Overcast conditions and a light drizzle could not deter ace jockey Trevor Patel from completing a hat-trick of victories much to the delight of his numerous fans at RCTC on Tuesday. His winners were the Aashay Doctor-trained pair of on-money fillies Morano and Light The World and the 7/2 top-weight Supreme Grandeur in the True Colours Handicap from Patrick Quinn’s yard.

The main event – The Cadman Cup run over seven furlongs  – saw Neil Darashah-trained favourite Victoria Cross (Multitude – Victoria Cross) being ridden by Neeraj Rawal to a facile four-length victory over stablemate Over The Line. The latter’s top-weight forward run makes him one for the notebook. Neil commented after the three-year-old dark bay colt’s triumph that he was always very confident of bagging the cup and this was more or less an ‘educational’ run to face stiffer challenges in the season ahead.

Trevor set his hat-trick rolling with an effortless victory atop Aashay Doctor-trained Morano (Dali-Harmonica) in the five-and-half furlong sprint for The Turf Hawk Handicap. The youngster ran like a well-oiled machine as she came in smoothly from the outside draw and sat tight in fourth slot before taking over the running from Honey Cake in the straight and thereafter leave the field standing. Aashay said later that the monsoon fillies trial was definitely an option open to the talented sprinter.

Quinn’s Supreme Grandeur (Dali – Suzanna) brought home the bacon after closing as the 7/2 second favourite in The True Colours Handicap. Money came on La Dominate and Liban resulting in the expanded odds of the ante-post favourite. Trevor had to work hard on this one as tardy starter King Louis crept up along the rails in the straight and very nearly got the better of him. He is definitely one for the notebook. He might prefer an extended trip. Quinn added a touch of humour to the afternoon’s proceedings  when he said afterwards that he was not at all confident about his ward’s win and was thankful for it as her connections had paid a big price for her. 

Trevor had to pull out all stops on Aashay-trained Light The World (Dreamfield – Let There Be Light) to edge out the runaway leader Kay Star (Arman Khan up) close home. Trainer Rutherford Alford has the guts to try his runners without any big names astride and it paid rich dividends in the very next race – the final event of the afternoon – when his seven-year-old Celtic Harlequin (Western Aristocrat – Portia) delivered the goods in the hands of Md Azharuddin.

The second day’s proceedings had started favourably for punters who had a lucrative afternoon with four first choices obliging. Sabeel Shariff-trained Sky Hawk (Whatsthescript-Shenliyaka) made every post of the Jeweller Handicap a winning one, with Vishal Bunde atop. Last outing winner Kindred Spirit made a late bid to end up second.