The first race of the day saw the highly thought of Airco (Arabian Gulf – Sandslash / Manjri) pull off a much overdue victory. Kandinsky on the basis of 3 victories in the current season garnered the most support and Airco having been rested after a disappointing classic campaign looked fresh. Kandinsky jumped well, and looked to make it a pillar to post affair with Airco stalking the pace in handy second. As the heads turned for home, this pair pulled away from the small field, and Zervan and Trevor both set their mounts into top gear. Kandinsky was a neck shy at the wire and the handicappers will suggest that this horse has reached his top rating. Airco fought every inch of the straight en-route to victory and is probably best suited upto a mile. Ice Cube Baby needs to improve her gate manners as she yet again lost all her chances at the jump.

The Y.M.Chaudhury maiden mile was contested by a small group of inexperienced and poorly performed maidens. The default stand-out was Smart N Noble (Ace - Only For Gold / Poona) from Karthik Ganapathy’s yard solely based on his multiple starts which provided him with much more race experience than his rivals. A well bred got-abroad in Lord Grantham was considered worthy competition and these two horses garnered all the support in the betting trends. They started as joint favourites and the result looked confined to the jodi with the other competitors available at 15/1 and over. Smart N Noble jumped well and set off in front always controlling the pace to his liking with Lord Grantham and the rest of the field in close attendance. At the top of the straight as the race came to a boil it was apparent that the winner would emerge from the jodi. Sandesh spurted with a furlong and a half to go, and while Trevor travelled sweetly to get alongside, he seemed to lack the experience to go past when it mattered. Lord Grantham will benefit tremendously from this run and should find a winning bracket when campaigned next.

Uncle Scrooge (Authorised – Yesteryear / Nanoli) was anything but miserly, and obliged the punters with a class above performance. The shortest priced favourite of the day looked a picture in the paddock, and inspite of working up a bit of a pre-race sweat, on the basis of his last start performance, was always the horse to beat. This was amply proven in the running of this mile and a half trip as Trevor confidently tucked Uncle Scrooge into the back bunch and merrily bowled along with them knowing that he had a lot of horse under him. He travelled 2-3 wide all the way through, took the longest way home, coming wide at the bend, had the race sewn-up with a furlong to go and was easing up at the wire after demolishing the opposition. Jaegerbomb finished second but didn’t really make any impact on the winner. Uncle Scrooge seems to enjoy the Mumbai track and can repeat in a higher class as well.

Dazzling Dancer (Kingda Ka – Intimacy / Manju) added to the list of favourites that were obliging and full credit must be given to A.Sandesh and Rehanullah Khan. The filly looked fit and well for the fray upon inspection in the paddock and it was tough on paddock looks to back against her. As the gates opened, Nirbhaya and Indus Prince took it up with Dazzling Dancer beautifully settled in third and chomping at the bit. Sandesh allowed the front two to lead him till halfway up the straight and timed his run to such a nicety that he spurted just as the front runners began to tire and come back at him. He won the race hands and heels only by a neck, but was always in control of the result. Sandesh has now acquired an enviable reputation as a  jockey who can win from any situation and simply never gives up. The spectators in the stands might think that he is beat, but believe me, he never knows it. This trait will hold him in good stead throughout his career. I, like numerous others am a fan.

His Highness (Razeen – Altitude / Usha) managed a last stride thrilling triumph in the 5th race snatching victory from Sumaaq. Dramarama was the lukewarm fav but getting the mile trip was always suspect. This opened the door for the other competitors and the beneficiary was the Imtiaz Sait schooled His Highness who was very advantageously placed at the handicap scales and also had the assistance of top professional P.Trevor. June took up the running and was followed by Sumaaq and Dramarama with His Highness hugging the rails. As they turned for home Sumaaq took over the running and Dramarama was the first one beat. Trevor then gathered His Highness for a final effort and fought out the last furlong with Sumaaq to land the spoils at the wire. Dramarama finished last and will probably be better suited to sprints.

Cracklin’ Rosie (Pheonix Tower – Nojoom / Manjri) looked a picture in the paddock and was the instrument of a subtly backed coup. Speedo was the fav and garnered his fair share of support which allowed Crackling Rosie to still be the ucrative odds of 5/1. These 2 horses fought it out in the straight and Crackling Rosie prevailed by about half a length. Phoenix Tower has proven himself to be a highly precocious and reliable stallion and his progeny have added lustre particularly into the sprinting distances. Speedo was a brave second and just found one better on the day, and should enter the winners bracket sooner rather than later. Royal Sapphire was 3rd and Ame disappointed whilst finishing down the field.

The seventh race saw all the 3 market fancies giving all their supporters a whole lot to shout about as the verdict was just too close. Makino (Sedgefield - Blitz Kiss / Jai Govind) and Mariska along with Irish Bailey were all fancied and either of the 3 could have won the race. These 3 horses found themselves in a line with 2 furlongs to go and it was anybody’s race. Makino with the rails for support, galloped on stubbornly and resolutely to edge out Mariska by a head. Irish Bailey who returned to the paddock without the rider was a head behind in 3rd, and might have won had she not come back sore. Mariska who is the daughter of multi-classic winning filly Xisca will probably relish some more galloping ground and as such is one for the note-books. 

Wings of Glory (China Visit - Dazzling Queen / Usha) from trainer Mansoor Shahs yard was backed to the exclusion of all his rivals in the last, and justified the support with a comprehensive and bloodless victory. Upon jumping P.Trevor immediately got Wings of Glory into box-seat right behind the front-running Ice Affair. Round the turn Wings of Glory was full of running and Trevor eased him off the rails and once presented with galloping space, the 7year old outclassed the competition. Full credit to trainer Mansoor Shah who has a knack of getting his wards to perform when it matters the most. Wings of Glory provided Trevor with yet another treble and re-inforces why he is currently India’s highest ranked jockey. Winds of Change finished a notable third.

For the professionals, trainer Imtiaz Sait scored a double, jockey Trevor scored a fine treble and jockeys Sandesh and Zervan scored a double each.