It was good to see top trainer Sulaiman Attaollahi leading in the new Maharaja. Positano, who always found one or two better, each time he contested a major event at home or in Mumbai and Madras, finally stormed into the big circle on Sunday. The winner of the prestigious event run over the traditional distance of 2200 metres looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring, while the favourite DYF from the stables of Adhirajsingh Jodha appeared a trifle gross and rusty. The winner in receipt of 8.5 kilos from the topweighted grey partnered by Trevor Patel, made most of the handicap in his favour travelling smoothly all through the backstretch before the chote nawab, Akshay Kumar setalight the star performer at the top of the straight and Positano responding in resplendent fashion shot through to assume command and put the issue beyond doubt in the final furlong. Second behind Golden Thunder in his last essay, Arkadian from champion trainer Pesi Shroff produced another commendable effort to gain the runner-up berth ahead of the public choice DYF, who struggled to stay in contention the moment the big race came on a boil. Now that Positano has broken ice it will pay to again support in the forthcoming big tests at home and away.

The principal added attraction, the Rashid Byramji Memorial Million split into two divisions saw a good looking talented filly make her presence felt in the higher division. Flight Of Fancy from Darius Byramji's yard, who had impressed most, finishing second behind the impressive Multitude progeny Indian Brocade from the stables of Rajesh Narredu in her debut was pitted against Romping Home, a debutant from Deepesh Narredu's yard, who was touted as a `good bet,' truck loads of money pouring in on the fashionably bred daughter of Roderic O'Connor.  The fact that a thunder shower before the start of the first race and the intermittent drizzle which persisted till the clouds cleared after the second race pushed many supporters of Flight Of Fancy into the hot favourite's boat simply because of the understanding that the progenies of Win Legend don't perform in wet conditions. Well in any field of sport the good engines roar on any track and on any surface. They simply want a challenge to get the best out of them and Flight Of Fancy was ready for the big challenge and in a fire to the wire finish the Darius ward edged out the piping hot favourite Romping Home (75/100), who will now need to wait a couple of weeks before romping home. Supernal from the stables of champion trainer Prasanna Kumar, who finished third behind Flight Of Fancy in her last essay performed below par and eventually finished down the field. 

The lower division of the event produced a shock result, Hidden Dreams from Narayan Gowda's yard making every post a winning one in the hands of Rajesh Kumar. The winner paid a rich dividend of Rs 313 on a tenner at the tote window. The public rage Mai Tai from trainer Altamash's yard who had finished a game second in her last essay followed the winner home much to the disappointment of all the big bettors who rated her on top of their betting list.

The Satish Narredu-trained Excellent Lass resumed her winning ways, coming up trumps in the AMC Gowda Memorial Trophy run over a sprint. The winner piloted by Yash Narredu at a crucial stage of the race needed to be switched out and Yash took time to offer her the galloping space and once she got that approaching the distance post the favourite quickly changed gears and zipped past the lesser fancied Densetsu to romp home a deserving winner. In line for a hat-trick in a much superior class, Darrion did well to finish third, while the second in demand at the betting ring, Connecting Dots failed to display his true potential.

Veteran trainer Inayathulla pulled off a big gamble in the concluding event, the Southern Empire Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. Running down the field in all his three starts this season including his last attempt in the 20-45 class, Wellington was quietly fancied by insiders and right connections who punted big and made the moolah, the gritty seven-year-old donkey-licking his seven rivals in the hands of Arvind Kumar who partnered the Inayathullah ward in his last blow-cold exercise. Hats of to Inayathullah, the veteran in a abracadabra magic did pull a rabbit out of the bag.

Earlier, ten to one shot Empress Bella from Kishan Thomas' yard shocked the followers of form making every post a winning one in the Commanche Plate run over a sprint. The favourite Striking Eyes failed to live up to her top billing and the second in demand at the betting ring, Tripple V too found the going tough and only managed to complete the frame. Another Inayathullah ward Flamingo Dream followed the shock winner home. But unlike Wellington, Flamingo Dream had finished twice second from her last two attempts.

The public choice Del Aviz who lost a race which she should have won while finishing second to Pluto settled her score coming up tops in the Lagarde Plate run over a sprint. Akshay Kumar spurred by his success in the Maharaja's Cup produced a copybook effort on the winner. Jersey King from the stables of Dominic who was shaping like a winner before Del Aviz charged home to take control and win, followed the winner home ahead of Mazal Tov, while the well-backed second favourite Art Collector failed to gain a favourable position early on in the sprint and at end after racing wide for most part of the sprint journey finished in the ruck.