It was a mid-week afternoon that most local punters would rather wipe off from their memory. Barring a couple of first favourites, the eight-event monsoon card saw a spate of unfancied runners fill the winner’s berth. The afternoon commenced on a solemn note as a minute’s silence was observed for the recent demise of former President Kalam.  The opening event that followed went more or less according to current form as the well-backed pair of Bang Bang and Vaani were involved in a close contest for supremacy all the way down the straight with the latter sticking her neck out at the wire to get the better of her nearest rival. The Jasbir Singh-trained seven-year-old by International out of Rock Opera ( Mebajeona Stud ), who was running at the helm of affairs from the word go,  was ridden competently by apprentice Rajinder.

Visiting jockey Trevor Patel rode the first of his two winners to victory when he made every post a winning one while astride Farley Rodrigues-trained Ambrose (Steinbeck-Allspice/ Usha Stud) in the mile race for the Sermon Handicap. The favourite Self Directed was in hot pursuit of the front-runner till into the straight before calling it a day.

Rodrigues and Trevor completed a well-deserved brace when the jockey guided home Ace Amandus (Black Cash-Flight Fantasy/ Nanoli Stud) in a similar fashion in the sprint for the lower division of the Antonique Cup. The public choice Masquenada Lyrics, with local ace Christopher Alford astride, made a somewhat lethargic start to the sprint and subsequently lost position further as Oath Of Valour cut across his path in the backstretch. It would be fair to say that the top-weight was handled with a lack of finesse that one normally associates with Alford’s horsemanship. That the season has not been kind to him thus far was evident once again in the day’s final event where Alford was astride the piping hot on-money favourite Speedy Gonsalves. It would appear that Pat Boone’s protagonist of his landmark sixties hit, lost himself in the Mexican market. On a more serious note, the three-year-old was squeezed out early in the race and though he made up some ground in the straight, it was not sufficient to get the better of the front-running pair of Mister Positive and Praise Her Gaze. Vikash Jaiswal’s ward Mr Positive (Motivator-Rubyanna)was ridden with great purpose by brother Vinay to land the spoils as the top-weight Praise Her Gaze drifted out in the straight.

For followers of money, the mayhem continued in the two divisions of The Kingcraft Handicap. In the upper division, the favourite Meet The Legend was slowly away from the blocks and never quite recovered to issue a challenge or pose a serious threat to any of his rivals. The other fancied runner Anassa, with jockey Trevor astride, got all the chances but failed miserably after the distance post. Md Islam astride Bharath Singh-schooled Scuderia (Burden Of Proof – Super Model/ Kunigal Stud) rode an absolute blinder to squeeze through along the rails and then ward off a flying challenge from seven-year-old mare Follow The Dream.

The lower division witnessed a keen contest between Gallop To Glory(Mathematician-Perfect Rhythm/ Sans Craintes Stud) and Torero with the former drifting out in the straight despite Nikhil’s best efforts. The winner did take the runner-up out and it was quite sporting of the connections of the latter not to lodge an objection, as it would have only wasted time, since there was no significant interference. Shezad rode out Torero hands-and-heels in the straight. It is debatable whether a crack or two would have fetched him the race. The disappointments in the race were Romantic Flow and War Games, both of whom were well prepared.

Shezad and trainer HS Bath had combined fruitfully earlier to fetch home the honours with Chhundu (Eljohar – Body and Soul/Mukteshwar Stud) in the upper division of the Antonique Cup. Top-weight Temple Run was well ridden by Mahesh and gave the winner a fright or two in the straight. The youngsters’ race for The Vibrant Handicap saw the hapless C.Alford’s mount Cacharel planted in the gates. Christopher Gleich-trained Rani Thea (Nikhil up) was a winner at every post despite a very serious challenge from Breach Candy. The winner is by Pinson out of Flying Rani.