It was a wonderful Sunday afternoon at the Calcutta racecourse for two crack riders – B Prakash and Imran Chisty. Champion jockey Christopher Alford recorded a single winner and yet stayed on top of the championship table as his nearest rival Kishore Kadam had a horrendous afternoon.

But first things first – the combo of Pesi Shroff and B Prakash picked up their second Derby in as many days with Alice Springs. The duo had tasted success a day earlier at Malakpet with Xisca. A sharp shower in the early afternoon did not affect the performance of the front-running Hall Of Glory who closed as a very near second favourite at 12/10. The filly Alice Springs (Razeen – Allinda) was the even-money public choice for the Calcutta Monsoon Derby.

As the gates opened, Christopher Alford took Hall Of Glory on a start-to-finish mission with Make My Day a couple of lengths behind and Alice Springs an equal distance behind third. Prakash improved his position before the turning for home where the front-runner was travelling pretty smoothly. Once alerted to the task, the filly responded magnificently. A couple of reminders was enough to ensure a tussle with Hall Of Glory opposite the grandstand before she finally drew away and won pretty comfortably. She was led in by Mr Zeyn Mirza, the Racing Manager of Dr. Vijay Mallya and Managing Director of United Racing and Bloodstock Breeders.

One race earlier, Prakash had guided Castle Queen (Placerville – Castle Park) to a thunderous triumph in the Star Precision Cup. The win completed a hat-trick for the Baharth Singh ward whose rating has shot up from 53 to over the century mark this season. The withdrawal of the unsound Ascriptive saw Castle Queen installed as the favourite. She allowed Star Impact to call the shots till the distance post where the ‘Queen’ bid him adieu.

The Bharath-Prakash duo was in the limelight earlier when they registered their first win of the afternoon with Countess in the Alamito Cup. For no apparent reason, the favourite Ajayajeet opened a huge gap and then fizzled out in the straight. Countess (Brave Act – Count On Me), who was travelling well behind didn’t have to do much as the favourite was fast coming back at him. There was no justification for Imran Chisty to keep his mount Flirting Eye in the dead last slot, other than which he may well have improved upon his runner-up berth. An enquiry has been opened into the ‘injudicious’ handling of the favourite by Kishore Kadam. The young jockey was not really in his element on this day.

Chisty, fresh from his exploits in Mauritius, started and ended the day on a happy note for followers of money. Javed Khan-trained Vence (Puerto Madero – Countess Margaux) won the lower division of the Sanskara Cup without much ado. Second favourite All In The Stars with Kadam atop was left in the stalls and yet finished a good fourth. A senior stipe who was at the gates gave him the benefit of the doubt as that horse has been known to behave in such a manner in the past. However, there have been lesser riders who have not been so fortunate this season for their mount being left at the gates. The yardstick may vary from person to person, I suppose.

Chisty brought the curtain down with a clean ride atop Bath-schooled Secret Fire (Mr Mellon – Local Secret) in the Stoney Valley Cup. He rode a measured race and was alert to late challenge from Snowberry other than which the latter may well have pulled it off. Much fancied Credit Squeeze needed the run and will be better for it.

The upper division of the Sanskara Cup saw Tigana given a great ride by Shailesh Shinde. This lad has done pretty well for himself at this centre. A part of the credit for his success must go to the Arti Doctor stable which gave him the all-important break. Christopher Gleich-trained Tigana (Burden Of Proof – Coco Beach) got the better of the pair of fancied runners, Aesthetics and Badal.

The Desert Shot Cup, run over 1,800 metres, was possibly the most open race of the day and the result showed it. Six-year-old Temptation (San Francisco – Running Power) got the better of a host of youngsters who were seen to struggle over the middle-distance trip. C Alford’s mount Strike A Deal is a difficult ride and Alford did well to coax a gallop out of her in the straight. She fell short narrowly despite giving Mahesh on Karki-trained Temptation a fright.

C Alford picked up his sole winner on Arielle (Ontario – Mistral’s Love) in the Great Tribute Cup. The filly was hard ridden to get the better of Southern Angel who returned bleeding. The favourite King’s Desire was a disappointment.