Trainer Patrick Quinn deserves a pat on the back! He requested a higher rating for his ward Dubai Princess so he could compete – declared a none too reputed low-weight rider – and pulled off a superb coup at 8/1 In The Eveready Metropolitan at RCTC on Tuesday. The daughter of Gusto out of Whistling Strait was competently handled by K Nazil who kept in touch with the field till the turning for home and then avoided traffic problems by shifting to the outside. Once asked for an effort by her rider, the bottom-weight did well to collar front-running Global Princess in the straight. The one for the notebook is Black Eagle who was conceding chunks of weight to the two fancied runners and yet finished a close third.

It was an afternoon when the satchel-bearers got the better of punters as only two public fancies obliged in a small card of six races. The afternoon commenced with two runners being backed in the Eveready Ultima Cup for youngsters – Live It Love It and Simran’s Star. The latter took over the running in the straight but had no answer to the thunderous gallop unleashed by Aashay Doctor’ sMagnifico ( Whatsthescript-Dance The Dream) opposite the grandstand. Leading jockey R Vaibhav had to push him from the word ‘go’ as the colt was idling six lengths behind the front-runners in the early part of the race. He gradually made up the ground and then moved with giant strides near the distance post to land the spoils.

Trainer Neil Darashah’s Zambezi (Fiero- Namibia) won the Sholay Handicap in great style as he moved from last to first in a trice to leave the field standing in the straight.This half-brother to Etosha and Tenno Sho has more races in store for him. The 12/1 shot was piloted by Vishal N Bunde. The Prince Blossom Handicap  - a No Whips race – saw Imran Chisty take Rutherford Alford -trained Lucretius (Tenth Star – Flamboyant Flame) to the helm of affairs as the gates opened and stayed there all the way.The five-year-old gelding’s early speed helped his cause in this large field of thirteen runners.

Last outing winner Indian Jack was backed to the exclusion of all in the mile race for The Ocean Way Handicap but he failed to live up to expectations as he finished a tame fourth. Shafiq Khan-trained Banksy (Roderic O’Connor-Amazing Ray) and Amalfitana  fought out the issue in the straight with the former prevailing to notch up his second win of the season.

Trainer Rajesh Narredu’s four-year-old filly Sensational (Roderic O’Connor-Miss Mystique) picked up her third race of the season when she pocketed the last race of the day – The Cupid Handicap – without much ado. The much improved filly with Suraj Narredu in saddle spared over six lengths to Norwegian Wood.