A day before the Derby week-end in Mumbai, punters enjoyed a good run at Bengaluru, most fancied horses nailing bold colours to the mast in the small six-event card. It was good to see a couple of hot fancies cruise home without a fuss and that provided the confidence the railbirds required to go into the Indian Derby at Mahalaxmi hoping that all their permutations and combinations will fall in place to crack the pot of gold on the biggest week in the Indian racing calendar. 

The top gun Sandesh without really needing to break a sweat guided home the Irfan Ghatala-trained Watchmyscript in the Stayers Trial Stakes and helped Lady Legend from Sulaiman Attaollahi's yard complete a hat-trick in the Bull Temple Plate run over a sprint. 

The half-money favourite Watchmyscript let her three rivals do all the running in the gruelling 2400M event before Sandesh reminded the in-form winner of the task ahead at the top of the straight and the Irfan ward responding gamely to her master's call stormed through to romp home without extending herself. Fabulous from Arjun Manglorkar's yard did well to hang in and gain the runner-up spot ahead of Booker Jones while Azzurro appeared to have lost his galloping shoes at the top of the straight. 

In line for a hat-trick Lady Legend looked outstanding in the Bull Temple Plate run over a sprint. Sandesh had the classy `Lady' in second place for most part of the trip before she zipped through to record a well deserved hat-trick and get on list to bag the horse of the season crown. Hot N Fire edged out Noahs Ark by the shortest of margins to gain the second spot while Super Success came home fourth. 

In the concluding event, another on-money favourite Vail from Arjun Manglorkar's yard to the delight of the big on-money bettors got into the winners' circle. The public choice who had impressed most in her earlier start produced her best in the hands of Antony Raj to snuff out the challenge of rankoutsider Tinderella who surprised most while finishing a game second ahead of the debutant Chinese Whispers from the stables of Padmanabhan. It will pay to follow the  Padmanabhan ward in her next essay taking into account that the filly will benefit most after this start. 

Antony Raj who really didn't need to exert himself on Vail, earlier needed to stretch every sinew on the Prasanna Kumar schooled Lofty Thoughts to win the Narsimharaja Trophy in a blanket finish from the Darius Byramji-trained Set To Win and Australis from Satish Narredu's yard. Lofty Thoughts at one stage looked a nohoper gracing the wrong end of the field when Set To Win and Australis were fighting every inch of the ground in the final furlong.The Prasanna Kumar ward,it must be mentioned produced a gutsy effort and gained the day in a pulse-pounding finish. 

Earlier, the second in demand at the betting ring, War Hammer another youngster from Prasanna's yard made a fine winning debut, coming up tops in the February Plate for juveniles run over a distance of seven furlongs. The winner is a goodtype of youngster and more will be heard of this Air Support progeny in the months ahead. Sir Supremo finished second ahead of Alexandre Dumas while the public choice Ozark it was clear needed this run. 

The Prithvira-trained Maybe Forever proved too good in the Jog Falls Plate providing leading saddle artiste Pradeep Chouhan an arm-chair ride to success. The favourite who was strongly fancied to score put the issue beyond doubt the moment Chouhan packed punch at the distance post. Odyssey finished second ahead of Master Of War.