Rehanullah Khan trained Tap Dance completed a hat-trick of wins when necking out Wild Waves to claim the 1000 metres Albertini Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86, the highest rated event of Saturday`s Pune races. Incidentally, all the wins of Tap Dance have come as a lesser fancied runner and he hasn`t been backed with conviction despite his consistency.

Wild Waves had come down in weights and he was backed to bounce back to resume his winning ways though the five furlong trip was found to prove sharp notwithstanding the fact that he was a better class horse in the fray. Deep Diver led the field from the start with Tap Dance on the outside in close proximity while Wild Waves who was hampered by the outside draw, racing away from the fence. Deep Diver did not weaken on straightening and continued to fight on gutsily even as Tap Dance gradually measured him. Jockey Trevor on Wild Waves was hard at work and the progeny of Arabian Gulf warmed up to the task but ran out of ground as the winning post came to the rescue of Tap Dance who had the pull in weights also favouring him.

Dallas Todywalla trained Phenomenal Memory failed to switch to open company in the manner expected. On the basis of the colt`s runaway win at Mumbai against his contemporaries, the progeny of Glory of Dancer was backed strongly to win the 1600 metres K Raghunath Plate. However, Phenomenal Memory failed to sustain after shooting into the lead in the final two furlongs. He weakened completely and Papillion shaped to bring off a big upset. In the end, it was the experienced Snowing who had the last laugh, with a powerful run down the final furlong who clinched the issue. Helping Hand who was also well fancied, lost all her chances by losing considerable ground with a lethargic start from the gates.

M K Jadhav trained Governor General was the betting rage in the 1200 metres Hawke Bay Trophy (Div I), a race for maiden three year olds but he did not have the luck of the race. Lesser fancied Flying Show moved with strong strides at the final bend and came in slightly which closed the gap that Governor General could have taken on the inside. Trevor tried to take the gap but had to pull back his horse as there was no space. In the meanwhile Flying Show established a few lengths lead which held the filly in good stead as Governor General finished powerfully only to lose by a whisker. The objection by Trevor against Zervan who rode the winner for interference was overruled by the Stewards who possibly felt that there was not enough gap for Trevor to go through and that Zervan had held his ground and that the interference under the circumstances did not merit reversing the placings. Seahorse was third.

The lower division of the race saw spirited betting on Benezeer with the odds on Spring Loaded drifting out as a result. Benezeer hit the front from the start and was in command of the race well before the final furlong even as Spring Loaded disappeared without a trace. Benezeer won the race by over three lengths. Stand And Dance and Denali occupied the next two slots.

Iridescence and Atalya commanded support in the betting ring in equal measure in the 1400 metres Bud Royale Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. But the race itself did not develop as a fierce battle between the two. Iridescence led from the start and distanced herself from her only pursuer Atalya in the straight to record an emphatic win. Sail Past was third.

Trevor had to extend himself fully on favourite Sugar Bay to get the better of Born To Win in the 1000 metres Carbon Star Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Born To Win slipped away to what looked like a winning lead in the final furlong even as Sugar Bay was struggling to pick up steam. However, what made the difference in the end was the relative inexperience of apprentice jockey Zeeshan who could not push the front runner strongly at the finish and the experience of Trevor carried the day. Few Dollars More proved immensely superior to the opposition in the lower division of the race with an aggressive start to finish effort which saw the filly finish more than five lengths ahead of Regal and Secret Oath.

Pesi Shroff trained The Unicorn recoded an encore in style in the 1800 metres Music Man Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Trevor attempted runaway tactics on Top Cat even as the favourite was eased in the last position. Top Cat had the lead deep into the straight but The Unicorn steadily devoured ground in the straight and went away for an easy victory.