Smarting under the defeat at the hands of My Opinion in the South India Stayers Trial Stakes, Arc De Triomphe from the stables of leading trainer Adhirajsingh Jodha settled the score, beating My Opinion in the South India St.Leger. The winner piloted by top saddle artiste Pradeep Chouhan dominated the energy-sapping 2800 metres event and after a brief duel at the distance post assumed command and put the issue beyond in the final furlong. Chouhan was at his best, judging the pace well before outwitting his arch rival when the race came on a boil. The classic success brought the smile back on the face of Adhirajsingh, who was a trifle disappointed after Arc De Triomphe lost the Stayers Trial, a `neck' separating him from My Opinion last month. Double classic winner at Malakpet, Faith Of Success from Aravind Ganapathy's yard, who appeared to have gone off the boil after his twin classic strikes in Hyderabad last year appears to have regained form and fitness taking into account that the mare finished only two lengths behind My Opinion.

After going down to Suryakrishi by the shortest of margins in her last essay and then again failing to win the race in the Stewards room, Celeste from the stables of Mandanna confidently piloted by Sai Kumar entered the winners' circle winning the Arunachalam Memorial Million in emphatic fashion. Multicrown from B Suresh's yard piloted by leading pro Srinath garnered the maximum support, but the public choice found Celeste too hot to handle on this day and had to rest content with the runner-up berth. Zen Zero who had finished 10 lengths behind Celeste has improved most, finishing only five lengths behind this time out to gain the third spot.

The concluding event, the CBTF On-line Topmost Trophy run over a mile produced a pulse-pounding finish, the 10 to one shot Ganton from James McKeown's yard and the Mandanna schooled lesser fancied contestant Reign Of Terror flashing past the post locked together before the `magic' eye nodded in favour of the Mandanna ward. Farhan Alam in his attempt to make every post a winning one on Ganton hit the front soon after the field of eight runners came under the starter's flag and established a five-length lead before negotiating the final curve. Ganton maintained the advantage until the distance post and looked set to land the spoils before Darshan Antony astride Reign Of Terror gradually bridged the gap and as luck would have it nailed the front runner in the final stride.Second in demand at the betting ring, Mastery managed to save money in place, while the heavily supported Majestic Wind from Fahad Khan's yard failed to make a favourable impression and finished off the board much to the disappointment of his supporters who had punted big on the Fahad Khan trainee.

Earlier, the in-form apprentice Sah Farid Ansari produced a copybook effort on the three to one shot Hallucinate in the upper division of the CBTF-On-line Kangra Trophy to peg back Proposed from Ramanathan's yard. The winner produced a sparkling gallop in the final furlong and quickly put the race to bed to the delight of the Robert Foley camp. Sabatini finished third ahead of Rhiannon, while the top fancy, Supreme Runner partnered by Yash finished down the field.

The lower division of the event produced a shock result, Farhan Alam guiding the fortunes of the friendless Break The Silence edging out the quietly fancied Sir Baffert in a thriller. The runner-up injudiciously piloted by Imran could well have gained the day had Imran packed punch on the Dhruv Futnani ward a furlong from home and not when the race was in the safe-keeping of Break The Silence. The runner-up lost a certain race much to the chagrin of his supporters who confidently made big investments on the Dhruv ward, who it was clear was asked to do too much in the straight. Andromeda Sky finished third ahead of the public choice Senora Bianca who raced in patches and at no stage of the race looked in contention for top honours.

The favourite Slainte from McKeown's yard piloted by Sandesh proved too good in the upper division of the Psychic Flame Trophy run over a sprint. The winner stole a march at the top of the straight and comfortably pegged back the effort of Priceless Beauty. Second in demand at the betting ring, Night Jar finished third ahead of Choice, while another fancied runner Star Lap failed to make the board. Slainte appears in good nick and is set to provide an encore.

Preakness from Deepesh Narredu's yard produced a gutsy effort to edge out the favourite Listen To Me in the lower division. Chouhan astride the public choice headed Preakness in the final furlong before Yash dug deep into his reserves and regained the initiative close home to come up tops in the opening event. Glorious Legend from Fahad Khan's yard caught the eye while finishing a suggestive third and it will not be long before he earns his cornbill.