Trainer Harvinder Singh Bath’s crack sprinter Anastasio (Varenar-You Say I Say) returned to winning ways with a thumping victory in The AQ Qidwai Memorial Cup at RCTC on Tuesday. The four-year-old gelding was available at 4/1. He was handled judiciously by experienced jockey Nirmal Jodha to make every post a winning one and win easier than the verdict. A couple of gentle taps from Jodha’s stick was all that was necessary to keep him galloping resolutely after the distance post. Noverro was the best of the rest and will be worth keeping an eye on. Nine-year-old Bullet still showed a zest for racing and ended up a good third.

Trainer Arti Doctor has been known to perform rather well during the rainy season and added a brace to her tally on this day. Both her winners were on-money public choices (Dussehra and Ashi Nangsey). Dussehra (Diffident-Forever Amber/ Yeravada Stud) has come on a lot as was evident from her run. Though Uptown Girl was better placed at weights from their earlier clash, B Nikhil on the favourite allowed Uptown Girl to dictate terms till the top of the straight where he smoothly took over the running and pulled away for an easy victory.

Arti completed her brace with Ashi Nangsey (Arabian Gulf-Iberian/ Manjri Stud) who made it a start-to-finish affair in the Desert Shot Plate in the hands of western India jockey S. Zervan. She totally outpaced the others from her age group. The disappointment was Fabienne from Vijay Singh’s yard. The latter has yet to open his account after two race-days.

Robert Gowli-trained Ivy (Stardan-Alohamora/ Rolli Stud) displayed her penchant for running up front when  she made every post of the Vibrant Handicap a winning one. The disappointment in the six-furlong sprint was Romantic Society who was a tad better placed at weights than the eventual winner. It was a little surprising to see Kamchatka close as the favourite,  but he finished a fair third.

It was heartening to see three-year-old filly  Interstellar (Top Class-Eternal Spirit/ Mukteshwar Stud) come good with a degree of comfort in The Everynsky Handicap. The Manvendra Singh-trained filly was piloted by A Ashhad Asbar. Lying a handy third while Santero and Leopard Creek called the shots, the filly bisected the duo near the distance post and drew away in style.

The Supernova Handicap was bagged by public choice Cocoanut (Sussex-Coco Beach/ Pratap Stud) who was drifting out in the straight under apprentice Ranidan Singh’s whip. Six-year-old War Games was taken wide as well. The winner, a three-year-old, had the benefit of a run on the opening day. This coupled with the 3kg allowance game him the edge over his rivals.

The last race of the afternoon, The Picture Perfect Handicap, saw a blanket finish involving Spyglass Hill, Bubbly Bellini and Athletico. The last named, ridden by Christopher Alford, edged out his two closest rivals in a field of nine. The Bharath Singh-trained five-year-old is sired by Arabian Gulf (Manjri Stud) out of Linette. It was a fine piece of horsemanship by Christopher Alford which fetched him the honours.