The balance sheets of most big bettors showed a good number of debit entries and that was largely due to the fact that most favourites took a back seat resulting in bookmakers taking many green sacks home, while the followers of form walked back with a big hole in the pocket on Saturday. 

The Vijay Singh schooled Imperial Gesture and Supreme Grandeur from the stables of Robert Foley were the only two public choices, who obliged, the former thankfully winning the race in the stewards room following his successful protest against rank outsider Proposed who won the plum event, the Nilgiris Police Trophy before he was relegated to the second spot. Hindu Singh guiding the fortunes of Imperial Gesture lodged a protest against Koshi Kumar partnering Proposed, pointing out that Proposed drifted in sharply and took his room and as a result he was forced to switch out which cost him a race. The stewards rightly upheld the protest to the delight of the punters. 

Supreme Grandeur was strongly fancied in the Schiaparelli Handicap, the concluding event run over a sprint. The Robert Foley ward piloted by Sah Farid Ansari was backed down from (9/2) to (5/2) and the top choice readily justified the confidence of her yard, assuming command at the top of the straight before putting the race to bed in the final furlong. Relic Warrior partnered by Ashhad Asbar finished on fastest at end and it must be mentioned that had Ashad Asbar alerted the Rupa trainee earlier he definitely would have upset the applecart of the winner. Spirit Of The Rose, another fancied contestant did well to save money in place and it will pay to follow this Suraj Shaw trainee in the weeks ahead.  

Earlier, the Ajith Kumar-trained Air Marshall produced a stunning gallop in the opening event to come up tops in the Parson Valley Handicap. The six to one shot piloted by Baskar was seen gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the 1300 metres trip before Baskar switched him wide towards the outer rail and Air Marshall displayed good turn of foot to breeze past the front runners and score in emphatic fashion. Air Marshall on the strength of this effort is certain to provide an encore. Memory Lane from Sebastian's yard gained the runner-up spot ahead of Aurora Borealis. 

The seven to one shot Preakness from the stables of Deepesh Narredu proved too good in the upper division of the Jacqueline Handicap run over a distance of six furlongs. The winner made every post a winning one to the delight of the Deepesh camp. Last start winner Queen Anula finished a creditable second ahead of the favourite Acantha, who found the first two too hot to handle. Preakness appears in good nick and it will pay to support him again next time out. 

The lower division of the event was claimed by another lesser fancied winner Cloudy Hills from Suraj Shaw's yard. Emperor Ashoka from Sebastian's yard garnered the maximum support, but the public choice much to the disappointment of his supporters raced in patches and only managed to finish a tame third behind the runner-up Multiwave. The B Suresh ward appears to have regained form and fitness and it will not be long before Multiwave earns his cornbill this season. 

B Suresh later struck through Windsor Walk in the Astonish Handicap run over a distance of seven furlongs. The smart winner confidently piloted by Nakhat Singh was ignored in the betting ring, money simply pouring in on the Sebastian schooled Bluemed who took a lot of good money down the drain, finishing down the field. Lady Luck finished second ahead of Saro Superfast.