India, Nov. 8 -- The Pune season ended on schedule and fortunately the unseasonal rain did not disturb either the Derby nor the final weekend. Kudos goes to the two Chairmen -- Suren Sanas and Ram Shroff. The Stewards have postponed the start of the Mumbai season by a few days to November 27 -- as the stables and infrastructure at Mahalaxmi have been affected by the prolonged spell of rain which spilled into November. Ideas of extending the Pune season by a week did not find favour with the trainers. The big news, however, is the cessation of racing at the Guindy racecourse in Chennai, as the Club was unable to win a reprieve from the Courts on the legality of its continued lease. The loss of a major Turf authority is a blow to the racing industry and not just the MRC. Meanwhile, the detection of glanders -- a communicable virus in the horse population in Hyderabad will prevent movement of horses at Malakpet at least for a few months and will be a dampener for their early classics, often contested by outstation horses. In Mumbai, the three private auctions of yearlings at the top studs of Kunigal, Usha and Poonawalla took place, which has been the death knell of the traditional February Sales at the RWITC. Though the prices may have been a notch below the dizzying heights of last year, they still sold like ninepins, with several breaking the half-crore mark, with one sale topping a crore and some nudging close to that number. Despite the loss of one turf authority and more than one club facing regulatory issues, these prices prove that the thoroughbred industry thrives mainly on passion and ego, and hardly on economics. The breeders are laughing all the way to the bank! The Pune season saw trainer Pesi Shroff edge out Imtiaz Sait in what was virtually a dead heat for the title. Adhiraj however, would have been champion if the wins of his nominee during the months of his suspension were counted till he restarted. So the crown belongs to him. As the classics approach, several juvenile colts stood out in Pune -- Giacomo and Encino appear to be top 2,000 Guineas hopefuls. For the longer classics, Zacharias and Gunsmoke, who ran 1-2 in the Pune Derby enhanced their profile, though Fynbos who was rested through the monsoon appears to be a cut above this pack. Racing's good story came when the late Padmanabhan's, or "Paddy" as he was fondly known, Miracle Star, won the Mysore Derby barely a week after he passed. His wife Sharmila, and several others were overwhelmed as the filly passed the post in solitary splendour, in tribute to the trainer....