Trainer Manvendra Singh`s five-year-old horse, Hartnell (Christopher Alford-up), finally, managed to deliver the goods while winning the 1,400m Malpensa Cup, Wednesday`s feature event. It was after months of frustration that the horses found the target but it was a close call for the five-year-old horse. The afternoon`s seven-event card was otherwise ruled by trainer Vijay Singh who saddled four winners, thanks also to the treble recorded by the visiting jockey, Suraj Narredu, who helped the champion schooler`s cause. Needless to say that the four wins added to Vijay`s already overflowing kitty of 14 points, brought about more smiles, and broader ones, too, for those close to the stable.

Alford also had a reason to smile, because of his brace of wins. He was written off totally as the monsoon season advanced but the ‘double` was his way of silencing all critics. Alford`s other winner was trainer Shafiq Khan`s Constance who claimed the 2,000m Armed Forces Handicap.
The challenge to Hartnell, an 11/2 chance in the betting, came from none other but the better fancied stablemate, Admiral Hatsu (Mohit Singh). The two horses went stride for stride in the final 250m but the sheer craftiness of Suraj in the saddle weighed heavy on Mohit.

It must have been a quite satisfying day for Vijay as his prime contender for the winter Classics, Jaivant (Suraj), displayed glimpse of the past. The Win Legend colt, quoted at 7/4, won the 1,400m Defence Forces Cup, the way he liked after his disappointing start of the season when he was comprehensibly beaten, by Bharath Singh`s Kantai, as an even-money favourite. Kantai (C.S. Jodha) proved no match for the Classic aspirant, on this occasion, and so did Manvendra`s top-weighted fancied runner, Arakawa (Mohit) who attracted plenty of support in the betting.

Inca (Nikhil Naidu) opened the door for Vijay`s quartet. The 3/1 shot won the 1,600m Ex-Servicemen`s Plate comfortably from trainer James McKeown`s Avebury (Hindu Singh). The expanding odds of Inca, in fact, proved bonus for his backers, because of a massive gamble on trainer Jasbir Singh`s top-weighted runner, Roxor (Mohit) who was never in the race at any stage of the race. Roxor may need another run before the colt could be trusted to perform meaningfully.

Vijay`s third winner, Cold Frontier, was the result of the master horsemanship of Suraj. The horse won the 1,800m Unknown Warrior Cup from a very uncomfortable position, almost from the rear, on the wide out as his stablemate, Smith And Wesson (Naidu) was going great guns.
Vijay`s Shivalik Sight and Suraj sealed the issue in the concluding event, the Amar Jawan Handicap as the 5/2 favourite made a pillar-to-post effort to leave her seven rivals in a wild goose chase.

Another visiting jockey Trevor Patel was flown in to ride two of Manjiri`s chanced horses, trained by Arti Doctor – Shimmering Star in the 1,200m Helping Hand Handicap, and Sullivan in the Jaivant`s race. Sullivan was no match for Jaivant and clearly needed the outing after six month lay of off while Shimmering Star made the opposition, including Vijay`s fancied runner, Adhirit (Suraj), look pedestrian after the four-year-old adopted pillar-to-post tactics. Adhirit is the other one who may benefit from this run.

*******************

---

Constance (C Alford up) winner of the Armed Forces Handicap

---

Inca (Nikhil Naidu up) winner of the Ex-Servicemen`S Plate

---

Shimmering Star (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Helping Hand Handicap

---

Jaivant (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Defence Forces Cup

---

Cold Frontier (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Unknown Warrior Cup

---

Hartnell (C Alford up) winner of the Malpensa Cup

---

Shivalik Sight (Suraj Narredu up) winner of the Amar Jawan Handicap

---