Vikash Jaiswal-trained Morning Star (Sussex-Bling) bagged the Oriana Handicap in a close contest from Taimur’s Choice who went miles wide after the home turn, taking Morning Star with him. The latter would have probably got the nod in the Stewards’ room even he had gone down narrowly. As it was, the winner spared a neck to Taimur’s Choice. Jockey Akash Rajput rode a hard finish on the six-year-old gelding to come up  trumps. Sensing an opportunity as the front-runners went wide, jockey Sujit Kumar Paswan atop Dr Doom grabbed the shortest route home but went down eventually by less than a length. The favourite New Look was never in the race. The victory of Morning Star vindicated the Stipes’ action of fining jockey  Alex Rozario Rs 5,000/- for the incompetent handling of his mount in his previous essay a week earlier.

Jockey Akshay Kumar rode a double for trainer Suraj  Shaw during the day while PS Chouhan completed a brace for Patrick Quinn. Akshay set the ball rolling with a start-to-finish victory atop Lion Queen (Phoenix Tower-Sempre Lista) in The Vibrant Handicap. Footprints followed her home and is one for the notebook. Akshay completed the double with Weronika (Roderic O’connor – Heiress) in the Gurkirpal Handicap. The filly made every post a winning one and may win again. Stablemate The Mentalist was a creditable runner-up.

Trainer Patrick Quinn’s Shai (Phoenix Tower-Tolerance) failed over a sprint in his last essay but lapped up the mile race for the Prince Royal Cup. He made every post a winning one with the favourite Asterix following him home. The latter – a small made gelding – may have found the top-weight too much of a burden, especially since his rider was also carrying a 10kg dead-weight. In his previous effort, he felt much lighter with the apprentice astride and ran a far superior race. The one for the notebook is Algoze who finished on very well. Jockey Chouhan completed his double with Dubai Gold (Excellent Art-Blue Ribbon) in the last race of the day run over 2000 metres. The top-weight won as he liked after collaring front-running Thar. The disappointment in the race was Rimel who ran well below expectations.

Top-weight Sinner impressed considerably when he won the Ramkirpal Handicap over seven furlongs. The five-year-old son of  Excellent Art out of Isn’t She Special was ridden with great confidence by Imran Chisty as he collared Free Spirited in the straight without any jitters though he was conceding 7.5kg to the latter.