This summer, the fight for the champion jockey crown is really getting hot, the top three, Sandesh, Suraj and John cracking the whip. After Suraj streaked ahead last week, Sandesh packed punch on the eve of the Ultra Kingfisher Derby, recording a fine treble and is back on top of the leader board.

The top pro on Saturday first struck through the Dominic-trained Honour who edged out the favourite Shining Magic in a pulse-pounding finish in the upper division of the R M Puttanna Memorial Trophy. Now that Honour has broken the ice after sporting blinkers, the Dominic ward is set to provide an encore when saddled next.

Next astride the ten to one shot Sporting Pleasure in the Nawab M Arshad Ali Khan Memorial Cup, Sandesh packed punch on the  Padmanabhan  ward to upset the applecart of the Dominic-trained Justice Angel who was touted a moral certainty after the other top fancy Shield Of Achilles was withdrawn at the starting gates. Leading pro Pradeep Chouhan guiding the fortunes of the `Angel’ stole a march at the top of the straight but failed in his mission to thwart the effort of Sporting Pleasure who produced an astounding gallop in the final furlong to register his maiden success.

In line for a treble, Sandesh pushed the grey filly Hall Of Famer ahead the moment the seven-horse field came under the starter’s flag following the decision of the starter to withdraw debutant Tororosso who reared up at the box and then bolted. It is also learnt that this Irfan ward behaved badly at the saddling enclosure before he was walked to the starting gates.

After seizing the initiative early in the mile long Mystical Million, Sandesh produced his best in the final furlong to peg back the challenge of Serena Ballerina close home to register a fine treble.  The Arjun Manglorkar schooled Towering Heights and the runner-up Serena Ballerina have done enough to merit a following and it will not be long before the two enter the winners’ circle.

The plum event, the BTC Anniversary Cup was claimed in resplendent style by the four to one shot Bold Command from trainer S Ganapathy’s yard. The French saddle artiste David Breux fresh from his success on the Karthik Ganapathy schooled Snow Crystal last week produced a heartwarming performance, biding his time before timing his final challenge to a nicety. Satellite produced a good final dash in the final 100 metres but that just was not good enough to bother the winner who looked too good on this day. The favourite Starlet after being favourably placed at the top of the straight lacked the ability and class to match strides with the winner and eventually came home third behind Satellite.

In the concluding event, the lower division of the R M Puttanna Memorial Trophy, Sandesh partnering the lesser fancied Balian looked set to record his fourth win before Suraj in a never-say-die bid drove home the well supported second choice Babushka to gain the verdict at the shadow of the winning post.  The favourite Golden Diamond from Nithyanand’s yard raced in patches and finished of the frame.

The Mumbai challenger Avant Garde from Hyderabad pro Deshmukh’s yard was backed to the exclusion of her nine rivals including a smart last start winner In The Sunrise from Padmanabhan’s yard in the K N Guruswamy Memorial Cup and the talented filly readily justified the confidence of her supporters romping home in effortless style. Stevalena from Kolkata caught the eye while finishing second. The winner is in rousing form and it will pay to again have a big punt on Avant Garde.

After the well backed Lightning Attack failed to justify favouritism in the opening event, the ten to one shot, Above The Rest brought the smile back on the face of trainer Lokanath in the Indian Pattern Committee Cup. The Amit Caddy schooled Rocket Man who garnered the maximum support on the strength of his impressive performance in his last effort failed to display his true potential failing to make the board. Last start winner Tuscano produced another satisfying effort to take the second spot ahead of Bolts Colt.

The Darius Byramji schooled Lightning Strikes won the opening event, the Adler Trophy in the hands of Srinath.  The Sharath Kumar-trained King Smile caught the eye finishing a close fourth in this event despite the inept effort of jockey Mallikarjun.  The Hyderabad challenger Bharath Queen is very ordinary and hence will struggle to match strides with the horses at her mark in this centre.