Punters and satchel-bearers shared the spoils at the RCTC on Tuesday as a couple of friendless runners found the winner’s enclosure as did a few well-backed participants. The rider who was the favourite of the local turfites on this day was Neeraj Rawal with a popular treble. Trainers Neil Darashah and Javed Khan completed a brace each.

Neeraj’s three winners were Dr Doom, Toussaint and Natural Grace. The last named – a Neil Darashah-trained filly by Phoenix Tower out of Jazzy Jordan won the Perin Dalal Alokananda Stakes start-to-finish without raising a sweat. Neeraj had to work a little harder on Javed Khan-trained Dr Doom (Perfect Stride-Top Romance) to lift the Eastern Command Cup. Lying fourth of seven while favourite Kalahari Gold set a fast pace, Neeraj slipped his mount through along the rails for a comfortable win from fast finishing Kay Star and the tiring favourite. Toussaint(Buratino-Kay Es Jay) bagged the upper division of the Lt-General Jameel Mahmood Memorial Cup fairly easily after closing as the 10-to-8-on public choice.After losing his earlier starts to Oh My Darling and White Roses, Javed Khan-trained Toussaint found the opposition rather meagre and won as he liked from Magnite. 

The afternoon commenced with quite a shocker as Neil Darashah-trained Blinky Bill (Fiero-Danae) made every post a winning one in the race for the Cavalry Cup. Asterix did manage to close the gap to a certain extent in the straight but the top-weight with JH Arul  up was travelling rather well and deserved to win. He may win again in the upper class.

The lower division of the Lt-General Jameel Mahmood Memorial Cup was pocketed by Bharath Singh-trained Rocket Man (Planetaire-Perfect Tribute) with NS Parmar astride. The western India rider had to pull out all stops in the end to keep at bay top-Swift Lady who made a bold bid for honours. The favourite Embankment ended up a tame fourth.

The Bengal Area Cup run over seven furlongs proved to bee a boon for bookmakers as none of the fancied four-year-olds could find their running shoes. It was left to six-year-old Mandolin to do the honours with Nikhil Naidu astride – despite the jockey declaring a one kg overweight. The Christopher Alford-trained runner by Animal Kingdom out of Little Widow Maker was taken to the helm of affairs from the word go and stayed there all the way. Bottom-weighted Tenn was the only contestant who dared to issue a challenge but found the front-runner travelling a little too well.

The curtain came down with Rajesh Narredu-trained Amber Knight (Multidimensional-Ambrosia) creating quite a stir as he too pegged back a trio of four-year-olds in the mile-and-half race for the Army Service Corps Cup. Despite losing a lot of ground at the start, the top-weight with Saqlain astride moved with giant strides to get the better of Sea Eagle who was shaping like a winner at the distance post. The disappointment in the race was the on-money favourite Zuma who faded out after showing the way till the turning for home.