Trainer Neil Darashah's King Louis (Win Legend-Georgina) responded magnificently to his rider’s call as he raised a thundering gallop in the final furlong of the seven-furlong race to peg back the runaway Charismatic at the winning post.  The seven-year-old was in mid-division for most part but found his galloping shoes in the nick of time to lift the Aperitivo Cup at RCTC on Thursday. Ante-post favourite Abhicandra was a tame third. Leading jockey Suraj Narredu who piloted the winner completed a popular treble during the afternoon.

Suraj set the ball rolling in the day’s opener when he guided home Rutherford Alford’s Swift Lady (Be Safe-Lady College) to a comfortable triumph over course favourite Dubai Prince. The other fancied runner Star Pride was no where in the picture after a tardy get away from the starting stalls.The winner is a seven-year-old chestnut mare who was very well prepared for this race and she delivered in the hands of thiscentre’s most reliable jockey. Suraj brought the curtain down on the short card of six races by picking up the 2000 metres race for The Dare To Dream Handicap withVijay Singh-trained Divine Gift (Deauville-Mea Culpa). He displayed perfect pace judgement as front-running Royal Member set a good pace. He finally made his move from the top of the straight to fight it out with Garth who had assumed command briefly in the home stretch.

Despite an outside draw in a field of 13 runners, apprentice jockey N Darshan did well to bag the five-and-half furlong sprint for the Toroloco Handicap with Superlative (Roderic O’Connor – She Is Special) from the course favourite Lavish Girl who had taken over the running from Resplendence in the final furlong. It was a clever move by trainer Shafiq Khan to declare an apprentice and pull off this fine triumph with a seven-year-old dark bay gelding.

The race for the Prince Blossom Handicap was an interesting affair. Money poured in on the Deepesh Narredu ward Princess S ridden by Suraj Narredu. Trevor on Aashay Doctor-trained Cielo (Dreamland-Occitan) jumped out well and made the scurry a start-to-finish affair though Princess S made a bold attempt in the straight to get the better of him. Fifty Shades was a decent third and will be worth keeping an eye on in the future.

Jockey Hindu Singh rode a well-planned race on SS Attaollahi-trained Xanthe (Deauville-Sheryl) to peg back Booster Shotwho was making a bee line for the winning post in the mile race for The Colombiana Handicap. Aeropoli ran well below par while favourite Mindful may have felt the pinch of two winning penalties.