Neil Darashah cornered glory on the concluding day of the winter season recording a fine treble including the shock victory of Royal Sceptre in the plum event, the Racing Patrons trophy on Saturday. It was not that the connections of Royal Sceptre didn’t fancy the six-year-old piloted by apprentice jockey Shamaz Shareef. They quietly did and they were rewarded. Royal Sceptre in the mile long event hit the front and never let the initiative slip, getting stronger at the finish. The favourite Mr Handsome looked ugly, never in a position to make his presence felt while Magistero and Courage did well to finish behind Royal Sceptre.

In the earlier event, the Malaprabha Trophy, Neil led in another long shot War Hero who upset the applecart of the two top fancies Castaway and Baymax in emphatic fashion, Prashanth Dhebe piloted the winner in copybook fashion, tracking the leader Baymax and Castaway for most part of the sprint trip before he reminded War Hero of the task ahead at the distance post and the``Hero’  responding well to his master’s call stormed through to put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. Castaway finished second ahead of Baymax, who found this company a trifle hard to handle.

After leading in two long shots, Camila from Neil’s yard was the firm favourite in the concluding event, the Byerley Turk Stakes run over a mile and the public choice justified the confidence reposed in her, romping home to the delight of her supporters. Dhebe, who had earlier partnered War Hero was most pleased to record a double on Camila considering the fact that he was struggling to consistently get into the winners’ circle. The Dominic-trained Santiago gained the runner-up berth ahead of Proudprince, while the topweighted Fotogenic completed the frame.

Neil apart, Faraz Arshad brought the curtain down registering a good double, winning both the races for juveniles through the two well supported public choices, Exclusive Mandate and Karadeniz. The former made a fine impression emerging a winner on debut, while Karadeniz, who had satisfactorily competed against a couple of goodtype of youngsters in his three earlier starts donkey-licked his nine rivals with her pilot Pradeep Chouhan not needing to move a muscle.

Exclusive Mandate, it appeared was sent out only 70 percent fit by his trainer, Faraz understanding that his ward had the desired class and potential to beat this lot and the talented son of Arazan did just that powering through in the final furlong to score in style. Both Karadeniz and Exclusive Mandate are owned by the head honcho of the Catalyst Group, Anjan Kumar Rangaraj, who sponsored the winter Derby twice and is now seeking a mandate in the membership elections on Monday.  

After another Faraz hopeful and favourite Future Bright was withdrawn in the lower division of the Devarayanadurga Stakes, the topweighted Aqua Blessing registered her first success in the hands of apprentice jockey Surya who replaced Pradeep. The speedy Kruger Park hit the front and called the shots till the final furlong before Aqua Blessing assumed command and Kruger Park had to rest content with the second spot edging out Dallas at end.

The upper division of the event was claimed by the M R Singh-trained Shaktiman. Chouhan who had booted home Karadeniz without breaking a sweat, had to stretch every sinew to drive home Shaktiman. Ice Speed finished a game second ahead of Glorious Days while So I Think from Narayan Gowda’s yard was one other from this stable who garnered the maximum support but failed to deliver the goods in the final week-end.

Velocidad on paper looked head and shoulders above his nine moderate rivals in the Katil Stakes run over a mile but the overwhelming favourite again fell shy at the winning post, a `nose’ separating him from the winner Spirit Bruce from trainer Prithviraj’s yard. It was clear that luck was not favouring trainer Pradeep and the Aggarwal brothers, Gautam and Rajan in the closing stages of the season and it happened again today.