The Pesi Shroff juggernaut continues to roll at the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC). After winning the first two classics, the classy Margaretta emerging the champion filly and D'Artagnan the best colt in the campus, Zuccaro on Sunday emerged the new Maharaja and next Sunday, the champion trainer in all probability will be seen leading in the winner of the richest Derby in the annals of Indian racing, the Zavaray Poonawalla Bangalore summer Derby, which offers the richest purse, Rs, 2.5 crore to the winner. Zuccaro on form and more importantly the manner in which he won his earlier start over a mile looked head and shoulders above his dozen rivals including a couple of classic winners, in the prestigious Maharaja's Cup run over a distance of 2200 metres. The on-money favourite superbly piloted by young Vivek, who this summer has hopped, stepped and jumped into the big league produced another supremely confident performance on the new king, who really didn't need to pull out his sword in a battle he won in record time. Zuccaro flashed past the post, stopping the clock at 2:13.75 seconds, bettering the existing mark (2:14.93) registered by Star Superior seven summers ago. It was also Zuccaro's third straight success and he certainly will emerge the horse of the season after his coronation on the Maharaja's day. The Kishan Thomas trained Mayne Magic, who had finished second behind Zuccaro in their last head-to head clash over a mile again followed the Pesi Shroff champion home ahead of Alfonsine, while the Mysore Derby winner Miracle Star from the stables of James McKeown, who finished third behind Mayne Magic in her last essay performed below par and failed to gain placing on the board. 

Earlier, Encino from trainer Adhirajsingh Jodha's yard and Azaadi from the stables of Pradeep Chouhan made it a day to remember for the Mumbai pros, half of the six races bagged by the leading trainers from Western India. Encino partnered by Sandesh, like Zuccaro was backed to the exclusion of his 11 rivals in the AMC Gowda Memorial Trophy run over a sprint and the public rage sprinted home in resplendent style to take home the beautiful trophy presented by former chairman Satish Chandra. The Satish Narredu-trained Gloriousness expectedly followed the winner home ahead of See The Light, while the Aravind Ganapathy schooled Idi Minnal completed the frame. Encino, it must be mentioned is at his best and it will pay to support this Adhiraj trainee again when next saddled. 

Strongly fancied, Azaadi piloted by Vivek, who recorded a popular double, proved too good for her seven rivals in the RR Byramji Memorial Plate run over a sprint. The smart winner hit the front soon after the eight runners came under the starter's flag and never let the initiative slip, romping home without really working up a sweat to the delight of the large following including all the track reporters, who had tipped her strongly after her brilliant final preparatory gallop. Second in demand at the betting ring, the Hyderabad challenger, Aprameya from Neelesh Rawal's ward partnered by Neeraj followed the winner home ahead of the James McKeown schooled Shadai. Azaadi appears a goodtype of filly and it will pay to support her again next time out. 

The opening event, the Lagarde Plate run over a sprint produced a thrilling finish, the ten to one shot NRI Ace from trainer Sajid Qureshi's yard powerfully piloted by Jagadeesh snuffing out the challenge of the favourite Power Of Beauty from Pradeep Annaiah's yard by the shortest of margins. While Jagadeesh excelled in his start to finish bid on NRI Ace, Arul astride the public choice failed to pack punch at the all-important end and this tilted the scales in favour of the Sajid ward. The effort of Arul on the runner-up was questionable and calls for an explanation. 

In another pulse-pounding finish, the Arjun Manglorkar-trained Mandate piloted by apprentice jockey Aleemuddin edged out the second in demand at the betting ring, Angelisa from Pesi Shroff's yard, partnered by Yash Narredu. Angelisa and Yash, a furlong from home looked set to score before Aleemuddin in a never-say-die bid drove Mandate hard to snatch the verdict from Yash at the shadow of the winning post. The favourite Stalingrad from the stables of Irfan Ghatala who impressed most while earning his winning bracket last time out failed to reproduce the effort and eventually finished down the field much to the disappointment of his supporters. 

Absolute Force from Joseph Awale's yard and the Gregory Sandhu-trained Disruptor were fancied most in the concluding event after the price on the MR Singh-trained Oxytocin shot up from (2/1) to (6/1) indicating that the seven-year-old mare was not in the hunt. And later Disruptor was withdrawn at the gates and this made the task of Absolute Force easy, the smart winner producing a sparkling gallop in the hands of leading pro Sandesh to put the issue beyond doubt 100 metres from  home. Last start winner My Solitaire finished a game second ahead of Shahenshaah, who caught the eye and is one for the notebook.