The Mumbai racing season may have started on a sedate note but nobody was complaining except the bookies. Since all the six races in the Thursday’s card had small fields in the fray, winner spotting was quite easy until the concluding race which resulted in most punters experiencing the delight of hitting a jackpot. The Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy was easily the most competitive event in the six-race card but, at the same time, racegoers were keen to witness the clash between Fynbos and Giacomo, the classic hopes of their respective connections. The RCTC Trophy did produce a thrilling climax but the much-anticipated fight between Fynbos and Giacomo did not materialise as the former reached home unscathed.
 
When the RCTC Trophy was flagged off, Divine Star found himself cramped for room soon after the start forcing NS Parmar to switch lanes, but he succeeded in wresting the lead from favourite Credence with Irish Gold settled close behind. A. Sandesh got busy astride Irish Gold as soon as the field straightened for home and held a slender lead after collaring Divine Star at the two-furlong post. Meanwhile, Credence got hemmed up towards the rails behind Divine Star following which apprentice Ramswarup made the wise decision to bring his mount on the outside. Irish Gold had a comfortable lead at this stage but Credence started to gain ground on him, though shifting out under pressure close home. Sensing the danger lurking behind him, Sandesh drove Irish Gold vigorously in his bid to ward off Credence’s threat and although it seemed that he had prevailed in a tight finish, the camera found the Shazaan Shah trainee had pipped him on the post. Credence (Excellent Art – Maleficent) thus secured a short-head verdict to record her eighth success from thirteen starts. It’s My Time improved towards the end to peg back Divine Star by a nose for the third spot.
 
The bay filly Fynbos was given a well-deserved break after winning the Bangalore Summer Derby in July last and she returned to the track for what was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for the Indian 1000 Guineas. She was pitted against Dallas Todywalla-groomed Giacomo, who matched her career record of four victories including a hat-trick at Pune. Trevor Patel played the waiting game aboard Fynbos as he kept the filly behind Giacomo whilst Emperor Roderic showed the way to his three rivals with top-weighted Ultimo in tow. R. Ajinkya-ridden Ultimo tackled the leader as the pace picked up in the straight with both Sandesh and Trevor launching their bid in the final furlong of the mile trip. However, it was Fynbos (Kingda Ka – Mahali) who responded positively to Trevor’s urgings and asserted her superiority in the last fifty metres despite rolling on to Ultimo in the final moments of the race. Giacomo finished a disappointing third after finding it difficult both to gather momentum and getting a clear run as well.
 
Shroff’s decision to run Kings Gambit at the bottom of the scale in the higher class was spot on as the half-sister to the dual Indian classic winner King’s Ransom romped home in style. Jockey A. Prakash settled Kings Gambit behind the front runners as Lord And Master made the initial running and brought the field of seven into the home stretch. Sandesh-ridden Neptune soon pounced upon Lord And Master before Prakash showed Kings Gambit the daylight. Kings Gambit (Deauville – China Creek) unleashed a terrific turn of foot to cruise past Neptune in the last furlong and went on to achieve an effortless win. A late rally from Axlrod fetched him the runner-up spot in a close finish with Treat and Spanish Eyes, who ended third and fourth respectively.
 
Namiri, who made her debut towards the end of the Pune season, graduated from the maiden ranks with a smashing win in the PB Avasia Plate. After the field headed by Floyd had travelled the initial three furlongs, Trevor gave Namiri her head as she became keen. The dark bay filly did not face any threat thereafter as she won without being extended and cut a timing which was a fraction less than what Fynbos did over the mile journey. Magical Moments finished on well to beat Little John for the second place while Machiavellian retired to be fourth. Phantasmique swerved to his left shortly after the start and took no part in the race as he gradually trailed the field.     
 
Social Butterfly retraced her steps to the winner’s enclosure immediately on her return to the Mahalaxmi racetrack. The opposition she was facing in the season’s curtain raiser was so feeble that, despite carrying top weight, Todywalla-saddled Social Butterfly (Excellent Art – Lady Danehill) trounced her opponents in a start-to-finish bid over the six-furlong trip. Majestic Warrior, who was in a futile chase of the winner throughout, held on the second berth from Absolute Gorgeous whilst You took the fourth spot.
 
Altamash Ahmed-trained Applause benefitted from the five-kilo allowance claimed by apprentice Bharath Singh and struck immediately on relegation to the lowest class. Applause raced on the tail of Lightning Blaze, who called the early shots in a closely bunched field, and was later driven out in the straight to assume command. Arbitrage tried to intimidate Applause (Leitir Mor – Iceglow) in the last hundred metres but the young apprentice kept his nerve when steering his mount for a comfortable win. Arbitrage retained the runner-up position from We Still Believe. Maratha Admiral failed to justify his favouritism and finished a tame fourth.