Leading trainer Neil Darashah recorded a popular treble at RCTC on Thursday. His winners were Blinky Bill (3/1), Natural Grace (60/100) and Etosha (12/10). His last runner By The Book, available at high odds,  ran a good race in a ‘No Whips’ event but succumbed near the winning post.

Sired by Phoenix Tower out Namibia, six-year-old bay gelding Etosha left the field standing in the six-furlong sprint for The Metropolitan.  Jockey Neeraj Rawal positioned him a handy third along the rails behind pace-setters Golden Oaks and Summer Night, and sailed into the lead once into the straight. Much fancied Snowfall may have found her handicap a stopper while bottom-weighted Gazino came from therear to occupy the runner-up berth. In his post-racecomment, Darashah said it was not yet decided where to place his charge Etosha during the Invitation weekend. “Cool Rider has already been nominated for the Sprinters Cup” he added.

One race earlier, Neeraj Rawal atop Natural Grace (Phoenix Tower -Jazzy Jordan) had a slightly tougher ride to bag The Hong Kong Jockey Club Cup for three-year-olds. The filly was conceding weight all round. Marcolini and Sea Salt Caramel set a good pace with the favourite in third slot. Neeraj put her into top gear in the straight using the stick in his left hand. The colt Nomitsi was the medium of a fairly large gamble but the maiden starter fell short by over a length. He was receiving 4.5kg from the filly who has now recorded a hat-trick in a short span of six weeks.

A race earlier, Blinky Bill (Fiero – Danae) completed a back-to-back brace when he made every post a winning one in the seven-furlong race for the Cupid Handicap. Jockey Arul took no chances and took the shortest route home. One race earlier Darashah’s ward Sea Eagle closed as the favourite in the Grand Madame Handicap run over 2000 metres. She finished an unimpressive fourth – quite possibly suffering from fatigue after a couple of mile-and-half events. The race was pocketed by Jasbir Singh-trained Life Is Good (Saamidd-Illaunslea) who was handled with great gusto by jockey Mohit Singh. This was the five-year-old’s second successive triumph within a fortnight. Kudos to the connections! The small made gelding Wonderful ran a good second and will be worth keeping an eye on.

Trainer Dr Anil Kumar created quite a sensation on this afternoon as he opened the proceedings with rank outsider Liban (Total Gallery-Megara)who won The Goolagong Handicap. Jockey Ayaz Khan was astride the colt. Jockey Sujit Kumar Paswan fell off the favourite Dubai King as the gates opened and hurt himself. He was unavailable thereafter for the rest of the day. He thankfully escaped serious injury.The stewards have opened an enquiry into this race which is best ignored by form-workers as there was a riderless horse causing some disturbance. Nevertheless, itmust be said that Liban won rather well considering the colt drifted out considerably and yet spared over three lengths to the runner up.Trainer Anil Kumar completed his brace in the last race of the day – The Punter’s Delight Handicap –where jockey Saqlain guided the favourite   Smash Shot (Win Legend – Chapman’s Peak) to a smashing victory over By The Book , much to the delight of punters!