Jockey Akshay Kumar continued his brilliant form in the saddle to keep his admirers in good spirits during the weekend. Akshay rode a hat-trick including Super Angel (Win Legend – Ice Point), who put in a superb finishing effort to frustrate Mark My Day and another bunch of rivals. The young rider followed it up with a hard earned victory astride Falcon Edge (Gusto – Dovers Hill) and Sun Dancer (Ravel – Ekta Ekta Ekta).

Super Angel had given a subtle hint of her impending success when she ran third to Ayr less than a fortnight back and she did live up to the expectations with a thrilling win. Rhythm Selection called the early shots and brought the field into the home stretch with Mark My Day on his haunches. Meanwhile Afroz Khan ridden Royal Grace and Super Angel were at the wrong end of the field.

Nakhat Singh eased the K Satheesh trainee to the front as Rhythm Selection but was soon pursued by Staridar with Drd and Star Racer also making their bid. Akshay chose the shortest way home for Super Angel while Afroz had to take the outer route. Mark My Day held on stubbornly against Staridar but succumbed to Super Angel’s onslaught. RH Sequeira groomed Super Angel spared won sparing three parts of a length to Mark My Day. Staridar was a close third ahead of favourite Royal Grace, who ended up being the unluckiest horse in the field. The Leo D’Silva trainee failed to take a level jump and got hampered badly when Afroz tried to put him into top gear. The handicap was heavily loaded in favour of Royal Grace but she failed to capitalise on it and had to taste defeat despite finishing on the fastest. Top In Class ran a notable sixth.

Falcon Edge, also schooled by Sequeira, produced another dogged performance to register an encore and also earn his sixth career win. The bay son of Gusto was lying in the rear till turn but produced an astounding gallop when alerted by Akshay in the final furlong. Falcon Edge came flying to wear down stablemate Peaky Blinders who had taken charge from House of Diamonds as the heads turned for home. A neck separated Sequeira’s wards with Stunning Force and late-finishing Xfinity following them home. New Look and Chuck It both ran disappointingly.

Sun Dancer, who was lesser in demand only to Theo’s Choice, help Akshay achieve a hat trick in the concluding event. Trained by D’Silva, Sun Dancer was kept handy behind the frontrunners headed by Flamingo Flame, Theo’s Choice and Linewiler. The last two named quickened as Flamingo Flame shortened her strides and Sun Dancer was to join them. Suraj Narredu ridden favourite Theo's Choice surprisingly flopped and the stage was cleared for Linewiler and Sun Dancer to battle it out. Linewiler fought briefly but was unable to contain Sun Dancer, who stretched out take home the bacon. Prime Gardenia lost much of her chances as she ran crisscross before being steadied to make a futile bid to catch Sun Dancer. Queen Blossom ran leisurely before warming up to finish fourth.

Before achieving the heart-warming hat-trick, Akshay was involved in the expensive flop show of Superstellar in the Palampet Cup. Backed to the exclusion of his six rivals, LVR Deshmukh's protégé was humiliated by his older rivals. Second favourite Winning Streak (Roderic O’Connor – Cashel Queen) took charge of the running from Team Player who fought for his head for the first furlong on the mile journey and was followed behind in a single file by Explosive and Superestrella. Winning Streak ran true to her name and thwarted attempt of Explosive to threaten her supremacy. Team Player snatched the second slot from Explosive at the post and had the super flop Superestrella in close tow.   

D’Silva trained Bellagio was fancied to make amends for her previous failure and win the opening event of the day. But the filly failed her followers once again and ended a tame second to Deshmukh nurtured filly Mysterious Angel (Smuggler’s Cove – Mykonos). The winner was placed handily behind Baisa who sped to the front and stayed put till after the bend where P Ajeeth Kumar got busy on his mount. Mysterious Angel started gaining ground with each stride and easily measured Baisa. She was never in danger of being caught thereafter and won convincingly from Bellagio who made no impression on the winner. Baisa held on grimly to the third spot as Coming Home, Fatuma and Lightning Fairy ended close on her heels.

Unlike Superestrella, S Sreekanth trained Dr Dee Dee gave no anxious moments to his fans as he was a winner at every post of the six furlong trip after he was urged to take lead soon after the gates opened. Dr Dee Dee thus shed his maiden status in style and won pulling up from Avancia. Protocol, who was lethargic at the gates, made up lost ground in the straight and ran on to be in the money by pegging back Alpine Girl.