It is a pity that one doesn't see champion jockey Pesi Shroff more in action these days. His energies seem to be directed towards fighting issues concerning the fraternity. Shroff also has made it a point not to ride horses, which in his reckoning might hurt public who has blind confidence in him. Of course the limitations of being a retained jockey sometimes makes him ride horses he may have been happier watching them run from the sideline.

Be that as it may, Shroff's brilliant and aggressive piece of riding is what enabled favourite Soviet Song to land the spoils in the 1200 metres S M Ramakrishna Rao Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 40 and above, the feature event of the races held on Saturday. The Bold Russian progeny was so badly pocketed inside the final 200 metres that Shroff had to shift her from the rails to the edge of the grass track, straighten out the filly and then ride out with all the resources at his command. His power-packed riding enabled Soviet Song to breeze past the front-running Resist The Force in a trice to enable the large section of the punters who had put faith in the favourite, to have a collective sigh of relief.

Soviet Song's cause hadn't been served well last time out when jockey Ruzzan had him traveling wide all the way and then lacked the necessary punch when the four-year old filly had dead-heated with Bountiful Gesture for the fourth spot. The big field and the fact that the rest of the runners crowded in soon after the start saw Shroff fail to get a favourable position early on. The speedy Allabreva set a scorching pace, with Bountiful Gesture, The Music Man and the Resist The Force being the most favourably placed runners in the race.

Allabreva showed no signs of slackening and kicked on merrily even after entering the homestretch but Resist The Force managed to get the better of the front-runner inside the final 100 metres. When everything seemed last for Soviet Song as the filly had a wall of horses in front, Shroff pulled out wisely without pausing to hope for a split and his move turned out to be spectacular. Soviet Song too responded gamely and easily, it was one of fine pieces of riding that one has seen in recent times that ensured the victory of a horse. Resist The Force kept the runner-up spot ahead of Allabreva and Alylady. Bountiful Gesture who had run a dead-heated fourth with Soviet Song the last time out on similar terms, ran below par to finish in the rut. But then Darashah wards are rarely known to maintain the same level of performance and the form graph often varies violently. The Music Man who looked gross, should strip fitter after this forward run and he may be an early bird at Mysore.

Almost Heaven who started the season with a win and then a listless run, won against the book of form, the 1400 metres Highclere Stud Plate. The lesser-fancied horse from Darashah stable quickened nicely to stave off the challenge of Augill Castle by a narrow margin after being switched out of a pocket along the rails. Favourite Tresorie did not relish the slow pace of the race and could not quicken well enough and finished third. Way To The Stars who had a hampered run, was a suggestive fourth.

A poor set of juveniles contested the 1200 metres Chaitanya Chakram Plate. Karan Singh's Top The Star, despite the trip being sharp, nevertheless proved good enough to win. Rush cut an erratic course and had the Enrico filly kept a straight course, the result could have been different. April Ace finished third with a good forward run.

Darius Byramji's Appleby was poorly handled by jockey C Alford who gave the Razeen progeny too much to do in the straight when Ma Baker was ridden cleverly in front by Gallagher. This time out, Aslam Kader took no chances with the favourite as he kept a handy second behind the front-running Brave Deed and then fought out a resolute battle with three-year old Tapatio to win close home to win the 2200 metres V G Saravanam Memorial Cup. The Twist And Turn progeny Tapatio who is bred out and out to stay should acquit himself better in winter as he needs more time to get stronger. Star Splendour who relished the extended trip, was a close third ahead off owner-mate Our Ambition.

Apprentice jockey Md Shafiq messed up on favourite Zoracia and J Shukla who is riding with confidence of late, spurred by the success he has had during the season, guided Another Crown to her maiden win in the Parsiana Plate (Div I). Shafiq tried to force his way through the rails and when the front-running Another Crown closed the gap, he had nowhere to go. Had he elected to switch the Broto progeny to the outside straightaway, the outcome of the result could well have been different. In the lower division of the race, Sirajuddin's Oscar who was held up behind in the early part of the race, sprouted a pair of wings on the wide outside and flashed past the front-running Omni Presence and Cape Fear to record an encore.