Nadeem Alam, a jockey still claiming allowance after starting to ride in 2005, will never forget this Saturday! Originally committed to ride just the one race for the day, it would have been simply another day at the office for the 21 year old. However, jockey Riyaz Shiekh's fall at Calcutta on Friday got him two extra rides as a stroke of providence. Opportunity arrives without any prior appointments and Nadeem Alam made most of this good fortune to carve a memorable day in his life which would shoot his level of confidence and may well set him up for the rest of his career. In any profession, particularly in sport, one 'jet-setting' thrust can make a world of change. Remember those two yorkers bowled by Shoiab Akhtar getting him the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar? Shoiab never looked back after that impetus and transformed into a completely devastating bowler. There are many such comparisons. Nadeem Alam has seized the momentum now and would have got the much needed confidence soaring high - a precise recipe for greater achievements. It's too early to predict his future at this juncture, but the world must look a better place now for Nadem Alam. Success breeds confidence and confidence breeds success! There are both – the vicious and the auspicious circle options for an individual. Hopefully Nadeem Alam, who has just magnetized the limelight, chooses the right path unlike some of his young and impressionable colleagues and gets into the auspicious circle. Game Of Power set the tone for the day for young Alam. Sitting last of nine in a closely huddled bunch, Alam had to encounter traffic problems early in the straight. He poked and probed for the opening which was non existent and finally had to switch to the outside. Once he had the turf clear ahead of him, he nurtured Game of Power encouragingly and the seven year old gelding from trainer Nana Raghunaths's yard put in a terrific burst to collar Lightening Bolt just a couple of strides away from home. Lightening Bolt (Prashant) looked the winner for the most part but was unlucky to lose the race in the final moments. Amaranza (Kharadi) too showed fighting spirit and ran a close third. Return Of The King was also close up with the leaders and finished in the frame. The Royal Tern Trophy was Alam's next conquest. Astride Appreciate, Alam coxed the 2/1 favourite from trainer Narendra Lagad's yard to the front soon on start. Once in front, he dictated his own terms and cracked a fiery pace to maintain a safe distance from the 'chasers'. Into the straight, Appreciate kicked on like a true sprinter and never looked like surrendering his authority. Firefoot and Flames Of Fire, the only two in close vicinity were struggling to catch up. River Dancer was labouring all through the straight and never raised a hope. Oyster Gem (Ashish) was surprisingly detached last for a scurry amongst such fast runners and ruined her own chances of making a race of it. The Sunderji mare finished on with a shade of brilliance to gobble up the runner up berth. Flames Of Fire is getting ready too. The last race of the day saw Nadeem Alam exude high confidence, patience and sound judgment in guiding Tullamore to a comfortable victory. Quaoar surged into the early lead and was joined alongside by Nuncio and the pair broke away to a sizeable lead. Unperturbed, Alam sat waiting in the fourth a good 6-7 lengths behind the leaders. However, past the 800 and taking the curve, Alam started to bridge the gap smoothly with minimum effort and was in striking position on straightening up without having taken much from Tullamore. Quaoar and Nuncio were still un-separated when Tullamore began to make his presence felt. Quaoar wilted but Nuncio decided to stay put. Tullamore was toying with Nuncio, who was going all out as if sensing victory. Tullamore, however, had the last laugh as he simply cruised past Nuncio in the last 50 meters to post an easy victory. It was a good race for trainer H J Antia whose runners bagged the top two positions. Neeraj Rawal was the other jockey who is on his way up. The boy is riding high and is still basking in his glorious exhibition of four winners in Calcutta on Friday. He scored a fine back to back double astride Tigresse Noire and the heavily backed Princess Ruby in the third and fourth races. Raquel (M. Narredu) was the piping hot favourite at 35/100 on. "No Business to Lose" was the general perception about Raquel among the racing patrons. The phrase became more realistic as War of Attrition was withdrawn leaving most to believe that it was now a one horse race. However, as the starter pressed the button, backers of Raquel broke into a sweat even before the horses were sighted in the straight. Raquel was being niggled to keep pace while Tigresse Noire was eased into the lead and was travelling comfortably. Jockey Narredu was urging the filly desperately early in the straight and Raquel was simply getting nowhere. Tigresses Noire expectedly improved in the straight when Neeraj asked her to step up after entering the straight on a tight rein. Cosmic Flower denied Raquel even the place money (there was none offered) and ended a good 4 lengths ahead, the identical distance that she ran behind the winner. Raquel simply looked totally out of sorts in the race and was completely outrun by both Tigresse Noire and Cosmic Flower. Jockey Narredu did all he could but could get no response from the Shroff trained filly who ran much below her form. The hapless jockey had to bear wrath of some abusive punters for no fault of his. Neeraj Rawal literally had the proverbial 'armchair ride to victory' astride Princess Ruby. All he had to do was ensure his safe seat and let the Princess dictate the terms. The Haresh Mehta owned bay filly was backed down heavily from the fours to 7/4 against, at race time. She won uncontested and long way from home as well. Sitting close up with the front bunch, Princess Ruby slipped into the lead on turning for home and accelerated tremendously to stifle out any challenge from any quarter. Her last three runs would not give even a patch of indication of what she produced on the day. She was a totally different customer on Saturday and has improved leaps and bounds form her earlier starts. The others merely completed the formalities to claim their respective placing. Trainer CD Katrak has simply spun a magic with Princess Ruby. Imtiaz Sait charge Secret Pilgrim ensured an auspicious start to the day's proceedings. The even money favourite caused little anxiety and was settled well up with the leaders Socaroro and Lone Trojan. Kempinski preferred to stay backwards. On turning the bend, Socaroro still led while Lone Trojan was hard ridden to keep going. Secret Pilgrim moved to top gear and sailed past Socaroro approaching the distance post and stretched away for a decisive win. Socaroro held on to the second slot while Lone Trojan was an 'all spent' third. Kempinski could only figure in the frame. Jockey M. Narredu reported sick after the third race and M. Kharadi was declared to ride the only other on money favorite of the day – Cavaradosi. It proved a blessing in disguise for the veteran rider as Cavaradosi too did not oblige. A failure on a second on money favourite would have certainly invited a stronger and uglier protest from the crowd which does get really unreasonable far too regularly - reacting almost always through their pockets than practical assessment. Absolute Reality (SN Chavan) stole a march early in the race and no sooner on turning for home opened up a yawning gap singing the famous yesteryear popular number "Catch Me If You Can"! No one did, not even Cavaradosi! The entire straight belonged to Absolute Reality as the Lagad gelding made a mince meat of the opposition and won running away. Cavaradosi tried hard and narrowed the margin but even then was left 4 lengths behind by the winner. Sir Taj covered a lot of ground to end a decent third. Cavaradosi looked like he was struggling only because of the manner of Absolute Reality's dominance. Don't give up on the Vinayak ward; he is the one to recall in Pune. Trainer Narendra Lagad scored a well supported double without actually causing a flutter!