Trainer Vijay Singh`s even-money favourite, Eversham, one again, displayed an electrifying acceleration to wear down the opposition in the 1,200m The Metropolitan, Thursday`s feature event. Jockey Christopher Alford, who partnered the winner, was also in the limelight for scoring yet another treble during the season, having also guided Bharath Singh`s fancied runner, Super Striker, and Harivinder Bath`s favourite, Anastasio, to easy wins in their respective events.

Evesham was set to concede weight all around but in the past the Tariq son had performed to expectations, with similar loads, on a good number of occasions. Therefore, Thursday was no exception, even as ridden well off the pace in the early half of the sprint while Macedonian tried to steal a march, the horse natural style of running. Evesham was, however, a trifle lucky in the race as Alford looked for a galloping room, turning for home, and the jockey got it, too, albeit after a little wait at the top of the final turn. A wide gap along the rails followed nearing the distance post and in a trick Evesham went clear of the field.

The minor placings, in the same race, were occupied by Gentle Knowledge and Bullet, who also covered much ground in the final 200m to have the measure of the longtime leader.

Alford opened his day`s account with an easy victory of Super Striker, a 4/1 shot in the 1,400m Ich Dien Handicap. However, It was trainer Robert Gowli`s 11/4 favourite, Uptown Girl (apprentice Manna Alam), who made the winner`s task easier. The apprentice hardly looked to be in serious contention, shuttling between sixth and the eight berths throughout the journey. Super Striker, on the other hand, dictated the terms, in the company of Don Magnifico, in the early half, before establishing a winning lead.

An hour later, Alford had to do preciously little to help Bath`s 6/10 hot-property, Anastasio, win the 1,100m Obolensky Handicap. Pushing the Varenar son to a two-length lead from the start of the race, the jockey left the favourite to accomplish the task at hand, on his own, with 62.5kg on his back. The horse is capable of scoring again in the higher Class to which he will be promoted now.

The 1,400m Acorn Stakes, the baby race; which was the other premium race in the afternoon`s seven-event card, was also an easy pick for Alford and trainer Manvendra Singh`s hot-favourite Interstellar (S. John). Displaying controlled aggression early in the race, the Top Class son walked away to an easy victory, his third in a row while Vijay`s Nashville Tennesse figured on the scene quite late to edge out Burnined Gold who unsuccessfully tried to unsettle the winner in the first half of the journey.

Trainer Arti Doctor`s Claymore returned to the winner`s enclosure after his failure on three occasions. In the Little Beaut Handicap, jockey Pradeep Chahaun had the horse settled behind Winds Of The Ocean for a while but was at the helm in the home straight to score drawing away from Manvendra` Dakota Dreamer, Malibu, Amazing Maria and Jamaican – all late comers.

Manvendra`s Captain Haddock (S.John) was the other one who earned his cornball, albeit after a keen battle with Bharath`s Mizuno in the 2,000m Amalita Handicap. The two horses ran in close proximity but in the mid-division while Adalicia and Spice Girl tested their hooves upfront.

With Fibonacci Sequence`s expanding odds giving a clear signals, the stage was set for Bharath`s filly, Suzanna, to win the 1,400m L. Fownes Memorial Cup. Suzanna, a 7/4 chance in the betting, also delivered the good in the hands of jockey Dashrath Singh. The Win Legend daughter won from the start of the race but Dashrath had to show her the stick to keep her going. In the same race, trainer James McKewon`s Anarosa was the best of the beaten brigade.