But even before the race started, there was an inkling that Running Flame would not have it all its own way. Heavy betting on Saddle Up saw its odds improve to two and half to one against, while odds on the favourite moved to eleven upon ten.

Running Flame looked a picture in the paddock, trim and fighting fit. But choosing on the basis of looks was a difficult decision, since Saddle Up too looked lean and mean. Things started going wrong for Running Flame as soon as the race started. The Rashid Byramji-trained Masked Bandit set a scorching pace from the start, and Running Flame found it too hot to handle.

Masked Bandit and Montabella did the initial running, but nearer home it was Ace of Spades, Montabella and Saddle Up who led the pack.Running Flame improved steadily, but at the finish, Saddle Up was a comfortable winner, heading off second placed Supervite by a clear three and a half lengths. One and a half lengths separated Supervite from Running Flame, placed third, while Priceless Asset also figured in the frame.

Piloting Saddle Up was Pesi Shroff, who improved upon his record of six wins in the Indian Derby. Saddle Up ran the one and a half miles in 2 minutes 34.21 seconds, poor timing compared to Star Supreme's last year's Derby timing of 2 minutes 30.5 seconds. Trained by Imtiaz Sait, Saddle Up won Rs 30.43 lakh. The tote paid Rs 11 for the win. The second horse pool paid a dividend of Rs 98, the forecast pool Rs 307 while the quinella paid Rs 120. The 70 per cent tanala paid Rs 321 and the 30 per cent Rs 51.

Saddle Up's victory is a major feather in the cap for Vijay Mallya, because the Bold Russian-Queen's Rule progeny is both owned as well as bred by him. The victory marks a tremendous improvement in the fortunes of KunigalStud, taken on a 30-year lease by Mallya in 1993. Supervite is also owned by Mallya.

Derby Day started off auspiciously for followers of the money with Days' Best Schelde, available at fourteen upon ten, beating the opposition by seven lengths in the first race for horses in Class 2. That warmed things up for punters. However, the second and third races didn't go to the favourites, with Mountain Wind, the winner of the second race paying Rs 13 and Thundering Bay, the leader in the third race, paying a handsome Rs 30. Rank outsider Riza paid Rs 538 for the second horse pool in the second race.

The upset of the day, however, was Emmanuel's Pet, which won the 1000 metres Mansoor Beg Stakes for Class 4 horses. Emmanuel's Pet paid Rs 107 at the tote, while the forcast with War 'n' Peace was a decent Rs 2063. The Bahrain Trophy for 3-year olds, run over 1000 metres was won by Intel, the hot favourite. The supporting event of the Day was the Breeder's Produce stakes, with the winner bagging Rs 10.5 lakhs. HerExcellency (Placerville-Academic) from the Poonawalla stud was the winner. She paid Rs 12 at the tote. Congratulations, from the Usha stud, came in second place.

The RWITC has another grand day lined up for punters next Sunday. The card has been billed as the "Clash of the Titans", with the eight best Indian jockeys fighting it out for honours with the eight best international ones. The Indian team will be led by Pesi Shroff (captain), and include Warren singh, C Rajendra, M Narredu, S Narredu, RV Gowli, KPG Appu, YS Srinath, while Aslam Kader is the reserve jockey. The international team is led by Mike Kinane, well known to racing fans for years in India. The others include Jimmy Fortune, Richard Hughes, Kevin Darley, John A Reid, Kevin Manning, Kieren Fallon and Naill McCullagh. The Swadeshi-Videshi clash will be fraught with intense interest for racegoers. Free beer in the members' stands, a Zen, and mobile phones are some of the prizes to be won.