In what could be described as chokingly close finish, Falcon just about won by the fraction of a second the Fair Haven Trophy, a race for horses rated 80 and above the feature event of opening day`s races of Pune Racing Season. Dancing Prances was unfortunate to end up as a loser. Trainer Malesh Narredu started the season on a bright note saddling three winners.
Falcon, whose last win was 305 days ago, was the favourite on the basis of the fact that he was well placed in scales to have a bold show. Falcon had been considered a classic prospect but somehow he had let down huge expectations. Dancing Prances who had lost the Sprinters Cup to Nefyn by a whisker was allowed to run at fancy odds on the premise that the progeny of Ace was not suited to more than a short sprint.

The speedy Myla Rose and Rio led the field followed by Zoraavar and Dancing Prances while Falcon was in the rear group, under pressure to pick up speed. Dancing Prances was held up for a brief while at a crucial stage of the race between the two front runners and by the time he got a clear run and got into rhythm, Falcon had picked up great speed and came home with a blistering run on the wide outside. Falcon and Dancing Prances went past the post locked together and it was difficult to predict who the winner was until the photo finish separated them. Zoraavar also finished strongly but was clearly crying for more ground but nevertheless finished a close third.

	Falcon (D K Ashish up) winner of the Fair Haven Trophy, being led in by trainer M Narredu & Mr.Jaydev M Mody

The fact that three year olds are allowed to run in the lowest category in the second season itself has proved detrimental in that it has encouraged trainers to bring off a gamble by giving a couple of runs which gets them the rating instead of trying to win the race meant for maidens. Three year old fillies start at the rating of 25 and colts and geldings at 28. The season`s opener, the 1400 metres Atomic Prince Plate, a race for horses rated 1 to 26, saw Malesh Narredu trained Delightful Lady being backed to the exclusion of the rest. After racing a handy fourth into the straight, apprentice jockey Yash Narredu who had a dream run at the Bangalore Summer Season, had the daughter of Dancing Forever pick up speed which the three year old did instantly to win as she pleased from Donata and It`s Time.

Yash Narredu had a quick back to back double when the well backed Faisal Abbas trainee Dreamland went on a start to finish mission in the 1000 metres Cacophony Plate (Div II), a race for horses rated 20 to 46 displaying so much speed that the rivals could not even chase his shadow. Highway Express made a valiant attempt to bridge the gap but was more than five lengths adrift. Zoe was third.

English jockey Darren Williams who had been in the news for all the wrong seasons drove out his first winner in India when he packed punch on Narendra Lagad trained Crowned Princess to get past the long time leader Burgundy Rose to win the Cacophony Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Yash Narredu who was bidding for a hat-trick on Windsor Queen found the front runner Burgundy Rose unrelenting and weakened after chasing well into the final furlong. Crowned Princess who was within striking distance then gathered momentum and under a strong ride, shot through between favourite Windsor Queen and Yardstick and got past the front runner in the shadow of the post. There was a close finish for the third place between the pair of horses trained by Antia namely Starry Ocean and Speedy Baby with the former prevailing by a whisker displaying flourish at the finish.

Greek God had recorded three handsome wins during his first season at Mumbai and as such he was considered invincible in the Double Bull Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 66, especially since the horse was also carrying an allowance of three and half kgs and was assigned to the most successful apprentice of Bangalore Summer Season Yash Narredu. Greek God was quoted at very cramped odds. The speedy Rajsamman under fresh apprentice D S Daman went on a start to finish mission and stretched away to win as he pleased from Presence and Ice Zone. Greek God who was trying to improve from about the fourth position through a gap that existed between Warrior Prince and Ice Skates found the gap close too quickly for comfort. The inexperienced jockey could not react to the quickly changing scenario and his horse ended up clipping one of the horses in front, causing him to be unseated. The jockey was reported to be safe after the fall but was kept under observation. Unfancied Hidden Asset bolted to the front in the hands of first season apprentice S Joseph and reached the safety of the winning post before Zidaan could make any impact on the result with a late rally in the lower division of the race. Favourite Dreamliner was within striking reach all through but failed to gather steam and eventually lost the runner up berth in the final stride of the race.

Dallas Todywalla trained Artiste had been consistently hitting the board in all her runs though she was falling short in the end. However, the experience helped her immensely as she performed like a seasoned horse by getting a stranglehold of the race from the word `go` and winning the 1000 metres Capricorn Trophy (Div I), a race for maiden three year olds, with ease. Quizzical managed to edge out Valentino for the runner up berth. Zadora engaged the front running favourite Full Moon in a stiff battle for supremacy in the straight before getting better in closing strides of the race to provide trainer Malesh with a lucrative treble, his other winners of the day being Falcon and Delightful Lady.
M P Jodha trained Ricochet won the concluding race of the day, the 1600 metres Fine Arrow Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46 at nourishing odds. Romeo and Ricochet broke away from the rest at the top of the straight and fought a strong battle for supremacy. Ricochet responded to the relentless use of the whip and managed to get the better of Romeo close home. Dance Debonaire was far away third.