Trevor Patel was the top gun on the eve of the summer Derby on Saturday. The leading pro on top of his game recorded a grand treble to go past the 20 winners mark this season and is certain to add few more before the curtains are drawn early next month.
 
A chance ride on the public rage Mzilikazi in the Mysore Cup after the Hyderabad ace Akshay Kumar stayed back at home reportedly suffering from a bout of fever helped Trevor open his account without really needing to move a muscle, the Pesi Shroff ward proving too good for his eight rivals. The Irfan Ghatala-trained Donna Bella in her attempt to make every post a winning one in the hands of Pradeep Chouhan found the winner too hot to handle and had to rest content with the runner-up berth. Queen Regnant covered good ground in the final stages to save money in place while Mrs Thatcher in her debut finished fourth.
 
Next astride the favourite Commodus from leading trainer Prasanna Kumar’s yard in the Angel Dust Trophy run over a sprint, Trevor needed to stretch every sinew to edge out the lesser fancied Mega Ikon close home. After Mega Ikon piloted by Imran Khan, who had paraded his cricketing skills in the BTC cricket tournament playing a a stellar role in Jockeys XI victory, had established a winning lead and looked set to score past the distance post, Trevor riding like one possessed brought Commodus into contention and snatched the verdict in the final few strides. Last start winner Bernardini after failing to gain a favourable position early on in the event finished on purposefully to take the third spot ahead of Scarlet Princess. Spanish Beauty too had a small share of supporters but the Arjun ward after entering the straight looking good to make a race of it, lacked the gas in the tank and eventually finished in the ruck. It is clear that this speedy filly, who had promised much after her emphatic victory in the winter season has gone off the boil and is best left ignored until she displays some spark in the morning trials.
 
In line for a treble astride the Prasanna Kumar schooled Galvarino in the concluding event, the lower division of the Chennai cup run over 1100M dash, Trevor pushed Galvarino to the front the moment the dozen runners came under the starter’s flag and never let the initiative slip, Galvarino romping home a deserving winner while helping Trevor complete a grand treble. Colonel Harty surprised most finishing a game second ahead of Commandpost from trainer Prithviraj’s yard. A big coup was planned and staged on Commandpost backed down from (5/1) to (6/4), his connections spreading the good word that the Prithviraj ward was past the post. Well commandpost went past the post third behind Galvarino and Colonel Harty and this cost the punters who trust the inside information dear. The Rajesh Narredu-trained Winning Force, who opened the favourite before the supporters of Commandpost went bang-bang in the betting ring, saw the price on Winning Force drift but she never was in the hunt and failed to even make the frame.
 
The upper division of the event saw the well fancied Lagopus from trainer Pradeep Annniah’s ward show a clean pair of heels to his 10 rivals. The fact that Lagopus was partnered by Lesser light Tauseef Ahmed did not deter the smart punters from pinning their hopes on the Pradeep ward and they were richly rewarded, Lagopus entering the winners’ circle in style. Bold Runner nosed out Charmaine to gain the second spot.
 
The Mallesh Narredu schooled Mystic Bay partnered by his son Yash Narredu and the impressive debutant Gift Of Grace from trainer Parvati Byramji’s yard enjoyed top billing in the Nawab M Arshad Ali Khan Memorial Cup, the plum event run over a distance of seven furlongs. The price on Abira from Arjun Manglorkar’s yard who was also in with a definite chance expanded  while the Mumbai challenger Victorious Sermon, another last start winner was fancied quietly and sweetly by the Mumbai camp.

Victorious Sermon to the delight of Vishal Gaikwad and his supporters came up tops ahead of Gift Of Grace and Star Cavalry who was seen finishing on fastest at end. Abira performed like a dud making it clear that her earlier smart effort was one big fluke.

After going down to Aeolus by the shortest of margins in his last essay, The Sulaiman Attaollahi-trained Ambrosio  was the overwhelming favourite in the K N Guruswamy Memorial Cup run over a mile. But the favourite after looking poised to go past the leaders in the final furlong found one other from Darius Byramji’s yard, Psychic Force a tough nut to crack in the end. Shesmyscript rallied well along the rails to finish third ahead of New Creation who raced in patches.
 
It was good to see trainer s Ganapathy finally break the ice and open his account through Three Wishes in the upper division of the Delhi Cup for horses in the lowest class. The winner who was heavily backed, ending up a firm favourite after the bookies opened Honey Trap  the favourite provided Sandesh an arm-chair ride to success while sending out a message that she is too good for this lowest rated company. Honey Trap finished second while the rest struggled to keep pace with the first two.