Top saddle artiste Akshay Kumar warmed up nicely for the two big days coming up, the HPSL Bangalore Winter Derby on the Republic Day and the Indian Derby also sponsored by the Horse Power Sports League on the first Sunday of February at Mahalaxmi (Mumbai), booting home four winners. The top gun to his credit has 22 winners this season, five more than the second placed Trevor Patel on the jockeys leader board. 

Akshay opened his account on the on-money favourite Live The Dream from champion trainer P:rasanna Kumar's yard, who back after his Derby success at Guindy led in two winners. Rankoutsider Thutmose from Shoban Babu's yard competing in the Indravati Stakes attempted to make every post a winning one in the hands of Jagadeesh and to the delight of a few fluke seekers called the shots for most part of the seven furlongs trip before Akshay packed punch on the short-priced favourite and Live The Dream stormed up to zip past the long shot and justify his rating and ranking. Thutmose followed the leader ahead of the Padmanabhan schooled Amazing Stride, who will prove to be a different proposition next time out. 

Next astride another public rage, Circle Of Dreams from Sulaiman Attaollahi's yard in the SM Ramakrishna Rao Memorial Cup, Akshay had it easy, the winner shedding his maiden status without really needing to go full throttle. Debutant Sweet Winner from Warren Singh's yard made a favourable impression finishing second ahead of the Lokanath-trained Ziva. The winner appears a goodtype of youngster and more will be heard of this juvenile in the months ahead. Sweet Winner too after this promising run under his belt is tipped to score when next saddled. 

In line for a hat-trick, Akshay guiding the fortunes of another Sulaiman trainee Kalamitsi produced his best to come up tops in the RWITC Trophy run over a distance of seven furlongs. The top pro pushed the second in demand at the betting ring, Kalamitsi to the front soon after the six runners came under the starter's flag and outwitted his five rivals including the top public choice Aralina who failed in her effort to reproduce her stylish exercise in her last essay. The favourite, who dropped back midway through the seven furlongs journey did produce her best in  the straight, but that was just not good enough to stop Kalamitsi from chalking out a long overdue win. The Mysore hopeful, The Protector finished third ahead of Forseti who is slowly, yet surely appears to be regaining the fitness and composure to resume his winning ways. 

After registering a fine treble, Akshay booted home another public choice Metzinger from Rajesh Babu's yard to sign off in style. Competing in the Vijayanagar Plate run over a sprint, Metzinger who lacks the initial speed to gain a favourable position was seen gracing the wrong end of the field for most part of the sprint trip before Akshay in a never-say-die bid pulled him out and drove the favourite like one possessed in the final two furlongs to power home in emphatic fashion. Dominic schooled Maple Leaf gained the runner-up berth edging out Southern Force, while the lesser fancied Lauterbrunnen completed the frame. 

The Lokanath schooled Breeze Bluster, Agera from the stables of Pradeep Annaiah and his stablemate Augusto topped the betting board in the concluding event, the upper division of the Abbey Falls Plate run over a sprint before big money started to flow on Breeze Bluster and the Lokanath ward at end was the firm favourite. The public choice partnered by leading pro Srinath met interference at the jump out but soon recovered to gain a favourable position before Agera and Augusto shot past the leader and after a ding-dong battle in the final furlong Augusto gained the verdict by the shortest of margins thanks to Ramu, who failed to pack punch  on his mount Agera in the final stages of the race. Ramu in fact replaced RN Darshan who was listed to pilot Agera before he opted out. 

Earlier, the Dominic-trained Lady Invictus proved too good in the opening event, the Alaknanda Plate romping home without breaking a sweat in the hands of leading pro Trevor Patel. My Solitaire from Shoban Babu's yard also was fancied strongly by the right connections, but the Shoban Babu ward found the `Lady' too hot to handle and had to settle for the runner-up berth. 

The Padmanabhan schooled Desert Kingdom was the prime choice of the followers of form in the Trombay Plate run over a mile. The good looking favourite who looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring needed to produce his best, his pilot David Allan stretching every sinew to win a humdinger, a `nose' separating the top public choice from the Pradeep Annaiah schooled Michiko. Sea Blush from Umar Shariff's yard did well to save money in place, while the second in demand at the betting ring, Lux Aeterna raced in patches and eventually finished in the ruck. 

Despite making a belated debut, Knotty Scotty from Prasanna Kumar's yard was fancied most in the lower division of the Indravati Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. The favourite in the hands of Trevor hit the front and called the shots for most part of the trip before going down fighting to the second fancy Habibti from trainer Arjun Manglorkar's yard. Supercharge from trainer warren Singh's yard was really not extended while leisurely finishing third and is one for the notebook. 

Dufy from Rajesh Babu's yard was hammered down from (9/4) to (8/10) in the betting ring, most of his supporters recommending him as a safe bet in the lower division of the Abbey Falls Plate, but the moment the gates opened, it was clear that Dufy, who lost a couple of lengths will struggle to win and this is exactly what happened, the strongly supported favourite charging home to finish third behind the shock winner Altamonte and the lesser fancied Emeraldo. It is clear from this effort that Dufy needs an extended trip to display his true potential.