The Times of India Trophy, which featured Thursday’s evening races, had eleven maiden juvenile contestants in the fray and there was no runner who appeared to have a clear cut winning chance. However, the opening odds showed the market’s preference for Ocean and Expedite initially but when serious wagering started close to the commencement of the races, there was a steady flow of betting on Baklava from Narendra Lagad’s yard saw him end up as the firm favourite. The connections of Baklava were not disappointed as the Mustakim Alam steered colt justified the faith imposed in his striking ability. The bay colt raced behind Neeraj Rawal-ridden filly Ocean, who came from the widest draw to scoot into the lead and had Aerodynamic, Star Impact and La Dolce Vita were in close attendance while J. Chinoy-piloted Doron graced the wrong end after a sluggish start. After travelling a little over a furlong from the gates, TS Jodha-ridden Expedite shifted in onto Silver Braid, who brushed the false rails and lost her stride in the process. Ironically, Expedite got the same treatment from G. Santosh-partnered Inverness in the home stretch. Meanwhile, as soon as the heads turned for home, Mustakim swung into action following which Baklava began to assert himself. Ocean offered resistance for about a furlong but Baklava shrugged her off and stole a march over his rivals. Ocean, Star Impact, Aerodynamic and La Dolce Vita raced almost abreast of each other in trying to catch Baklava. However, it was Doron who looked dangerous after he started his ascent from way back and travelled very wide into the straight. Just as he was gaining ground steadily, Chinoy brought Doron diagonally across towards the inner rails in the last hundred metres but despite a desperate lunge at Baklava (Planetaire – Simply Sweet), he fell half-length short as Mustakim spurred him resolutely. Both Aerodynamic and La Dolce Vita failed to quicken and ran third and fourth respectively.

Lesser-fancied Outlander from the yards of trainer SK Sunderji’s yard put in a spirited performance to secure a narrow verdict over Portofino Bay and Majestic Warrior in the Hindu Trophy. Pesi Shroff-nursed filly Reminiscence, who had the services of PS Chouhan in the saddle, was bidding for a hat-trick and went out as the hot favourite to claim the event but she failed in her mission, though not for the lack of ability. No-hoper Esperanza shot into the lead from the barriers and was followed by Majestic Warrior and Maysara in the initial stages. As Esperanza blew up in the last furlong, Majestic Warrior slipped into the lead before Outlander was set alight by R. Ajinkya and had the former on his radar. Outlander fought a fierce duel with Majestic Warrior before nailing him in the shadow of the winning post. Portofino Bay rallied well under Trevor Patel’s urgings but found the winning post coming to the rescue of the winner. A few seconds earlier, Reminiscence was denied a clear run as she came through the shortest way home and looked poised to strike from behind Esperanza even as Majestic Warrior was in the process of overtaking the former. When Chouhan changed course, Outlander shifted in under the whip and hampered Reminiscence to virtually seal her fate. Outlander, Portofino Bay and Majestic Warrior were separated by a neck and a nose respectively whilst Reminiscence finished fourth, a length and quarter way. Chouhan protested against Ajinkya but the stewards saw no reason in his arguments to reverse the judges’ placings.

Just like the other day, Mustakim lost a close battle in the day’s curtain-raiser when Leo The Lion was overshadowed by Galloping Glory at the climax of an exciting finish. Leo The Lion once again hit the front with Malboro Man, Stole My Heart and Galloping Glory following him. Leo The Lion brought the field into the straight and stayed in command while Malboro Man and Stole My Heart began to retreat. Coming into the final two furlongs, Bhawani Singh astride Galloping Glory launched his assault and started to advance towards the favourite. Galloping Glory (Oiseau De Feu – Candela) collared Leo The Lion in the last furlong and half but the latter refused to buckle under pressure and fought every inch of the ground till the Vinesh saddled mare put her neck in front to eventually score by half-length at the wire. Malboro Man and Stole My Heart, though finishing on the judges’ board, trailed behind.

Karthik Ganapathy-schooled mare Kimiko finally came into her own as she took toll of Shroff’s ward El Greco in the final furlong of the mile journey for the Indiarace.com Trophy. C. Umesh-piloted El Greco dictated the terms of the race as the seven-horse field took off from the gates and had an uncontested lead till the last furlong. Second favourite Kimiko, who had lost a few lengths after the start as the on-money favourite El Greco jumped outwards onto the mare, started to improve once CS Jodha had steadied her. Kimiko (Win Legend – Hauhaiwunai) started to devour ground with every stride and put her rivals back one by one till she caught up with El Greco about a furlong away from home. El Greco tried to stave off Kimiko but succumbed as the latter got stronger in the last hundred metres and won convincingly thereafter. Wild Thing, after racing prominently behind El Greco in the straight, faded out to be a poor third with Alexandros in tow.

The four-year old maiden filly Fontana had no such trouble in obliging her supporters as she recorded a comfortable win in the Racingpulse.in Trophy. Apprentice Kirtish Bhagat had the Shroff trainee settled nicely as Lion King showed the way to the field. Fontana (Multidimensional – Botswana) unleashed a powerful run when alerted by her rider and had the measure of Lion King in a trice. She went sailing clear and was in no danger of being caught thereafter. Lion King retained the runner-up slot with debutant Brego making good progress from the rear to finish a close third, a head in front of Attained.

With the odds against favourite Toscana showing a negative trend in the betting ring, Dallas Todywalla-groomed Mi Arion saw smart money flowing his way. Chouhan-steered Mi Arion ran true to the market expectations and gave a rousing performance as he came with a strong run down the straight. Mi Arion (Excellent Art – Zain Arion), however, was required to be ridden all out to vanquish Ajinkya-piloted Toscana, who raised some hopes when tackling the leader Light My Life but found the going tough in the dying moments of the race. Light My Life retired to be third, well ahead of Juliana.