A thrilling day of racing unfolded at the Bangalore Turf Club on February 7, 2025, as seven competitive races kept enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. The event featured a mix of seasoned campaigners and promising contenders, battling it out across various distances. The most anticipated race of the day was the prestigious Stayers’ Trial Stakes, where top-class stayers vied for supremacy over a grueling 2400 meters.
The Stayers’ Trial Stakes turned out to be a fascinating contest, ultimately clinched by QUEEN OF KINGS, trained by Rajesh Narredu and ridden to perfection by M. Prabhakaran. The four-year-old galloper demonstrated remarkable endurance and a strong finishing kick to seize victory in a time of 2:32.08. The winning connections, including Mr. Rajesh Narredu, Mr. Teja Gollapudi, and Dr. Prabhakar Chowdary Tripuraneni, were all smiles as they received the coveted trophy from Dr. C.A. Prashanth, a member of the managing committee of the club. The second place was secured by TOUCH OF GREY, while MANSA MUSA finished a commendable third.
The total prize money for this highly rewarding contest stood at ₹9,75,200, with the winner taking home an impressive ₹6,15,916. While QUEEN OF KINGS’ performance stole the spotlight, the race also served as a key preparatory run for upcoming endurance races in the season, making it a crucial fixture for stayers looking to prove their mettle.
Apart from the Stayers’ Trial Stakes, the day saw fierce competition in other races as well. The Sans Craintes Million, a race exclusively for three-year-olds, offered a prize purse of ₹9,50,000, making it one of the richest contests of the day. Young and promising sprinters locked horns in this fast-paced 1200-meter dash, showcasing raw speed and potential. Meanwhile, the Suresh Shanmugam Memorial Sprinters’ Trial Stakes featured elite four-year-old sprinters going head-to-head over 1200 meters, with a lucrative total prize of ₹10,16,000, making it the highest prize money race of the day.
The card also included the Dr. T Thimmaiah Memorial Trophy over 1400 meters for horses rated 40 to 65, and the Vidhana Soudha Trophy, a class 2 sprint that saw some competitive mid-tier runners in action. The day concluded with The Kadambi Falls Plate, divided into two divisions, covering 1400 meters for five-year-old horses rated 20 to 45, bookending the afternoon with thrilling finishes.
With a mix of long-distance tests and rapid sprints, the Bangalore race day provided racing enthusiasts with gripping contests and emerging stars to watch. As the season progresses, performances from this race day will likely shape the championship narratives in the coming months.
