Punters enjoyed a good run, four firm favourites and an equal number of well supported second choices entering the winners’ circle in the long-drawn nine-event card on Saturday.
 
Last start winner on Derby-day, Sofiya from the stables of Sulaiman Attaollahi recorded her second straight success, cantering home in the PV Shetty Memorial Cup. The in-form mare piloted by Shreyas Singh rightly garnered the maximum support and readily justified her supporters in emphatic fashion. Sofiya on the strength of this  performance is set to complete a hat-trick of wins, when saddled next. Del Mar who finished second behind Tripitaka in his last essay again gained the runner-up berth ahead of the topweighted Aldgate, while Tripitaka completed the frame.
 
Sulaiman earlier led in Del Aviz, a facile winner of the upper division of the Maj.C Newton-Davis Memorial Trophy run over a sprint. The winner who had finished second behind the Prasanna Kumar schooled Magical Bay in her debut proved too good for all her seven rivals including the on-money favourite Magnetic from Parvati Byramji’s yard. The below par performance of Magnetic was shocking taking into account that this daughter of Multitude had impressed most finishing a close third behind the best performed youngster Knotty Legend in her debut and after that run under her belt was expected to come out on top in this moderate set. But that didn’t happen, the public rage failing to match strides with the four to one shot, who romped home a deserving winner. Silicon Star expectedly finished third ahead of Bowen after Jordano and Star Of Honour opted out, the latter withdrawn at the gates.
 
The lower division of the event saw the short-priced favourite Inspire from trainer Arjun Manglorkar’s yard make a smashing debut in the hands of leading pro Srinath. Rise And Shine partnered by apprentice jockey Siddaraju finished a creditable second ahead of Martino who will make her presence felt in the juvenile category in the weeks ahead.
 
The well-backed Macron from Pradeep Annaiah’s yard came up tops in the Mussoorie Stakes run over a sprint. In line for a treble, Kallu Sakkare from Warren Singh’s yard opened the favourite before the price on the the Warren trainee kept going up and up and soon Kallu Sakkare had no takers even at the nourishing odds of (4/1). Nevertheless AR Pradeep astride the second favourite packed punch and gained the runner-up berth before he lodged a protest against Arvind Kumar, the rider of Macron for shifting out and taking his ground at the all-important end. The stewards quickly and rightly overruled the objection. Ultimate Striker from Lokanath’s yard finished in the money, while Southern Force from Faraz Arshad’s yard completed the frame. 

On the strength of his impressive last start win, Blue God from the stables of Arjun Manglorkar again garnered the maximum support in the upper division of the Red Fort Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. But the public choice in his effort to provide an encore met a tartar in Irish Rockstar from the stables of Darius Byramji. The winner piloted in copybook fashion by leading pro Imran Chisty was fancied sweetly by the insiders and right connections and Irish Rockstar readily justified the confidence of his supporters romping home nice and easy to the delight of the Darius camp. Darius on this day also recorded a 1-2 in the Guindy Grand Prix at Chennai, the lesser fancied Tesorino beating the overwhelming favourite and stablemate Elfin Knight.
 
The lower division of the event was claimed by the consistent Treasure Chest from Dominic’s yard piloted by Srinath. The topweighted Seventh Samurai from Arjun’s yard was the top fancy, but the public choice found Treasure Chest too hot to handle, the second in demand at the betting ring galloping home in fine fashion.
 
A smart last start winner, Born Dancer was again strongly supported to deliver the goods in the upper division of the Mahadayi Plate run over a sprint and the Warren ward partnered again by Naveen sprinted in style to justify his top form and ranking. A surprise last start winner, Remontoir from Imtiaz Khan’s yard followed the winner home, while the stablemate of Born Dancer, The Strikingly finished in the money.
 
The Faraz Arshad-trained Ooh La La and Breeze Bluster from the stables of Lokanath Gowda topped the betting board in the lower division before Ooh La La ended the firm first favourite. The public choice flopped badly to the disappointment of his large following finishing down the field while Breeze Bluster piloted by RN Darshan gained his winning bracket after five consistent performances this season.
 
The lesser fancied Sea Diamond from Pradeep Annaiah’s yard came up trumps in the opening event, the Raichur Plate run over a mile. The favourite Marco Polo from Azhar Ali’s yard finished a tame third behind the runner-up Quevega.