A brief card of six events on Friday at RCTC was loaded with excitement from the very beginning as two top outstation riders failed to fulfil their engagements. Both Trevor and Akshay have yet to receive their glanders negative test certificate from the government.With all due respect to their replacements, they were understandably not in their league, resulting in odds of certain horses expanding incredibly. However, leading jockey Suraj Narredu was in his element as usual with a popular treble consisting of Schoenberg, Victoria Cross and Paulite Warrior.Neil Darashah-trained Victoria Cross (Multitude-Victoria Falls) made every post of the five-and-half furlong sprint for the Calorific Cup a winning one quite easily. The disappointment in the race was second favourite Morano who was ridden for eventual speed which never materialized. Neil and Suraj combined fruitfully once again in the afternoon’s final event  -The Captain Courageous Handicap run over a mile – when public choice Paulite Warrior (Total Gallery-Star Ex) won comfortably. As the gelding has a tendency to fold up in the straight when ridden up front, he was covered up till the turning for home on this occasion before making his move in the straight. The change of riding style helped in delivering the goods for the Darashah stable.

The afternoon commenced with trainer Arti Doctor’s Upper Street (Smuggler’s Cove -Adulation) winning the seven furlong race for The Agostini Handicap with ridiculous ease on debut. She said in her post-race comments that as jockey Tejeshwarhad prepared the colt over several months, she had given him this opportunity and he made no mistake. Upper Street was available at 6/1. -In the very next race, The Pa bear Plate, Trevor was replaced by Imran Chisty atop Aashay Doctor-trained Argento. As money flowed in on Fifty Shades, the odds of Argento unbelievably increased to 7/1. Chisty rode a regulation race and the colt by Dreamfield out of Taladega won the six furlong sprint as he liked in excellent timing despite false rails. Chisty and Aashay would have completed a brace in the very next race had not Live It Love It drifted to the outer rails. This gave the opportunity to Vijay Singh-trained Schoenberg to pull it off in the hands of Suraj. Schoenberg (Letir Mor – Selfie Star) virtually made the upper division of the Royal Blue Star Handicap a start to finish affair, holding on to his advantage by half-alength from Live It Love It.

In the absence of Akshay Kumar, a chance ride for Vishal Bunde atop Three Little Words in the lower division of The Blue Star Handicappaid rich dividends for him. The Rutherford Alford-trained five year-old mare by Whatsthescript out of Oscar Silk edged out on-money favourite Contessina close home.

SURAJ NARREDU, VIKRANT SUSPENDED: Leading jockey Suraj Narredu has been suspended from riding in races on 5th and 6th March 2026 for incompetent handling of his mount Trakila in the Deepak Khaitan Memorial Gold Cup.

Jockey AA Vikrant was also suspended from riding on 5th and 6th March 2026 for indifferent handling of his mount Most And More in the lower division of the Awesome One Handicap. Trainer Rajesh Narredu was also cautioned regarding the running of his charges.