She was easily the best performed horse from among the eight contesting for the Gool S. Poonawalla Million (Gr.3) run on Sunday and trainer Narendra Lagad had tuned her with this event in view. The bay daughter of Tirol out of Symphony gave no shock treatment to her admirers and half her job was done right at the start when she took a smart jump from the gates to be on the haunches of her barn-mate Spica. The latter called it a day after bringing the field into the view in the straight and handed over the mantle to Avec Plaisir. Jockey C. Rajendra switched gears and his mount was immediately in the fast lane. The on-money won quite comfortably over Red Indian and Major Image. Esoteric ran green towards the fag end of the race but managed to finish fourth. There were two other favourites who won with a fair degree of comfort. Firefoot (Diffident – Cartier Million) ran for the first time in the charge of Sandeep Mangalorkar and made every post of the lower division of the Sea Shells Plate a winning one. Paris Hilton couldn’t make her presence though she filled the runner-up’s post. Colour of Joy and Latest News completed the judges’ frame. Pesi Shroff nurtured filly Obelinna (Quiet American – Shifoug) was kind to herself in the third start of her career and this major change in her temperament came about largely due to her master’s decision to use pacifiers on her. Malesh Narredu didn’t disappoint Obelinna in the initial stages of the mile trip and allowed the filly a free run before Elusive Trust came to take command. Malesh then waited till the final turn arrived before he pulled the trigger. Obelinna was the first to enter the straight she maintained her lead till the end. Spiritual Flame’s labour didn’t bear any fruit and she finished second ahead of Eagle Mountain and Maseeha. Nina Lalvani saddled Persephone (Greensmith – Night of Gaiety) avenged her earlier defeat at the hands of Giacosa to claim the Royal Calcutta Turf Club. Giacosa adopted her familiar start-to-finish tactics but failed to sustain. Persephone launched her assault in the last furlong and C. S. Jodha spurred the chestnut filly to range along side the favourite. In the ensuing eye-ball to eye-ball contest it was Giacosa who blinked first but she was certainly not disgraced in this defeat. Chagall ran third with Shyboy in tow. Struie from Bezan Chenoy’s string defied the handicapper and shouldered an imposing 60kg on her back over a mile-and-a-quarter journey to register an encore. K. P. G. Appu bided his time on the mare and lay in the rear till the last bend. Struie sorted them out one by one the moment she was produced on the outside. Royal Panache was going nowhere despite the handicap advantage over the winner and ended second followed by Julpha and World War Three. Trainer Faisal Abbas’ horses turned over a new leaf and he was back leading in winners. The first one however was a shocker. Bonny Light (Placerville – I’m A Nine Plus), who performed below par as a favourite in the hands of Malesh precisely a week ago, was seen going great guns in Appu’s charge now. Malesh was once again on the backs of a failed favourite, Consuela. Thundering Hero too disappointed and ran a tame fourth behind St Moritz and Consuela. Faisal got a double after Tearaway (Tecorno – Please Come) found his galloping shoes to make a successful pillar-to-post attempt in the hands of Appu. Favourite Victor remained in futile chase of his former stable-mate almost throughout. Notable Runner was in the vanguard too but had to be content with a consolation berth. Lucky Honey came into the picture when the race was all over bar the shouting. The rest were out for an airing. Magansingh Jodha’s trainee Crespo (Case Law – Pussy Cat) ran true to form and provided C. Alford, who replaced Malesh in the saddle, with a chance winner. The chestnut rig easily accounted for Teaser, Mercedes and Golden Fort. The last named was lethargic at the start but made steady to progress to end up fourth. Veteran trainer C. D. Katrak arrived as a messiah for the bookmakers in the Own Opinion Trophy. The bookies found welcome relief in the success of Katrak’s candidate Aquilo (Storm Trooper – Ravij) who gave a stunning performance despite a long lay off of over a year. The bay gelding produced an astounding gallop in the straight to go surging clear of Hugo, Raudo and Patroclus. Raudo tried runaway tactics which ultimately failed to pay off.