Like we told you last week, Pesi Shroff will be too happy to take a portion of the track back home. The champion trainer won the last classic of the season, the Bangalore St.Leger on Mathaiyus, making it three from four and with the Kolkata –based pro Bharath Singh leading in the Colts Championship Stakes winner Castlebridge, the local trainers to say the least have ended up being spectators watching and applauding the classic men and their `machines' steal the limelight.  

Neeraj Rawal who has struck a classy partnership with Pesi having registered four classic victories in four months took Mathaiyus on a start to finish mission and the bred in the purple winner from the famed Usha Stud Farm kicked clear at the top of the straight and put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. The new Maharaja Captain Morgan who enjoyed the top billing in the final classic stretched every sinew to bridge the gap but Mathaiyus on the day proved too good romping home to the delight of the Pesi camp.

After his satisfactory effort on Mathaiyus, Neeraj Rawal blotted his book while partnering the Rehaunllah-trained Hedwig in the Poll Ramachandra Rao Memorial Silver Trophy. Drawn drawn badly in the event Hedwing failed to gain a favourable position early on in the race, Neeraj first choosing to run wide before his pilot decided to fall back and play the waiting game. But to the surprise of most knowledgeable Neeraj didn’t wait for long and the moment the field negotiated the final curve he circled around the field and made his run on the wide outside and this costed him dear. Provided former jockey K P G Appu his maiden win of his career in his new profession as a trainer and Appu it is needless to mention will cherish the moment.

Samar Singh-trained Magical Dancer recorded his second straight success in the S M Ramakrishna Rao Memorial Cup. Jockey Jagadeesh rode a copybook race on the winner in an event where jockeys were not allowed to carry their whip. John on the public choice Silver Legend attempted to make every post a winning one but found the winner too hot to handle at end.

Trainer Pradeep Annaiah recorded a popular double, his wards Deepalika and Nagarjuna winning the two lowewest class races. Nagarjuna was backed down from a higher quote to favouritism and duly justified the support by winning the Pune Plate, while Deepalika overhauled the front-running Happy Dancing to win the Snow Dew Plate. Both Nagarjuna and Deepalika were piloted by jockey Pradeep.

Malesh Narredu schooled Heroine who had benefitted most from a good outing under her belt proved too good in the Manitou Trophy. The Heroine assumed command right at the start and finished six lengths clear of Desert Falcon to provide jockey Yash Narredu with his first win, back after the wrist injury which kept him out for long.