Three top `Knights’ killed the eight-event card on Friday. Top gun Srinath stole the limelight booting home four winners, while Trevor Patel and Suraj Narredu recorded a double apiece. The top drawer effort of the three top pros on the circuit helped the followers of form return home satisfied, most fancied contestants justifying the top billing.

The star of the day, Srinath opened his account through the Britto schooled What A Nice Man in the BARI Plate run over a sprint. The winner fancied strongly by his connections looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring and Srinath had little difficulty driving home the public choice to a convincing victory in the lowest class. What A Nice Man has the ability to strike it rich again in the upper class and it will pay to follow him again when saddled next.

After guiding home Britto’s `Nice Man’, Srinath packed punch on his brother Dominic’s Havelock Princess in the upper division of the Yadgir Plate run over a sprint. Tracking the leader Flotus, who was gearing up to drop a bombshell, Srinath pulled out all stops to enable the `Princess’ edge out the Prithviraj ward at the shadow of the winning post. The favourite Campari Girl and Papadokia who also had his fair share of supporters failed to display their true potential failing to make the frame. The Irfan Ghatala schooled Daisy Duke finished third ahead of Perfectebony who lacks the desire and willingness to make it count.

Astride the second in demand at the betting ring, War Envoy in the plum event, the RWITC Trophy, Srinath produced his best to upset the applecart of Reference and Suraj Narredu in a pulse-pounding finish. After Suraj streaked ahead and looked set to score, Srinath setalight War Envoy and the winner after a ding-dong battle in the final furlong sealed it at the post. Amber Crown warmed up late to finish third and it will not be long before this Ganapathy ward earns his cornbill. Reference, it must be mentioned, in defeat was not disgraced and lives to fight another day.

Having recorded a treble, Srinath guiding the fortunes of the Gregory Sandhu schooled Massive Dynamics produced a copybook effort to register his fourth success. The favourite after his eye-catching victory in his last effort was backed to the exclusion of his 10 rivals and all Srinath did was track the nohoper Brunaldo for most part of the journey before streaking ahead and putting the issue beyond dispute in the final furlong. Freestyle did well to gain the runner-up berth ahead of Summer Star.

It appears that trainer Satish Narredu has a couple of good youngsters in his yard.  Phoenix Falcon has already scored twice from as many starts and Tutankhamun made a smashing debut. Despite the fact that Kambaku from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard had a benefit of a good run under his belt, the connections of Tutankhamun were positive that the good looking son of Phoenix Tower would sail home and he did just that to the delight of the Narredu camp. Kambaku finished second ahead of Lycurgus and Noble Splendor who will take a while to shed their maiden status.

Suraj after partnering the goodtype of youngster, struck again on another public choice Fiorenzo in the Amber Regent Plate run over a mile. The winner took a while to get into his stride but the moment he found his galloping shoes, the Irfan Ghatala ward stormed through to score in style. Lightning Attack again finished second ahead of Flirting Eyes who appears content to pick up money in place while Mission Blue appears to have dropped a bit, finishing a tame fourth.

Gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the mile long journey in the Hampi Cup, most Trevor followers had given up hope before the top Mumbai pro in a never-say-die bid brought Jersey Wonder into contention past the distance post and after a brief duel with Quaker Ridge reigned supreme. Zucchero and Sagrada in this event were withdrawn at the gate and Torch Bearer with the Scottish pro David Allan was never in the hunt, confirming that this Padmanabhan ward lacks the consistency and can never be a good betting proposition.

Next, Trevor helped the Sulaiman ward record his second  win this season, winning the lower division of the Yadgir Plate from the late finishing Dagobert and Kapalua. The former to his credit has finished second four times and his trainer Imtiaz Khan and owner Gautam Makhija, it is needless to mention are pulling their hair not understanding what to do next and when and where will Dagobert get lucky. Kapalua is getting better with each effort and his turn is round the corner. The winner of the first race of the season, Siyouni made all the running before she retired when the going got hot and the race came on a boil.