Running true to his name, Pesi Shroff’s protégé Jaandaar gave a lively performance to claim the honours in the prestigious FD Wadia Trophy (Gr.3), one of the most interesting contests of the weekend. Jockey Vivek G. ensured that Jaandaar was in a boxed seat in the centre of the seven-horse field right from the word go. When the starter’s flag came down for the seven-furlong endeavour, A. Sandesh took Invictor to the front with Lady Scarlet and Queen of Beauties close behind. With about a furlong left for the wire, Lady Scarlet wrest the lead from Invictor but found Jaandaar breathing fire on her outside. A couple of cracks from Vivek’s whip drew a fiery response in the final hundred metres from Jaandaar (Earthlight – Dance Awhile), who swooped down Lady Scarlet in the last fifty metres to register an authoritative victory. Runner-up Lady Scarlet, having gone down to Margaretta in the PBMM run at Mahalaxmi, once again came across one better from Pesi’s yard. Both Nebula and Minari rallied late to take the third and fourth berth. Although Adhirajsingh would have loved to lead Lady Scarlet to the winner’s enclosure, he still went home holding his head high as he saddled another winning treble on Sunday, a tally of six winners during the weekend. Jaandaar, the flashy colt bred at the Sohna Stud Farms, is owned by Mr Vijay B. Shirke & Jay V. Shirke.
 
Adhirajsingh immediately saddled a back-to-back double through Zafferano and Neptune, but it was in the Mayor’s Trophy that he got his first winner when Arrived, who was making his first appearance after his winter campaign at Calcutta, carved a narrow win over his two rivals. Arrived was taken on a start-to-finish mission by Vivek after the three-horse set took off from the gates while Golden Dancer and the top-weighted favourite Thalassa went in pursuit. The race came to a boiling point to stoke the interest of the racegoers only inside the last two furlongs when Sandesh brought Thalassa through the shortest way home and challenged Arrived. It appeared, for a fleeting moment, that Thalassa had tackled Arrived. However, Arrived (Deauville – Transformation) fought back under Vivek’s vigorous handling to regain the advantage just a few metres from home to beat Golden Dancer, who edged out Thalassa to take the runner-up spot.
 
Following his treble a day earlier, adrenaline was still flowing in apprentice Ramswarup’s veins when he rode Zafferano in the Waves of Glory Plate. Favourite Neutralist, out to make amends for his previous failure in Sandesh’s hands, went to the front as is his wont only to find Earth racing abreast. Both horses committed hara-kiri by cutting pace with each other. In doing so, Neutralist lost momentum while turning for home allowing Earth to flatter briefly. The mare was soon joined and passed by Scaramouche, Zafferano, and Stormy Sea. Meanwhile, Zafferano (Kingda Ka – Auburn) stepped up his speed to take charge in the last furlong with Ramswarup driving him purposefully to ward off the threat posed by Stormy Sea, who ran wayward in the straight. Scaramouche ran third in a close finish involving Bee Magical and Amazing Ruler. Neutralist inexplicably ended dead last. Earth did not fare any better except finishing third last.
 
Improving on her previous effort, Neptune justified the punters’ faith in the day’s last race. Ramswarup astride Neptune sent the filly in chase of speedy Viennoise over the five-furlong scurry and easily tackled her opposite the stands. Responding well to Ramswarup’s effort, Neptune (Gusto – Bravia) then kept going to win comfortably from Viennoise while Ensky improved late to finish in the money ahead of Majestic Warrior. Bred as full-brother to Zafferano, Malesh Narredu-trained Elevate suffered the same fate as his stablemate when failing to reveal his sprinting ability, thus disappointing his backers. Elevate was outpaced throughout and struggled to catch up with the leaders and ended last but one in the field of ten runners.
 
Imtiaz Sait-saddled Rivayat made an impressive winning debut in the Devendra Jawaharlal Mathurawala Million. Sandesh-piloted favourite Sabalenka showed plenty of early speed to hit the front with Narendra Lagad’s two contestants Brahmastra and Lucky Diamond racing on her haunches while Rivayat and Golden Hues were close behind. Sabalenka failed to sustain her lead as soon as they turned for home and surrendered to Brahmastra. Before Brahmastra could kick clear, Antony Raj brought Rivayat (Leitir Mor – Choose) with a sparkling run to wrest the initiative and surged clear of his rivals, easily vanquishing Golden Hues, who lost precious ground veering out under pressure in the last furlong. Brahmastra and Lucky Diamond ran third and fourth while Sabalenka finished off the board.
 
Invincible Force, the short-priced favourite who made a winning debut on the inaugural day of the Pune season, made it two in a row by recording another authoritative victory in the Amjad Khan Trophy. Yash Narredu rode Invincible Force well off the pace as Agatha slipped into the lead and had the no-hopers Alexandria and Maratha Admiral in pursuit. When the field straightened for home, Yash alerted Invincible Force (Make Believe – Nameless) to his task and the Malesh Narredu trainee gathered enough steam to mow down Agatha inside the last furlong and sail clear of his rivals. Her Charge arrived late on the scene to deny Agatha second place while Organised Chaos ended a tame fourth ahead of Menorca, who also ran below expectations.
 
Narredu had earlier led in his first winner in the day’s curtain raiser through Abhyankar, who was ridden confidently by the lesser-known apprentice Vishal. Abhyankar jumped out smartly from the barriers and raced keenly in the front with Vishal managing to keep him on the leash while High Ground raced alongside till the final turn. Vishal released the brakes on Abhyankar (Planetaire – Conscience) as soon as they entered the straight and the maiden four-year-old gelding stayed clear of his rivals until reaching the winning post. Royal Champ ran on late to finish runner-up and Mai Tai too warmed up late when taking the third berth ahead of Madison.