Form played traunt on the penultimate day of the summer season, a solitary favourite Burmese from Rajesh Narredu's yard justifying his top billing, while the rest, for more reasons than one performed below par which resulted in most railbirds posting many debit entries in the balance sheet which never looked good and healthy all through the season. And that's simply because a good number of blow-hot, blow cold performances from horses under the care of leading trainers stunned the followers of form, failing to consistently display their true potential when fancied most and striking it rich when offered at lucrative odds. 

In the plum event, the upper division of the Holding Court Stakes run over a distance of seven furlongs, the Irfan Ghatala schooled Red Falcon, twice second from as many starts was rightly installed the favourite. The Parvati-trained River Of Gold and Seventh Samurai from the stables of Arjun Manglorkar too had their share of supporters. The three fancied runners on form looked head and shoulders above the rest in the 11-horse field. And it was clear from the book of form that the winner would emerge from the trio, but it was not to be. The 15 to one shot Lord Moi from James McKeown's yard, making his first appearance in the season after his last run at Udhagamandalam three months ago, waltzed to victory in the hands of Umesh, while the public choice Red Falcon only finished third behind River Of Gold.  

In the principal added attraction, the upper division of the August Plate run over a sprint, the four to one shot English Bay from the stables of Dominic powerfully piloted by leading `Knight' Trevor Patel snuffed out the challenge of lesser fancied Archway close home, much to the relief of his supporters. The public choice Always Happy, a facile last start winner, it appeared was in no mood to gallop, gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the six furlongs event before finishing in the ruck. Montelena managed to save money in place, finishing third ahead of Eternal Princess. 

The lower division of the event saw the five to one shot Aldgate kick the strongly favoured `Jodi' the favourite Forty Niner and the second in demand at the betting ring Groovin out of the ring much to the chagrin of all the big bettors and most old hats in the game who were of the view that this was a safe `Jodi'. Forty Niner in the hands of Akshay Kumar, who drew a blank in his attempt to make every post a winning one lacked the gas in the tank to make a race of it when challenged by Aldgate in the final furlong and had to rest content with the runner-up berth. Groovin in the hands of  Trevor was never prominent and it was clear half-way home that this M R Singh trainee would again finish behind Forty Niner. And that at end was the result. 

Veteran trainer Inayathullah, who led in the ten to one shot Altamonte in the opening event, the betway World Photography Day Stakes, dropped the second bombshell in the concluding event, the upper division of the Sha Tin Stakes, the 15 to one shot Air Display producing a vastly improved effort to beat last start winner Wish Again from Neil Devaney's yard. Solo Prince who was strongly tipped as a good win and place bet from insiders and the right connections managed to save money in place, while the public choice Empire Of Dreams disappointed his supporters. 

The lower division of the event was claimed by the lesser fancied Super Ruffian. The promising apprentice Inayat, who partnered Air Display produced a copybook effort on the Neil Devanaey ward, who upset the applecart of the well supported public choice Oxytocin from Sharath Kumar's yard. Star Azeem from M R Singh's yard followed the winner home, while the Faraz Arshad-trained Southern Force came home third. 

When fancied most in his last essay, Antilope from M R Singh's yard, who was second in demand at the betting ring, the winner Acaster topping the betting boarding in the Xisca Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs last week appeared to have found his galloping shoes, winning the Baraloy Stakes run over a mile. How Antilope successfully negotiated the mile long trip after packing up at the top of the straight and finishing down the field in the seven furlongs race last week calls for an explanation. The heavily backed Peluche piloted by John lost out, a `nose' separating him from the shock winner Antilope, while Striking Memory finished third.