Trainer Rutherford Alford`s fancied runner, Home Of The Brave (Hindu Singh-up) produced a good turn of foot in the home-straight to simply walk away with the 1,600m Grand Annual Mile, the star attraction in the seven-event card, on Saturday, the penultimate fixture of the winter season. The afternoon also witnessed jockey S. John reeling off a good treble while trainers Vikash Jaiswal and James McKeown were also among winners as each of the two notched up priced double.

However, the absence of jockeys Pradeep Chauhan and Trevor Patel was felt significantly in the day`s card as the two failed to make it to the city in view of their recent injuries. They were replaced but not all of them suitably.

Coming back to Home Of The Brave; the powerful galloper`s job was made easy by the 9/4 course favourite, Shivansh (S. John) who galloped in close attendance of the long time leaders Royal Remembrance (Azharuddin) and Lumos but shifted out badly from the 600m marker to spoil his winning chances. Home Of The Brave, on the other hand, was ridden in a business-like manner and he took over the running, after being third or fourth till 300m from home to skate away from the field. The lesser berth was occupied by trainer Arti Doctor`s filly, Accidental (Neeraj Rawal), who fought a grim battle with the favourite – galloping on the near-side rails – to assert her superiority.

Most of Races were otherwise won by front-runners. Vikash`s Denny Crane (app. Sujit Paswan), for instance, demonstrated his speed, right from the start of the race to land 1,200m Bangalore Turf Club Cup with a degree of ease. In fact, Vijay`s speedsters, Shivalik Shakti (John) was no match for the winner, and it hardly came as a surprise when he had himself settled behind another speedster, Fortune Express (Hindu), for a major part of the journey. The 11/4 favourite was hard-pressed to elbow-out the Express, in the final 50m of the race.

Vikash had started his day, saddling Shanayaa`s Pet (John) to victory in the day`s opener, the 1,200m Sunbird Handicap. The six-year-old mare chased Shafiq Khan`s Mustang (app. R.S. Bhati) till about a furlong from home before taking off to score easily.

James Shivalik Showers (B. Mahesh) won the 1,200m Elusive Pimpernel Cup, literally, by a default. The unruly 7/2 shot, Ophion (John), was declared as a non-starter at the gates while Azharuddin had replaced Chauhan on Commander. Further, Ranidan Singh was assigned to service Cadman as Dashrath Singh had a fall from Noverro, and injured himself, an hour earlier. Therefore, Shivalik Showers just needed to overcome the challenge of Cadman who looked a trifle tired after competing the Stayers` Cup, about three weeks ago. Shivalik Shower made a shot-work of the opposition even as Cadman offered a spirited challenge in the closing stages of the race.

James` Claymore, on the other hand, repeated his Invitation week-end performance to notch up another pillar-to-post victory in the 1,400m Fleet Indian Handicap. His victim, on this occasion, included trainer Javed Khan`s Beatles Bible (Neeraj) who failed by shade under a length at the wire.

Neeraj had, however, guided Javed`s 2/1 favourite, Gloaming, to an easy victory to claim the Obligado Handicap. In a hot chase of Arminius (C. Alford) till about the distance post, it was Gloaming all the way to the wire, and a facile win.

Vijay`s 9/2 chance, Everglow (John), was the other one who made every post of the 1,200m Azureas Handicap a winning one. It was heartening to see the late racing Baron, MAM`s colours – gold and brown belt – all the way.