The action continued at the Bangalore Summer Meeting 2025 – Day 4, as the highly anticipated Ministerial Plate delivered a nail-biting finish in the second race of the day. Exclusively for three-year-old maidens, the 1100-meter dash got underway at 2:00 PM, featuring a strong field chasing a lucrative purse of Rs.11,00,000, with Rs.5,50,000 awarded to the winner.
Emerging victorious by the slimmest of margins was Night Raider, expertly guided by Arvind Kumar N and trained by Irfan Ghatala. The colt was locked in a fierce battle in the final 100 meters but managed to edge out his rivals at the wire with a photo-finish victory, clocking 1:07.79. It was a brilliant ride from Arvind, who timed his final push to perfection under pressure.
In second place came Konkrah, partnered by top jockey A. Sandesh and trained by Arjun Mangalorkar. The gelding showed great early pace and maintained a strong challenge throughout, eventually stopping the clock at 1:08.18, less than half a second behind the winner.
Completing the trifecta was Quebec, ridden by P. Trevor and trained by Prasanna Kumar, who finished a close third in 1:08.50. Though briefly threatening to challenge the leaders in the straight, the colt couldn’t find an extra gear in the final strides.
With margins razor-thin and the field displaying promising juvenile talent, the Ministerial Plate offered a glimpse into the rising stars of the summer campaign. Night Raider’s win adds another feather to trainer Ghatala’s cap and sets the stage for an exciting season ahead.
Up next is the Beautiful Babe Plate, another 1400-meter contest featuring a competitive lineup. The race will be worth Rs.11,00,000 in prize money, and fans can expect more thrilling finishes as the day unfolds at Bangalore Turf Club.
