured his second win of the day. Owned by Mr. D. Shailesh Shivaswamy, Dr. Dayananda Pai. P, Mr. K. Ravi, and Mr. Sudarshan M. Raju, the gelding delivered a precise late charge to clinch victory in a photo-finish, stopping the clock at 1:27.68.
Neutralist, under ace jockey Suraj Narredu for trainer Aman Altaf Hussain, made a valiant effort but was narrowly beaten to second in 1:27.70. Close behind came Scent of Rain, guided by P. Trevor for trainer S.S. Attaollahi, who completed the top three with a time of 1:28.55.
Hyperdrive’s acceleration in the home stretch demonstrated both potential and poise, suggesting the gelding could be one to watch in upcoming races. The quality of the field, combined with the razor-thin margins, made the Smart Chieftan Plate a highlight of the day.
With three races completed, the focus now shifts to The Malakpet Plate Div II, as the Bangalore Summer Meeting Day 13 continues to deliver thrilling finishes and emerging talent.
