The Narredu brothers, Yash and Deepesh and leading pro Umesh cornered glory recording a double apiece on Christmas eve. Yash and Deepesh combined effectively to strike through the two favourites Walking Brave and Succession, while Umesh booted the Rupa-trained ten to one shot Fun Storm and the second in demand at the betting ring, Magical Wish in the upper division of the Star Of Destiny handicap run over a sprint. 

Walking Brave on the strength of a couple of impressive performances in the morning trials garnered the maximum support in the Triunfo Handicap run over a mile. The winner travelled nice and easy all through the backstretch before Yash reminded him of the task ahead at the top of the straight and the Deepesh ward without a fuss readily produced his best to sail past the leader Supreme Excelsior, who in his attempt to make every post a winning one ran out of gas in the final furlong and eventually finished fourth behind the runner-up Come Calling and Masterpiece. Walking Brave is in rousing form and is set to provide an encore. 

The money-back favourite Succession like Walking Brave had it easy in the concluding event, the Su Chaliyo Handicap run over a sprint. The winner, who looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring assumed command at the top of the straight and put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. The topweighted Cartel from Mandanna’s yard piloted by Kuldeep Singh finished on purposefully at end to gain the second spot ahead of Air Marshall. The runner-up, it appears is in good nick and it will pay to follow him when next saddled. 

The B Suresh schooled Knight Envied was fancied most in the As Good As Gold Handicap run over a sprint. Super Girl from P Krishna’s yard too had her fair share of followers and Sir Baffert too was in the mix, most old hats in the game fancying the Futnani charge to upset the applecart of the favourite. But Sir Baffert failed to jump out level and  with that lost all his chances. Umesh astride the long shot Fun Storm established a good 8-10 lengths lead over the field swinging for home and to the delight of trainer Rupa kept going to record a shock win. Super Girl produced a good gallop at end, but that was just not good enough to stop Fun Storm from entering the winners’ circle. The favourite Knight Envied raced in patches and only managed to finish a tame third ahead of Beethovan. 

Spurred by the success, Umesh made another successful pillar to post effort on Magical Wish in the next event, the upper division of the Star Of Destiny Handicap run over a sprint. The winner, second in demand at the betting ring, hit the front the moment the nine-horse field came under the starter’s flag and never let the initiative slip despite coming under pressure from My Kingdom and Renegade in the final furlong. The favourite Sasakwa from Robert Foley’s yard after being favourably placed at the top of the straight failed to raise a winning gallop and eventually finished in the ruck.

 Earlier, rankoutsider Feni from Mandanna’s yard edged out Daiyamondo by the shortest of margins in the opening event,  the Alexus Handicap run over 1000M dash. Henrietta partnered by Santosh G hit the front and showed a clean pair of heels to her 10 rivals until she shortened his strides in the final 100 metres and at this stage, Feni piloted by apprentice jockey Dharshan Antony and Daiyamondo partnered by another whipless rider M S Deora charged through to flash past the post locked together before the `magic eye’ nodded in favour of the (30/1) shot. Henrietta finished a creditable third after making all the running in the sprint dash and is one for the notebook , while the favourite Illustrious Ruler will need to improve a good deal to stall tall at the podium. 

The Adhiraj Singh Jodha schooled Oui Sauvage proved too good in the lower division of the Star Of Destiny Handicap run over six furlongs. Santosh astride the impressive winner pushed Oui Sauvage to the front soon after the start and the on-money favourite proved too hot to handle for his eight rivals cruising home in emphatic fashion. Oui Sauvage on the strength of this effortless victory is too good to miss out even in higher class.