Favourites took a back seat as only two first fancies obliged in the eight-race card on the Forbes India day at Mumbai, which saw the Super Jackpot carried forward. The brighter news is that a lone jackpot pool punter raked in whopping Rs 717,268/- for correctly nominating Double Diamond, Supreme Star, La Femme Fleur, Advance To Contact and Danse Debonaire for the pool.

Supreme Star (Rebuttal – Mullagh) trained by Malesh Narredu and owned by Dr MAM Ramaswamy thundered home to win the RM & Rukmani Goculdas Million in grand fashion. Jockey A Sandesh kept Supreme Star on the inner rails as Silver Streak led the field with Star Trainer and Winston in close attendance. Gentle Knowledge and Supreme Star raced alongside each other, while Rajasthan Royals and Ancient Wonder were close in the rear.

On entering the straight, Silver Streak stretched ahead and Star Trainer was finding it tough to keep up with the leader. While Winston was failing to quicken, Supreme Star started to make headway approaching the final furlong. Rajasthan Royals made his bid from the outside and was covering ground and getting closer in contention. Silver Streak kicked on at the same pace but when Supreme Star upped the ante, Silver Streak had no answers. Supreme Star stretched past the last start winner with ease and won with a measure of comfort. Rajasthan Royals got closer but could not get past Silver Streak in the final standing.

La Femme Fleur (Ikhtyar – Dawalisha) could not have made a better debut appearance. She rocketed from way behind the action to time her run to a nicety and score a fashionable debut win to clinch the Div II of the Forbes India Trophy.

This was a gallant effort from La Femme Fleur considering it was her as she was a long way away from the leaders even as they turned for home. Africana had just gotten past Pretty in Patpong and taken over the running when Nicanor sprang to challenge the new leader. Rashun and favourite Angel In The Sky started to rush in to battle it out. As these four were grappling for the lead, La Femme Fleur galloped on to the scene majestically to cruise past the fighting bunch and score an eye-catching victory. When Malcolm Kharadi arrived with his filly, they were well inside the final furlong. La Femme Fleur was fluent in her gallop and she went at a cracking pace to stun the opposition. To top that Malcolm spent minimum effort and fuel to compile this impressive victory. Favourite Angel In The Sky had to be content with the runner up berth as in this show of form, Le Femme Fleur was unbeatable.

The upper division of the race saw an almost similar finish with Advance To Contact advancing menacingly towards the finish to shock Reckless in the dying moments of the race. Reckless, who was sent out on a start to finish mission, did everything right most of the way. He jumped out smartly and went smoothly into the lead. Reckless had a good gallop going as they entered the straight and he easily brushed off the early challenges posed by Sun Hot and Favourite Flying Eagle midway in the straight. Reckless seemed well on course to victory as he managed to stay ahead when San Rafael also started to mount pressure, but Advance To Contact (Burden of Proof – Agassiz) tore into the territory to snatch the lead a stride or two from the winning post and register his first win in Mumbai and the second of his career. It was a well-earned victory for Advance to Contact, as jockey Dharmendar had to run all over the place, poking through various gaps, to make his final run culminate in a delightful finish.

Brindaban (Placerville – Yutai) was at her brilliant best and resurfaced to wrest back the initiative she had lost to Gangnam Style in the closing stages of the five-furlong scurry. Emerging Star had led the field homewards with Brindaban sitting on her tail. Brindaban easily got past the leader and assumed command. She however, had Gangnam Style snapping at her and the pair drew away from the rest. Intesar, the favourite, was lagging behind and didn’t raise any hope. Gangnam style was over bearing on Brindaban and with 100 to go got along side and even headed Brindaban. However, Brindaban stuck by her challenger and in the last few yards, clawed her way back to win by over a length. It was announced later, that Gangnam Style had bled.

SK Suderji trained Victoria Falls (Razeen – Husun) fought her way into form and picked up the Western India Bookmakers’ Association Trophy with a classy show of speed coupled with some smart and timely moves by jockey P Trevor.

Dreamliner and Ice Zone were in the lead with Quest For Love stuck behind these two. Just as the runners were spreading out for vantage positions and clear runs, Trevor moved out of the rails and went all out and stole a march, progressing rapidly to shoot into the lead in quick time. By the time Quest For Love got the passage after moving out, Victoria Falls had worked up go pace and established a handy lead. Victoria Falls kept things well under control and the late finishing efforts of both Quest For Love and Fortune Hunter made little impact on Victoria Falls.   

Nirad Karanjawala trained Double Or Quits (Oath – Andaluz) scored a facile victory, winning the day’s first race unchallenged, well at least in the final furlong. Essence Of Love had a runaway lead coming into the straight. Double Or Quits quickly moved to second with Cartel hovering close behind.

Double Or Quits got past Essence Of Love with ease and took charge early in the straight. Cartel moved up too and it appeared that they were heading for a close confrontation, as the others were out of reckoning by then. However, Jockey Neeraj Rawal put Double Or Quits into top gear and the mare accelerated gamely to stretch away from Cartel and post a runway victory.

Double Diamond (Warrshan – Leit Motif) earned a hard fought victory putting in a good effort to peg back Fajr close home. Captain Smart led them into the straight with Fajr ready to pounce on the leader. Double Diamond was not too far behind and the rest, including Good Memory were too far behind.

Fajr got past a fighting Captain Smart midway in the straight. Double Diamond was taking her time to get into the full-throttle mode, but when she got into her strides, she whizzed ahead to catch Fajr meters from the winning post. She won by a head. Good Memory came from far behind to end an eye-catching third.

Danse Debonaire (Royal Gladiator – Danseuse) from Narendra Ladad’s yard dropped a bombshell taking on the opposition in the latter half of the homestretch and spoiling the party for the well-backed Shining Path in the last stride.

Allegiance and Ticker Tape Parade were in the lead as they turned for home, with the rest of the field closing in on the leading pair. Shining Path was in striking position and he surged ahead with Brave Fighter breathing down his neck. The two fought out grimly and just when Shining Path seemed to have snatched the upper hand, Danse Debonaire arrived with a dazzling run to zip ahead a stride from the winning post.

For the professionals, trainer Narendra Lagad saddled a double, while jockeys A Sandesh and apprentice B Nikhil scored a double each.