Trainer Patrick Quinn’s five-year-old bay horse Black Eagle (Excellent Art – Classic Sky) lived up to his reputation and on-money favouritism with a thunderous victory in the Elusive Pimpernel Cup at RCTC on Wednesday. Ridden by the experienced Hindu Singh, Black Eagle bided his time in the third slot along the rails while Eternal Princess set a cracking pace. After the turning for home, Black Eagle opted for the rails and sped away from the field to win by six lengths from a late finishing Gazino who edged out Eternal Princess for the runner-up berth.The supporting event –The Calorescence Cup – saw another on-money public choice coming good. Aashay Doctor trained Nomitsi (Dreamfield – Actual) made the mile trip a start-to finish affair. Jockey Vivek took no chances and spared over four lengths to Hermes.

One race earlier Vivek had ridden a good race on stablemate Tess but had gone down narrowly to the outsider of the day –George Everest.The Neil Darashah – trained five-year-old bay gelding by Fiero out of Sail By Roos won in dramatic manner. Once again it was a clever placement by the leading trainer though he humbly commented after the race that he didn’t expect his ward to return victorious. In his previous start over a seven-furlong sprint in the Mysore Race Club Million, he was a Kg more than Tess and finished three lengths behind. He is known to be a forward miler  as he had won a 2000 metres race in Chennai earlier in his career. On this day, with the help of his new-found apprentice Saba, George Everest was 5kg less than Tess. So if Tess can do it, why not George Everest. Unfortunately, very few form-workers were astute enough to take note of this. Among the failures was yours truly! Not surprisingly, Darashah was all praise for the apprentice.

The afternoon commenced in subdued manner with a four-horse race for the Sun Lion Handicap  - named after one of the great gallopers from the Lawrie Fownes yard of the seventies. Javed Khan -trained Tres Bien(Roderic O’Connor – Yesteryear)  was cleverly piloted by leading jockey Neeraj Rawal  who closed the path that his closest rival Elite may have taken in the straight. The latter may hoist the winning flag before the season is over.In the next race – The Twilight Lady Handicap,Daniel David – trained All Time Legend (Top Class – Angeling)made every post of  the seven-furlong race a winning one in the hands of another able apprentice – Abdul Fazal.

It will be a joyful Easter Sunday celebration at the Alford household as Rutherford-trained Stormy Ocean (Speaking Of Which – Sheman Oaks) brought the curtain downto the mid-week races in style by winning the 2000 metres race for the Setaflame Handicap with the vastly experienced Imran Chisty in the saddle. The winner was available at lucrative odds of 7/4 against as Life Is Good closed at 13/10.