To provide a sort of definitive season-end championship, a group of breeders got together a few years ago and sponsored the Juvenile Colts and Juvenile Fillies championship races, for males and females respectively, run over the metric mile. This is a distance hitherto not traversed by these maturing youngsters and often serves to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The mantle of sponsorship of these two events, both of which have grade 3 status, has now been taken up by the Shapoorji Pallonji Group. Renowned for its high quality construction, the group has diverse activities and one of its associated companies is the historic horse breeding nursery, the Manjri Stud Farm, establishedin 1921 and taken over by them in 1986.

The colts' event has been rechristened the Shapoorji Pallonji Breeders Juvenile Colts Championship. Unfortunately, only seven have accepted, but as these include Splendid Pride and Scarlet Regent, two of the better performers this term, a valuable linking of form lines will take place. Purely on paper, the former has the edge on his running vis-a-vis Acrobat, more so as the longer trip will suit him better. Scarlet Regent missed his last intended engagement as he had picked up a stone, but had displayed guts when previously raced in public.

As the remaining five do not appear to be of the same class, it looks like a straight contest between the pair. Overall, the standard of the fillies' event, the Manjri Stud Breeders Juvenile Fillies Championship, is higher, with fourteen in opposition. Alas, arguably the best pair--Her Excellency and Congratulations--is missing from the line-up. Still, those scheduled to be seen in action are talented, none more so than RoyalDeeds. Small in stature, she is both game and consistent, but as she will be the only runner to carry a penalty, she would find it really hard to oblige.

Untold Story has been a model performer, and will be suited by the terms. However, she just might have lost her peak fitness as this will be her fifth effort in four months.

That leaves Star Concert, who put in a terrific performance last time out when beaten from second to fourth in the dying strides of the Poonawalla Breeders Million. Not a great looker, the Placerville filly has been tuned for the event and has the required level of form. Star Fortune, Accentuate and the very impressive debut winner Miss Freeze should chip in to make the finish interesting.

Supporting action includes the PD Bolton Trophy, a sprint handicap for Class 1 horses. Just half a dozen clash and there is no obvious standout. The two four-year-olds, Khaalis and Sovereign Prince, have the least wear and tear on them, and should finish in that order. Flaming Star and LittleChamp have raced recently as if they have lost their zest for the game, while Forbearance and Natural Spell are a shade short of the required credentials.

Then comes the PR Mehta Trophy, over the classic distance of 2400 metres, which has drawn only five participants. Shaktik is coming off a win and looks a progressive type, while I'm Honoured hinted at a revival of form by his last good run. Dark Beauty has the weight advantage but has been beaten by Shaktik all four times they have clashed. Mountain Wind blew away his opposition the last time and looks the likely winner, more so as he missed last time only by a neck.

No one is going to get rich trying to select a winner in the remaining four races as they consist of lower class runners who are there precisely because they lack ability and often fail to reproduce their best form. In the long run, sticking to higher class performers will yield dividends.