Bhartah Singh-trained Astaire (Burden Of Proof-Rhapsody In Blue) lifted the Thrifty Allan Cup, but only after jockey Trevor Patel had tapped into the gelding’s extra-reservoir of energy in the final furlong. The riding crop no doubt helped matters as Trevor switched his mount to the outside and moved with raking strides to eventually collar runaway leader Andreus and draw away in the final 50 metres Both Lantana Lady and Chala Ja Bachha were notable runners and are the ones for the notebook. Astaire opened at 3/1 but was soon backed down to 18/10.

Trainer Vijay Singh followed up his high-five on Sunday with a mid-week double to shoot into the lead in the trainers’ championship tally with a total of 11 winners. Vijay’s first winner of the day was Azienda who was cleverly piloted by Christopher Alford in the Sreepriya Handicap. He allowed speedy Words to call the shots till the distance post, before turning on the heat. Fancied by many, No Looking Back failed to make an headway while Scuderia ran on from the rear to pip a tiring Words for the runner-up berth.

Vijay completed his double with three-year-old Mr Gorgeous (Mr Mellon-Drop Dead Gorgeous) who completed a hat-trick last winter before shouldering top-weight and succumbing to Shourisha in the Grand Annual Handicap. On this occasion however, he made mincemeat of the opposition to win as he liked from front-running Gallop To Glory. Shailesh Shinde rode an absolute copy-book race on the winner.

The afternoon commenced and ended with favourites taking a back seat. The opener saw Errol Bhungard’s Spartacus backed to the exclusion of all others and close as the piping hot on-money favourite. Apprentice Azharuddin, who has been having a somewhat lean season, had the public choice placed in second slot behind the front-runner Jacqualine Postill. Spartacus took up the running in the straight as expected but that is where his story ended as Shafiq Khan-trained Riverdown Empress moved with telling strides along the rails. A change of stable has obviously done a world of good for the connections of the surprise winner who had sometimes flattered to deceive in the past.

Rutherford Alford’s Pick Pocket won The Truce Colours Handicap in stunning fashion as he made every post a winning won. Impression made no impression while Skyway continued to ensure that he foots his own oats’ bills. 

Jockey Arshad Alam rode a measured race on the favourite Primrose in the Annihilator Plate. While on a start-to-finish mission atop the Arti Doctor-trained filly, he was challenged first by Pinball Wizard and then by Oath Of Valour. However, Alam showed that he had something in hand as he always kept his mount ahead of his adversaries.

Bharath Singh-trained Land Of Love (Tariq-Eau De Vie) brought the curtain down in stunning fashion as she made every post a winning one in the hands of Md Islam. The filly thus broke out of the maiden ranks in open company which is pretty praiseworthy. Burdened by the top-weight, the favourite Romancer was out of sorts while fast-finishing Significant was the one to catch the eye. Other fancied runners like Noble Senorita, Conquerable and Giocrat were never in it, obviously hoping to test their mettle in the lowest class.