Michael Eshwer trained Diamond Hunter staved off the late rallying Atlantus to land the spoils in the D P Sharma Memorial Sprinters Trial Stakes, a rich terms for four-year olds and over, the main event of long drawn card of 10 events that were gone through on Friday. Lady Duff who had reeled off four wins in a row, was attempting to graduate into exalted company but was out of depth and was beaten well before the race came on the boil.

There were three runners in the fray, Diamond Hunter, Rare And Precious and Originality who had seen top class sprinting company. Lady Duff was being thrown at the deep end but considering the ease with which she had won, she was made the favourite, with inspired support coming in the way of Rare And Precious. Both Diamond Hunter and Originality were allowed to run at nourishing odds.

Lady Duff was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey Suraj Narredu but the progeny of Burden of Proof failed to prolong his stay for long as she surrendered meekly to the strong challenge essayed by Diamond Hunter inside the final two furlongs. Diamond Hunter surged ahead and opened up a useful lead even as Rare And Precious fell back alarmingly to bow out of contention. It was left to the consistent Atlantus to add an element of excitement to the race by charging home with a big run but was a bit unlucky to find the winning post sighted a strider earlier. Originality ran on to finish third ahead of Aurelian.

Racing did not run kindly for chasers of favourite as many of them failed without even putting a semblance of a fight. Last start winner Lowndes Square showed amazing improvement when easily winning the Ruia Stud Plate, a seven furlong race for horses rated 60 to 85. Top weighted Star Wave came in for inspired support but it was Brigade`s Pride who cornered the bulk of the betting. Lowndes Square moved from behind with a flourish to easily sail past Star Wave who had taken a striking position at the top of the straight. Star Wave managed to save the second spot from Alpha Bay whose start to finish mission failed to fructify.

Lush Lashes looked a cinch in the 1600 metres Smt Saraswati Sajnani Memorial Trophy especially after her impressive third behind Arabian Prince. However, Lush Lashes lost considerable ground at the start and though she went into the lead with a furlong out, she succumbed to Tuthmosis who closed with a big run. Glitterato had a useful outing when finishing an easy third.

	Diamond Hunter (P S Chouhan up) winner of the D P Sharma Memorial Sptrinters Trial Stakes, being led in by trainer Mr.M Eshwer & Mr.Sanjay Kapoor on Friday at Bangalore

Suraj Narredu who rode out vigorously to win on Tuthmosis left himself too much to do on favourite Gustavo who chased the well backed Best Time in vain after letting the front runner establish a winning lead in the Chamundi Hill Plate (Div I). Another Irfan Ghatala trained favourite to bite the dust was Tirolino who was beaten close home by the hard ridden Hampton Court in the lower division of the race.

In an exciting four horse finish, Great Chieftain just about nosed out favourite Your Destiny in the H Devereux Memorial Plate. The unlucky loser in the race was Royal Player who flashed home with a big run but fell short narrowly. Perhaps Royal Player was inconvenienced by Game of Life who dropped his jockey and the lesser fancied runner was left cover lot of ground on the front runners. He was a close fourth. Poetic occupied the third slot. Little Splendour, who cut an erratic course in the straight, was not far off from the winner.

The change of name perhaps brought the desired luck as Haggler (late Jersey Rock) took control of the proceedings inside the final 300 metres and stretched away for a comfortable win over Free Glider. Favourite Sunny Connexion graced the wrong end of the field from start to finish.

Sky Light made the entire running in the February Plate (Div I) and looked like having sewn up the race inside of the winning post but slowed down perceptibly in the dying moments of the race. This enabled Sunny`s Secret who was taking time to warm up, enough time to overhaul the front runner. Valahak who was also strongly fancied to win made now show. Siachen was out paced in the early part but once she found foot, there was no stopping the favourite who won the lower division of the race by a distance from Rezoom.

Dazzling Honour necked out Seven Star to win as a well backed runner in the 1800 metres Shimoga Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Seven Star led all the way only to lose in the closing strides of the race to the well backed Dazzling Honour who made a powerfully rally in the final stages of the race.