A poor set of runners took the field in the Buck Passer Plate (Div I). Star Pride who would relish trips twice as much as she was asked to essay, was surprisingly made the firm favourite over a sprint, with Autobahn next in demand. Autobahn who ran a handy second till the bend, faded out even before the jockey could ask him to quicken. Star Pride surged ahead only to weaken in a trice. Quorum moved up with raking strides from behind to go past the weak-kneed front-runners to win with a measure of comfort. Actuate covered lot of ground in the home stretch to pip Star Pride for the third spot. Star Pride may come into her own if she is run over trips beyond a mile.

The lower division of the race saw yet another horse which was loitering at the wrong end of the field in the early part, cover up the leeway and just get the verdict on the post. Habib Khan’s Ampersand was backed to the exclusion of his rivals but the Rebounding Thrill progeny who was drawn on the outside, did not have initial speed to take a striking position. Ampersand raced at the rear as Tasman set a fast pace. Veteran jockey Md Shafiq did not panic and he gradually worked his way up and by the time he got going, his task appeared to be hopeless, as Stamford had established a useful lead. But the driving finish of Shafiq enabled the favourite to get the nod on the post. Little Genny finished third, ahead of a
late-finishing Sencai.

Mohan Valavi trained Winelight had let down last time out, being done in by the blinding rain during the race. Now looking better off for than run and sporting a good coat, the dark bay filly appeared to be a different proposition. Taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Prithviraj, the Tecorno progeny came into the straight a couple of lengths clear of the field and just when it looked the field will pounce on her, the filly quickened to go clear to win in taking style. Classic Belle flashed late on the scene to take the runner-up spot ahead of Carnival Craze. Favourite Breaking News who failed to get a favourable position early on, finished in the rut.

Jockey B Praksh’s power-packed finishes conjured up the victory of Ministrel Star and Our Ambition. Dr Devious progeny Ministrel Star shook off Air Strike at the top of the straight and surged ahead. But the colt shifted out under pressure and with Blue Gardenia
closing up the gap on the wide outside, it looked as though the favourite would run into trouble. However, Prakash drove out the got-abroad colt strongly to contain the challenge of Blue Gardenia who finished second for the third time in a row at this center. The well-bred Air Strike needed this run and he should be a different proposition in winter.

Our Ambition who had recorded a none too impressive win in his last outing, seemed to have made tremendous improvement as borne out by the win scored over Ma Baker in the 2000 metres Cauvery Silver Plate. Three-year old Tapatio came in for spirited betting displacing Ma Baker from the favourite’s slot. Jockey Rajesh on Thrill of Success set a scorching pace, with Ma Baker racing second ahead of Tapatio, Our Ambition and the rest. Inside the final 350 metres, jockey Ryan Marshall pushed Ma Baker into the lead and the Green Forest progeny who established a three length lead, appeared to have sewn up the race. But Our Ambition, in the driving finish of Prakash, closed the gap rapidly and got the verdict in the last stride. Ma Baker was attempting an encore but the Arjun Mangalorkar ward was done in by the top-weight that she was carrying.

However, Arjun brought off a successful coup on Royal Hunter in the Guindy Plate (Div II). Royal Hunter, who came in for spirited betting, drifted out alarmingly in the straight and appeared in danger of loosing. But once jockey Imran Chisty changed his whip hand, the
four-year old gelding ducked in but quickened nevertheless to get stronger at the finish. The Argyle Lake progeny should come on a lot after this run and should relish a longer trip. Perhaps a blinker too could make some difference. In the upper division of the race, Golden Fellowship who was taking on a set of poor and disinterested horses, was taken on a successful start to finish mission by jockey Shakti Singh and the Nyayo progeny held on to thwart the challenge of Anandini.