Jockey P. Kamlesh was in his elements in Wednesday`s seven race card, featuring the 1,200m The Metropolitan, which the visiting jockey won with his forceful riding, for a neck victory on the Arti Doctor-trained, less-fancied mare, Smooth As Silk. The crafty jockey followed it up with another skillfully ridden horse from Arti`s stable, Sole Power, who scored a short-neck victory over Macedonian, a shocker in the 11-horse field lined up for the 1,400m Comedy Of Error Handicap. An hour earlier he had delighted a sizeable race crowd with his power-packed riding of trainer Harvinder Bath`s baby, Zuma, who narrowly beat the hot-favourite, Cacharel, in the 1,100m Astounding Plate. In fact, jockey-ship was a key factor in the afternoon`s six of the seven events which were decided with the aid of the camera.

The outcome of the day`s races did push up the RCTC`s handicapper`s, Prabir Koner`s, profile by a few notches. The afternoon also witnessed trainer Vikash Jaiswal getting the wrong-end of the stick for the in-and-out running of his winner, Modus Vivendi.

Smooth As Silk was settled behind a runaway Macedonian, till late inside the final 200m of the race but Kamlesh kept the lightweight horse under the pressure to beat the tiring leader. Trainer Bharath Singh`s eight-year-old horse Bullet, however, lost a certain race. Normally ridden with the pace, the horse was kept in a long check, by Dashrath Singh, for unexplained reason. Still, the gallant performer he is, came with an electrifying run inside the last furlong but fell short at the wire by very short margin.

Sole Power, on the other hand, was kept in the fourth or the fifth berth behind a tightly packed frontrunning bunch, which comprised of Monsieur Strauss, Grand Dame and Azienda. Joining the potential forces inside the last furlong, Smooth As Silk fought on a game battle with Meet The Legend -- who, for a change, was also ridden well off the pace --, to a narrow victory.

Kamlesh`s another ridde Zuna, too, was asked to settle behind trainers Errol Bhungard`s Supreme Ruler, Shafiq Khan`s Verena`s Rose and the 8-10 favourite, Cacharel, until 200m from home. The Sledgefield-Fort Knox son, however, inched his way up, nearing the winning post to put his neck ahead of the public-choice, who in turn a long-neck ahead of Kanha, also seen galloping in the close proximity of the winner.

Bharath`s 16-10 favourite, Athletico, was the only one who could boast of being a clear cut winner in the day;`s card. The horse was slowly out of the blocks and was happily settled in the rear of the field by Dashrath, as Adoration tried the runaway tactics, followed by Auberon, Legendofthephoenix and Never Apart. Dashrath let go Athletico only nearing the final turn and made sure of the victory inside the last furlong of the race.

Trainer Vijay singh`s Axstone (Christopher Alford-up) was expected to be home and dry against Manvendra Singh`s charge, Dakota Dreamer (Imran Chisty), in the 1,400m Allied Forces Handicap. However, the victory of the 8-10 favourite turned out to be a thilling finish with Dakota Dreamer delaying the inevitable until the last stride as Chisty won the hearts but not the verdict.

Chisty was however, at his best on Manvendra`s Sweet Suspense in the 1,100m Aztek Handicap. Holding back the 4-1 chance in fourth, behind a bolted Isle Of Capri who showed the way to Thrice Blessed and Songstress, Chisty fought his way up with the last named horse for a short-head victory.

The curtain raiser, 1,200m Workforce Handicap was claimed by trainer Vikash Jaiswal`s long-shot Modus Vivendi while the stable`s Romancer carried the public-purse at even-money. Modus Vivendi led from the start and just lasted out to beat Bhungard`s Treasure Island. Jaiswal, however, earned the steward`s wrath as the wisemen suspected a foul-play and handed the trainer a month`s suspension, in addition to a fine of Rs 25,000.