It was a mid-week afternoon at the monsoon races that punters would like to forget. Only a single favourite obliged in what must have seemed to them as an endless card of seven races. The trainer who made hay on a gloomy (in every sense of the word) day was veteran Richard Alford with a lucrative double. His winners were Runjeet and Successful – both piloted with confidence by apprentice Srinivas Rao. Runjeet bagged the Idaho handicap over six furlongs while getting the better of fancied runners Glorious Dancer, Regal Bearing and Credit Swap. The last-named was the ante-post favourite whose odds drifted out and he ran like a dud. Apprentice Shezad Khan tried his best to make ends meet atop Glorious Dancer but fell short near home – thanks to Rao persevering with his mount despite shifting to the outer rails.

  Alford, his horse owner Gill and jockey Srinivas completed a successful double as the filly by that name got the better of Legendary Emperor near home in the race for the lower division of the Super Sunrise Handicap. Though Legendary Emperor was better at weights from their winter clash, the horse folded up when challenged by Successful. Much was expected of top-weight Crystal Dance but he was yet another three-year-old who failed to deliver.

The most facile victory registered on the day was by Glamorous Spirit from Vijay Singh’s yard in the Alcalde Handicap. The chestnut filly quite easily accounted for front-running even-money favourite Arbroath at the top of the straight. There was really very little else in the race barring the fact that it put a question mark against this year’s lot as they have put up a miserable showing thus far in the monsoon. The three-year-olds have been piling up in the casualty ward.

Top-weighted Royal Dance did it last week and now Glamorous Spirit. The sole favourite to oblige was Roman Quintet in the Arcade Cup. The five-year-old ran true to form but against poor opposition. To make matters worse, Leopardino had to be withdrawn as he bolted and Jade planted in the gates as she has been known to do in the past. Aged Italian Glory used his weight advantage to plod in second.

The morning showed the day for racegoers as the favourite All Diamonds bit the dust in the race for the Jeweller Handicap. Fancied by those in the know, Italian Dream from Patrick Quinn’s yard was hard-ridden to victory by Md Islam. The other fancied runner All In The Stars was unimpressive but may be worth following.

The favourite Torrential looked hopelessly outpaced by aged Secret Hero in the upper division of the Super Sunrise Handicap. The triumphant Jaiswal ward was piloted by Nelson Maseyk. Alam Ara was left at the start while quietly fancied Fascinating may have relished a longer trip. Blazing Beauty, with Kishore Kadam atop, was a creditable runner-up.

The Steinlen Handicap saw Asiatic Star put his best foot forward in the final furlong to put it across Burst Of Speed and fast-finishing stablemate Kingdom of Love. Both the runners who occupied the minor placings will be worth keeping an eye on.