Trainer Robert Gowli`s public-choice, Evesham, put in a spirited performance, on Saturday, in the 1,200m Calcutta Monsoon Sprint which the four-year-old horse won with a degree of ease. Jockey Shailesh Shinde, who partnered the winner, went on to help the trainer saddle a popular treble. Their other winners being Fly With The Wind and Real Presence who had scored early in the afternoon to make intentions of the stable clear. Lady trainer Arti Doctor, too, was among winners, having saddled Aashikaara and Lucky Strike – both ridden by Nikhil Bhujbal, to victory.

Evesham produced a disciplined performance, on the day. The Tariq son, who is known to shift out in the home straight, galloped in an orderly manner, though ridden almost in identical manner as was done in the past. In fact, it was Deserving Visit, his stable-mate in the same race, who was held back, alongside the winner, for most of the journey, instead of being up in the company of front-runners. The donkeywork in the race was, in fact, done by Macedonian, King Kong and Astaire. The trio was seen dictating the terms, until well into the straight but they faded out when it mattered most.

Trainer Farley Rodrigues` Fund Raiser (Surjeet Singh-up) made most of the running and looked like spoiling Gowli`s party, in the curtain raiser, the 1,100m Imperial Stride Handicap which was ultimately claimed by Fly With The Wind, a 9/10 firm favourite. The favourite, however, had to take some belting, before Shinde got the three-year-old filly going virtually inside the final 100m of the race. In the same race, trainer Vikash Jaiswal`s Sreeputra (apprentice Hindu Singh) came a cropper, soon after turning for home, when in a striking range.

Half-an-hour later, Gowli`s China Visit filly, Real Presence – the hottest order in the seven-event card – found the going easy against her four rivals, lined for the 1,600m Green Sari Cup. Ridden in a check behind Stable-mate, Divine Dimension, the 7/20 hot fancy took over the running, soon after turning for home to canter away from the opposition.

Aashikaara won the 1,600m Smart Chieftan Handicap but the five-year-old was far from easy in his effort in view of jockey Pradeep Chauhan having a troubled passage all through while guiding the destiny of trainer Bharath Singh`s fancied runner, Torero. The winner, an even-money favourite, on the other hand, was in a handy position behind the early leader, Secret Builder, before building up a sizeable lead, soon after turning for home.

Arti`s Lucky Strike, too, was ridden, by Nikhil, in an identical manner to victory in the 1,200m Hearts Handicap. Circumstance also helped the three-year-old colt win, as apprentice Munna Alam made a mess of his winning chances on the 6/4 favourite Masquenada Lyrics, also from Gowli`s stable. To begin with, Alam was unlucky to be squeezed out of the favourable position from the start, thereafter, the favourite`s progress was also disturbed by those galloping on his inside, and finally, the top-weighted runner shifted out badly in the stretch run. Masquenada Lyrics did cover plenty of ground in the final 200m but fell short at the wire by half-a-length, in a three-cornered finish. Casper The Ghost, the third horse in contention, in fact, had virtually stolen a march inside the last furlong but the end-result did come as a surprise for the followers of the light-weight filly, who, once again, failed to record her maiden victory. In her previous start, the Ghost was, virtually stumped at the post by another of Arti`s runner, Exemplary.

Trainer Manvendra Singh`s 5/1 fancied runner, Cronos (Dashrath Singh-up), scored in a similar manner. The horse, however, enjoyed a unique distinction of being always in the money, apart from winning a race or two in the past. Saturday was no exception. In the 1,400m Picture Perfect Handicap, the four-year-old took Arti`s Flourishing Move, who was being hailed as a winner, all by a surprise when he walked on the scene from nowhere to post a facile win.

Trainers Harvinder Singh`s three-year-old horse Dino (Shezad Khan), was the easiest of all winners on the day. The 8/1 chance was sent into the lead from the start of the race and the Declaration of Was son got stronger in the final straight to win the 1,400m Ethics Handicap by more than six lengths. Dino`s style of victory indicates that he may also relish an extra furlong or two.