The tricky week-day card proceeded along expected lines as favourites took a tumble barring Ristretto in the last race of the day. Jockeys Shailesh Shinde and Trevor Patel picked up a brace each during the long afternoon which commenced with the observance of minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the departed Chairman of RCTC, Mr Deepak Khaitan.

The sole cup event of the day, The Lord Of Clyde Cup, saw Jasbir Singh-trained Bazuka defy the winning penalty and make every post a winning one in the hands of the ever ebullient Pintu Das. However, the rider kept his emotions in check on this occasion as he was warned by the guardians last time about his over-enthusiastic celebrations before crossing the winning post. But who can blame the lad. That was his first win of the season, and now the son of Mull Of Kintyre out of Subhashya Shigram (Sohna Stud) has doubled his tally. The disappointments in the race were Fruit N Nut who dropped back quickly after jumping out well and the favourite Auberon who was never in it.

As jockeys Imran Chisty and D. Ashish failed to make it to the city, they were replaced by a variety of riders during the day. In the first race of the day, Vinay Jaiswal rode his brother’s horse Secret Builder while Shailesh Shinde got a chance ride astride Amandus. The latter did not disappoint as the Patrick Quinn ward by Carnival Dancer out of Elusive Trust (Dashmesh Stud ) displayed his penchant for distance. Shailesh kept his mount last of five till the straight while front-running Legendofthephoenix set the pace. Just when the public choice Athletico was making his move, Amandus swept past all in a trice.

The Gridiron Handicap saw top-weight Snow Ball take a good jump-out and try to make ends meet but the weight appears to have told as the six-year-old tired in the last 100 metres and was overhauled by speedster Land Of Glory (Tariq-Balance De Power/ Equus Stud) from the Bharath Singh yard. The four-year-old gelding was piloted by Md Islam.

Like Snow Ball, top-weight Temple Run came to a standstill after establishing a good lead in the race for the upper division of the Voltige Handicap. Christopher Gleich-trained Princess Thea (Rambus-Baby Don) pegged back fast-finishing Passionate as the winning post came to her rescue. The first half of the card saw the lesser names among riders prevailing and jockey Tamang cashed in on the situation.

The lower division of the same race witnessed yet another nerve-wracking finish as Deepak Karki’s front-running Sreeyantra (Hammerstein-Nasreen/ Krishna Stud) held on by the skin of his teeth from Alicante. Apprentice Munna Alam did well to ride him out hands and heels in the final fifty metres and hold on to the winner’s berth. The public choice Modus Vivendi, ridden by Trevor in the absence of Chisty, was sluggish and never in it.

By the sixth race, the punters’ debit account had swelled to unlimited proportions and The Salvage Plate was an utter misnomer as it did nothing to salvage the situation for them. Pujarin was backed to the exclusion of all others and she ended up a tame third while next in demand Captain Haddock did issue a semblance of a challenge to the ultimate winner Aerona (available at 8/1) but his effort came to nought. Lying a handy sixth till heads turned for home, Javed Khan-trained Aerona (Chevalier-So Shocking/ Dashmesh Stud) was piloted with great gusto by Shailesh Shinde to land the spoils in the closing stages of the seven furlong event while Pujarin was making her run along the rails and Isle Of Avalon drifted to the outer rails.

After a placid early afternoon when his well-backed mounts did nothing to enhance punters’ confidence, visiting jockey Trevor Patel was available at 4/1 astride Torino (Rebuttal-Persian Delight/ Hazara Stud) in the Coxcomb Handicap. He rode a power-packed ending to get the better of Praise Her Gaze and Head Hunter in a blanket finish. ‘At last’ sighed those punters who were rewarded for not giving up hope and were able to keep in their kitty, wagering-money for Trevor’s last two mounts. Available at even money, Rutherford Alford-trained Ristretto (Top Class-Bold Babe/ Mukhteswar Stud ) was flawlessly piloted by Trevor to a popular victory in the Favourite Handicap.