On a day form played true and punters took home a lot of pink currency, the vastly improved Big Sur recorded his second straight success winning the Ashoka Chakra Cup in emphatic fashion on Friday. 

The Irfan Ghatala schooled Watchmyscript garnered the maximum support in the betting ring but the public choice found the in-form Padmanabhan ward too hot to handle.  The Scottish pro David Allan who started his campaign this winter with a bang driving home the James Mckeown-trained Adjudicate in the Kolkata 1000 Guineas before he partnered the Laxman Singh schooled Realmsoffantasy in the Golconda 1000 Guineas at Malakpet last week produced yet another flawless effort to help Big Sur come out tops. David after his effort on Big Sur at Bengaluru had it easy again next day guiding home the top filly in the Kolkata campus, Adjudicate to a splendid victory in the Kolkata 2000 Guineas. 

The Stewards Trophy was claimed by the favourite Diamond Rays from Sriram Komandur’s yard to the delight of the followers of form. The winner who was head and shoulders above his 10 rivals provided leading pro Neeraj Rawal an arm-chair ride to success, snuffing out the challenge of Queen Latifa without extending himself. Life Awaits, stablemate of the winner finished third while Zafran took the fourth spot.

Like Big Sur and Diamond Rays, Lady Legend from trainer Sulaiman Attaollahi’s yard recorded  her second straight win cruising home in the Pratap Stud Plate in resplendent style.  The overwhelming favourite is in great heart and is set to complete a hat-trick of wins when saddled next. Blue Blazer finished second ahead of Full Bloom while Psychic Warrior who was expected to run Lady Legend close finished a poor fourth. 

The Prasanna Kumar-trained Yerwazan was the top fancy in the concluding event, the upper division of the Longchamp Plate and the public choice sprinted home in the hands of Chetan Kalay providing a big reason to smile for the railbirds who returned home with three bags full. Armin from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard did well to gain the runner-up berth ahead of Aceros who caught the eye producing a good effort despite looking gross in the paddock.

Earlier the Arjun Manglorkar-trained Angels Kiss shocked the railbirds dropping the biggest bombshell in the lower division. The winner piloted by the talented apprentice Antony Raj offered at 20/1 in the betting ring easily beat Odyssey while Stars In His Eyes took the third spot. The favourite Ido What I Do from trainer Prithviraj failed to justify the confidence of his supporters and only managed to make the frame.

Arjun earlier led in the strongly fancied even-money favourite Panama who proved too good in the Madhugiri Plate run over a sprint. The winner piloted by Sandesh on form was the best pick and she readily justified her top billing while helping her master record a double. Rosebrook finished a game second ahead of Siyouni who will earn her winning bracket in the weeks ahead. 

In the Bugs Bunny Plate for juveniles, the Ganapathy-trained Star Cavalry thanks to the determined effort of David Allan made a winning debut pegging back the Neil Darashah schooled Here And Now.  It will pay to keep an eye on Port Of Beauty from Prasanna Kumar’s yard who finished third In the opening event, the Gulbarga Plate run over a sprint, the second in demand at the betting ring, Music Divine helped trainer Dominic maintain his winning streak pegging back the favourite Arrogance. Duty Call finished third ahead of Dancing Princess.