In an amazing afternoon at RCTC last Wednesday, all eight public choices took a dive to leave punters high and dry. In fact, barring second favourite Salazaar, it was rank outsiders to the fore.
The win of Vikash Jaiswal-trained Asmodeus with leap-year jockey Salim Khan in the saddle, in the curtain-raiser, ought to have warned racegoers. However, very few heeded the ominous signs early in the afternoon. By the time they realised that recovering their losses was becoming a well nigh impossible task, it was too late to steady the boat.

The six-year-old mare Pursuit of Power notched up her third win of the season when she made every post a winning one in The Fey Legend Handicap. Public choice Indian Quest found his impost a stopper when he tried to collar the front-runner. In the final furlong, he was seen to lug in.

Daniel David picked up the next two races with Sportsman and Super Flash. The former got the better of front-running Helegonia in the five-and-half furlong race for the Assumer Handicap. Apprentice Armaan Khan atop the winner was seen at his best.The favourite Penny showed plenty of initial speed but succumbed to the class of Helegonia.

The win of Super Flash was not totally unexpected. What must have disappointed punters was the fact that the hot favourite from the same yard (Majestic Falcon) was given a free rein from the outset. Chisty atop the 'Flash' sat tight and waited for his stablemate to come back to him, which he did obligingly.

Chisty's cleverest ride was astride Elegant Road. He permitted the normally forward-running colt to languish in the rear gradually improving him along the rails before switching him out on the outside in the straight and making a strong bid for top honours. By then however, Javed Khan-trained Salazaar had given the field the slip. Light My Fire was a none too impressive third. There are more races in store for the winner.
The Falconhead Cup saw the Bath-trained Going Starry produce an astounding gallop in the straight, after lying fourth along the rails for a majority of the way, and land the spoils. The favourite, The Polynesian, was a lacklustre fourth while other fancied runners like Rock Superstar and Romantic Escape finished in the ruck.
In the afternoon’s big race, The Colonial Cup, the favourite Antonique made a bold bid to get the better of Royal County Down who had stolen a march in the straight but Rawal timed his effort too late. Being boxed-in in the backstretch did not help the filly’s cause.

Robin Corner drove the last nail into the coffin for punters when his Namgay made every post of the Artwork Handicap a winning one despite drifting out of a straight course. C.S. Jodha astride Highly Fashionable tried his utmost to get on even terms but he was taken out by the winner, other than which he may have come up trumps. But then, that’s the glorious uncertainty of racing!