Leading trainer Neil Darashah  continues to rule the roost at RCTC as he pocketed a cup-double on Saturday. His six-year-old bay gelding Etosha (Phoenix Tower – Namibia) romped home to a facile victory in the seven-furlong race for the 55 Exch Indian Gold Vase with leading jockey Neeraj Rawal in the saddle. Following front-running second-favourite Savvy Chic till the top of the straight, Neeraj asked his mount for an effort and he obliged without any fuss to record an effortless triumph.

One race earlier, in the 55 Exch Sports Gaming Cup for youngsters, jockey JH Arul had to work much harder on Darashah-trained filly Bibury (Phoenix Tower- Bidstone Hill)to edge out a front-running Mathangi at the wire. The second in demand in the bookmaker’s ring – Champagnesupernova – gave a poor account of himself.

The afternoon started with Vikash Jaiswal-trained Tender Heart  (David Livingston  - Al Shababiya) slamming her six rivals in the race for the 55Exch Dash To The Line Handicap.  The seven-year-old bay mare showed that she has not lost any of her zest for racing as she raised a winning gallop in the straight to sail past front-running Lightning Charlie. However, jockey Tejeshwar was rightly fined for excessive whipping. The favourite Sun Flare was a struggling third behind AWinkAndASmile.

The very next race – The 55 Exch Download App run over six furlongs –saw Fresh Hope darting out of the stalls like an arrow and trying to make ends meet. However, her effort came unstuck about 100 metres from home as the piping hot favourite Fortune Teller (Excellent Art-Star Goddess) from the stable of Faisal A Abbas,came with telling strides under the guidance of experienced horseman Imran Chisty to land the spoils in no uncertain manner by a margin of four lengths.

Trainer Patrick Quinn was not to be left out of the day’s proceedings as his recent import from the south – Blackstone (Planetaire – Polydences) – recorded his second successive victory at the Calcutta recourse in great style by bagging the seven-furlong race for the 55Exch.com Sportsbook Handicap. PS Chouhan enjoyed an armchair ride on this bay gelding who spared over four lengths to Remy Red. Second favourite Fort Nelson ended up third and may be more comfortable over six furlongs.

The curtain came down with trainer Jasbir Singh and his rider Mohit Singh combining fruitfully to pull off a superb victory with Hoping Sky in the 2000 metres race for The 55Exch Mile And Quarter Handicap. With 61.5kg on her back, Mohit kept his mount well covered up till into the straight where he switched to the outside and galloped resolutely to an emphatic triumph over Nationwide. The filly had finished well ahead of their hat-trick horse Life Is Good on several occasions at Hyderabad and that form-line seemed to be rather pronounced over this trip.