Bay colt Pantazi by Western Aristocrat out of Waveband won the AB &M Indian Champagne Stakes in great style despite giving weight all round at the RCTC on Thursday. The big-boned colt from the yard of leading trainer Aashay Doctor  left the field of five cold as he collared  front-running Eleanora and ran away from his rivals to give jockey Yash Narredu an armchair ride in the seven-furlong Grade III race for three-year-olds.

Sharing the limelight with the leading stable was trainer Vikash Jaiswal who garnered a lucrative double with Sun God and Emperor Ashoka. Sun God – a seven-year-old by Crimson China out of Resolution, utilised his handicap to good effect to get the better of course favourite Cristaldo. The pair had met last year and on this occasion the revised handicap did the trick for the Jaiswal yard. The bottom-weight was neglected in the ring as he closed at 15/1. However, jockey Vinay Jaiswal did justice to his mount as he followed front-running Cristaldo closely till the straight and urged his mount thereafter to take up the running and pull it off. The other three runners were never in it – the disappointment being the ante-post favourite Born To Be Spoilt who was never in the picture.

Vikash completed his brace with form horse Emperor Ashoka (Lord Admiral – Lucy Diamond) who won the INS Hooghly Cup by five lengths from the favourite Go For The Moon. Ridden by leading jockey R Vaibhav, the ‘Emperor’ had no difficulty whatsoever in collaring the front-running favourite. Both runners now find themselves in the upper class. The failed favourite may well win in that class on his next outing.

The Navy Cup run over six furlongs saw the favourite Dona Sienna bite the dust for the second time in succession. Rutherford Alford’s eight-year-old Sir Baffert (King’s Tour-Berry Girl) showed an amazing turn of foot to leave the favourite standing in the straight. This was the aged gelding’s first win after a span of over three years and the trainer needs to given a pat on the back for the commendable job done.

Trainer Anil Kumar’s Liban (Total gallery – Megara) completed a hat-trick and picked up his fourth win of the season when he pocketed the Burning Fire Handicap without much ado. Piloted by A Ashhad Asbar, the five-year-old collared the front-runner in the straight quite easily and drew away.. The vastly improved sprinter is undoubtedly in line for the ‘Horse Of The Season’ title.

The curtain came down with Neil Darashah’s Honey Cake (Perfect Stride-Performer) making every post a winning one in the sprint for The Accalia Handicap. The mare had gone down narrowly to Mathangi in her last outing and made amends on this occasion in the hands of Arul. The favourite Intense Belief was a notable runner-up.