Cristopher was in his rhythm, right from the word 'go.' Guiding, Anolini, a hot-favourite from trainer Vijay Singh's yard, the jockey allowed the stable-mate, Arendal, let out steam till home-turn. It was a routine business thereafter, though the three parts of a length winning verdict recorded by the Placerville-Above five-year-old gelding may not testify his impressive effort.

An element of luck helped Cristopher win the Kinkajou Handicap on another of Vijay's winner Aherlow, a 9-10 favourite. It was jockey Md Amil who made his humble cotribution to the stable's cause, as, in the race, he failed to keep clear of the runners behind on a tiring Albright, a yard-mate of the winner. Albright squeezed an improving on-the-rails Iron Warrior for a galloping room so badly that apprentice jockey Rao Dalpat Singh nearly came a cropper. It was Crest Star who took the favourite to full extent and Cristopher must consider himself blessed to have notched up a 'short head' victory.
The Warrior's was not the solitary incident the afternoon had witnessed. Only half-an-hour earlier, in the Verge Handicap, a well-backed Double Dancer had returned profusely bleeding from his leading leg. The Javed Khan-trained mare had badly hurt herself at the starting gates to do anything worthwhile. The race was picked up by Stella Blue, the 5-2 favourite from trainer Mujeeb-ur-Rehman's yard. Stella Blue also happened to be the first of the two wins recorded by the up-coming apprentice Rutherford.

Rutherford was a picture of confidence as he remained unperturbed in the sixth berth when a fierce battle was being fought up-front among Piece of Cake, Amistad, Armila, Heaven's Blessing and Magic Ring. He made a good use of Stella Blue's turn of foot in the stretch-run to cut Heaven's Blessing to size.

As expected, Grand Lodge, in the days feature event, the Douetil Memorial Cup, entered into the winner's enclosure but not before the Javed Khan-trainee survived a frivolous objection lodged by apprentice Fateh Ali Khan on a lesser fancied Harry The Horse. Coming with a finishing effort Grand Lodge, a 5-4 favourite, did cut across a pillar-to-post aspirant, the Harry Horse, but Mark Reuben on the winner was nearly two lengths clear of the John Stephen's trainee when he crossed the leader.

In fact, luck was determind to elude Stephens, a winning bracket. The trainer nearly pulled off a smart victory through his new possessesion Software who had taken over the running and had established a winning lead over the even-money favourite Wandering Warrior nearing the distance-post. It was at this juncture, in came Rutherford and Countach with telling strides to put pay their hope and return smiles on trainer Tarak Nath Jaiswal's face.

Jaiswal's 11-10 favourite Keep The Faith, in the previous race, the 2,000-metre Look Around Handicap, had proved a big let down. The favourite had run a capital race from the front in his last outing but the four-year-old filly, for reasons best known to the trainer, was held back in fourth on this ocassion and she never improved from that position. Trainer Bharath Singh's duo of Aventura and Alvernia decided the mile and quarter race between themselves. 

It was Alvernia who enjoyed a thick edge in the final-furlong but apprentice Malcom Maseyk, having cooled his heels for nearly three years, failed move his rusty shoulders effectively thus leaving apprentice Mohd Islam to pip him at the post.