Altaf Hussain trained Dancing Prances continued to reign supreme with a sublime performance in the 1200 metres Akkasaheb Maharaj Trophy, a terms race for four year olds and over, which highlighted the long card of 10 events that were gone through on the rain drenched track of Pune Race Course on Saturday. Punters found themselves on the wrong side of exchanges. Jockey Sandesh, after a blank week, bounced back booting home a treble.

Since Marinsky was a versatile performer and won classics on varying tracks and different centres, she was the favourite along with Dancing Prances who already had excelled on this track and had not looked back after losing by a whisker in the Sprinters Cup at Hyderabad. On the other hand, Marinsky was not exactly enjoying her racing as indicated by her declining show at Hyderabad and then her mock race which too was not inspiring. But then in racing, champions have a way of overcoming adversities and that hope she was strongly backed to win.

The speedy Dancing Phoenix led from the start with Victorious March, Rosie Sunshine in close attendance followed by Dancing Prances. Marinsky raced alongside, always four horses wide. Rio and Déjà vu brought up the tail end. Dancing Phoenix quickened on turning for home but Sandesh who was alert to the dangers of sitting still on Dancing Prances steadily worked the champion horse into contention and by the final furlong, was so full of running that it was only a matter of fractions before he would storm clear. Dancing Prances won with a measure of comfort from Dancing Phoenix while Victorious March got the third place by a whisker over Marinsky who did not show the zest that she was famous for.

Noshir Cama trained Westphalia recorded her third successive win, two of them coming on the Pune track, when she improved places swiftly from way off the pace and overhauled Hunting Moments in the final furlong to win the 1600 metres Specialist Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Haunting Moments had the first run on her opponents but Westphalia who was full of running, found gaps materializing as she showed speed to take them and in the end won decisively. Hawker ran on to finish third. Westphalia is in good nick and shapes like a good type of youngster.

Pesi Shroff`s wards have disappointing this season and the punters who used to back his horses with great confidence have taken a beating. Constantine had finished second in his last outing and he was expected to improve and win the 1400 metres Radio One (Div I), a race for three year olds. However, Constantine who raced in a striking position from front running Act of Valour failed to quicken in the manner anticipated. When Paurus came with up a powerful thrust from behind, the writing on the wall was clearly visible. Paurus managed to overhaul the long time leader in the final strides of the race. Lhotse easily beat Constantine for the third place. The lower division of the race also saw another Shroff ward bite the dust. The progeny of Ifraaj, Lord Jim had showed out in a mock race in the company of Marinsky and as such, was assured of a blind support in the ring even if he was not ready to win. He was sent off to the post as the lowest priced horse of the day but it was Frankanella who showed the requisite improvement to win at the expense of the favourite. Frankanella displaced Chase The Ace from the lead inside the final 300 metres and went sailing clear. Lord Jim showed some flourish but that was not good enough as he just managed to edge past Tinogona to claim the runner up berth.

Altamash Ahmed trained Andreus who was running for the first time as a four year old, brought off the biggest upset of the day when he stormed home to win the 1200 metres Rosmini Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. The fancied runners failed to put their best foot forward as Andreus shot away from the pack with a furlong left in the race to win as he pleased from Mount Wind and Beyond Horizons. As Good As Gold and Wiki Wiki who were in prominent positions did not have the fitness to last out in front. Favourite Soothsayer was withdrawn at the gates in the lower division of the race and this perhaps paved the way for Zervan to break the jinx and record his first win on Pretty Hot. Pretty Hot got strong in the final furlong and had no problem in displacing In Time who led the charge till that point of time.

Grenadine, trained by B Prakash, recorded an encore in fine fashion in the 2400 metres Gironde Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Settled in the rear position till turning for home, Grenadine made rapid progress in the straight and overhauled Sword of Honour close home. Favourite Fleetwood Mac was in with a chance till the horses entered the final 350 metres as he held a slender lead but weakened to eventually finish third.

Faisal Abbas trained Exactly set the trend of lesser fancied runners dominating the day as the four year old filly won the day`s opener, the 1600 metres Royal Princess Plate, at odds of 20 to 1 in the manner that floored the expectations of punters. Bethpage was the favourite to win but the fancied runner who showed up at the top of the straight had no answer when Exactly swooped on her with a big run. Exactly went away to record a very impressive win in the manner of a horse that does not belong to this lowest class.