It was a thrill-packed Saturday at the Calcutta racecourse which many a outstation invader and their respective mentors would like to forget – conspicuous among them being piping hot on-money public choice Circle Of Life from Pesi Shroff’s yard, running in the Calcutta Gold Cup. Not only did she succumb meekly to the second favourite and local spearhead Snowdrift (Multidimensional-Snow Tiger/ Usha Stud), but also failed to collar the 15/1 shot Mr Gorgeous who did all the spadework for his stablemate and eventual winner and yet held on to the runner-up berth.

Lying a hand sixth in a field of nine runners while bottom-weighted stablemate Mr Gorgeous called the shots, Vijay Singh-trained Snowdrift was given a confident and flawless ride by Christopher Alford. Displaying an incredible turn of foot (that was evident when he got the better of the mighty Dandified earlier in the season), Snowdrift simply sailed passed the favourite and the pace-setter in a trice, with ‘horse-whisperer’ C. Alford sitting tight and letting the protagonist in the race do all the ‘thinking’ and hard work. The ace rider never had to touch his whalebone once – in fact it looked as if the thought never even crossed his mind. For the vanquished favourite, she can take heart from the fact that considering it was her first ever run at this centre (that too without much preparation), she has scope for improvement before her next entry which is likely to be the Indian Champion Cup.

There was quite a surprise package in the very next race, The Juvenile Stakes, which saw the friendless Bharath Singh-trained Suzanna (Win Legend-Just Amazing/ Dashmesh Stud) make every most a winning one in Dashrath Singh’s hands. The good-looking dark bay filly totally outpaced the piping hot on-money favourite Glamorously who was seen struggling as the front-runner stretched away brilliantly and won in excellent time – that too as a two-year-old. With her kind of speed, races like the Alokananda Stakes and The Indian Produce Stakes could be at her mercy. What is even more encouraging is that her dam boasts of a staying blood-line which could see her in a classic mould in the months to follow.

The Madras Race Club Cup  was lifted by Bharath Singh-schooled Santos (Burden Of Proof – Flamingo Fan/ Kunigal Stud) who was the half-money public choice in the six-furlong sprint. There was a bit of drama in the straight as front-running Smooth As Silk veered out dangerously and took the favourite with her. Sensing an opportunity, Shailesh Shinde took Meet The Legend on the inside and tried his best to bag the honours. But it was not to be as even after the severe interference, Santos went on to win under the stick.

IN-AND-OUT :The disappointment in the race was GallopTo Glory who did anything but that as he graced the wrong end of the field. It was a BLATANT case of in-and-out-racing ignored by the Stipes for reasons best known to them. Unless action is taken in such cases, the professionals (with connections) will continue to take advantage of the laxity displayed by those in charge of supervision and racing will degenerate into a farce.

The afternoon commenced with a keen contest between Sreeputra and Glamorous Glory (Mull Of Kintyre-Savoy/ Sohna Stud) in the upper division of the Hydrofoil Handicap with the latter prevailing. She is a full-sister to Paras Mani and the extended trip appeared to suit her. Zervan’s handling of Sreeputra was a little raw as there was really no reason to open a gap of five lengths immediately after the jump-out. However, both runners were flat out at the wire.

The rider of I Me N Myself was fined Rs 5,000/- last time out for ‘soft handling’ and the same rider must have been quite happy to see the favourite finishing fourth despite his best efforts, `as that gave him a ‘prima facie’ clean chit. As has been pointed out earlier in these columns, in such cases, it is imperative that the Stewards demand a change of rider to vindicate the stance of the Stipes. Otherwise the entire episode does not make sense.

Trainer Vijay Singh’s Divine Dimension (Multidimensional-Aksinya/ Usha Stud) was given a clever ride by Shailesh Shinde in the 2000 metres race for The JJ Stephens Memorial Trophy, as he opened a huge break of nearly 100 metres over his three rivals and then held on to the advantage despite his strides shortening in the final furlong. Sugar Sweet played second fiddle once again while second favourite Kinloch was never in it.

Patrick Quinn-trained Amandus (Carnival Dancer – Elusive Trust/ Dashmesh Stud) won a difficult race at the post as he moved with giant strides in the home stretch to peg back the front-running duo of Alondra and Chimeric at the wire, and thus lift The Goolagong Cup.  The curtain came down with the heavily ‘plastered’ Javed Khan-trained Warrior (Sharp Attack – Brushlight/ Gee Stud) bagging the lower division of The Hydrofoil Handicap in Shinde’s hands without too much trouble and sending punters home in a happy frame of mind.