Vijay Singh-trained Multitude (Multidimensional-Haedi/ Usha Stud) produced a wonderful turn of foot mid-way up the straight to leave the field standing in the six-furlong race for the San Craintes Stud Farm Calcutta Champions Sprint Trophy. The win was reminiscent of his victories in the earlier days when he won the Kunigal Stud Stakes and The Champagne Stakes in similar manner. Jockey Sandesh was in the rear of the field for most part and never had to go full throttle as his mount was stretching out beautifully in the straight.

Trainer Vijay Singh and Sandesh completed a brace in the very next race, The Pat Quinn Memorial Cup. Three-year-old Avarua (Abbeyside-Aymaras) made every post a winning one. This full sister to Abbeyville seemed to enjoy running up front and had no difficulty in warding off the challenge of Protector Of Troy.

The eve of the Derby had its share of upsets as Bharath Singh-trained Forest Dunes (Alnasr Alwasheek-Vale Of Leven/ Poona Stud) picked up the day’s opener in apprentice NB Kuldeep’s hands. The favourite Style was an utter disappointment. Kuldeep is one of the more promising apprentices at this centre and this victory will ensure that he gets more winning mounts.

In the lower division of the same race, The Icelandic Handicap, the Javed Khan stable pulled off a good gamble with Francina (Sixties Icon-Tidie France), but not before surviving a scare in the Stewards Room. There was a valid objection from the runner-up Heliconia as the latter was knocked out of his stride rather dangerously by the eventual winner within a hundred metres of the start.

Jockey Dashrath Singh who is leading the jockeys championship table at the halfway stage of the season, had no difficulty in steering speedy front-runner Flight Of Phoenix to a start-to-finish victory in the SS Bala Memorial Cup. The speedster by Phoenix Tower out of Leonessa (Manjri Stud) has more races in store for him.

Another promising apprentice at this centre, Hindi Singh, rode a confident race astride 8/1 shot Lhotse (Tejano-So Perfect/ Kunigal Stud) to guide her to an encore. After a good jump-out, the lad kept her in check before issuing his challenge from the top of the straight where the favourite Queen’s Command was threatening to run away with the race.

Trainer Shyam Habbu’s Ship Rock (Kingda Ka-Giocosa/ Nanoli Stud) completed his hat-trick when he won the mile race for The Eastern Command Cup start to finish in the hands of  the ever reliable Trevor Patel. The even-money public choice gave no anxious moments to his supporters as he never looked in danger of being caught by any of his rivals. Trevor completed a brace with another facile start-to-finish effort atop top-weight San Martino (Admiralofthefleet-Sans Pareil/ Kunigal Stud) in the race  for The Tollygunge Club Cup. The Pesi Shroff-trained four-year-old’s effortless triumph suggests that there are more races in store for him.