If the Gr1 Villoo C Poonawalla Pune Derby were a music concert, most of the headliners would`ve pulled out at soundcheck. What remains is a field that looks more like a supporting cast than a classic ensemble — with one notable exception: Prokofiev, who ticks every conceivable box and might only need to show up, stay on his legs, and remember the way home.

The Prasanna Kumar-trained colt stands tall not because he`s grown overnight, but because everyone else around him seems to have vanished. The best of the summer season — Fynbos, Sovereign King, and their ilk — have given this one a polite miss, leaving Prokofiev to conduct proceedings with minimal interruption.

Luck clearly had other plans for Prokofiev in the Bangalore Colts Trial — he still managed to finish in the frame despite his jockey being as rusty as an old gate and losing the whip two furlongs from home. Since then, the colt ran a commendable third in the Summer Derby before going down by the smallest of margins to Red Bishop in Hyderabad. And here`s the delicious twist — that very Red Bishop went on to nearly pinch the Deccan Derby before Mountain Jewel swooped in to claim it, which in turn makes Prokofiev`s form look positively gleaming. If form lines mean anything (and they usually do, unless the racing gods decide to have a laugh), this one looks about as safe a Derby pick as you`ll ever get.

Zacharias and Baychimo did put up some mildly interesting performances. Baychimo`s wandering wide at Bangalore and still winning did raise eyebrows, but then again, horses have been known to win from further out than the stands. Zacharias, for his part, had traffic woes — because, of course, when in doubt, blame congestion.

Golden Dancer, the Dallas Todywalla hopeful, won by a distance over the monsoon Derby trip and has the pedigree to go long — being out of classic performing mare Xisca, whose endurance could put marathoners to shame. Whether she`s ready to tango with the experienced Prokofiev, though, is the million-rupee question. The filly`s talent is obvious, but her readiness is about as clear as the Pune weather forecast.

Zafferano, another with a whiff of promise, finished six lengths behind Red Bishop in one of his runs— which, in racing terms, is the polite way of saying “close, but not that close.” He`s got the breeding to make something of himself, but maybe not this weekend.

As for Gunsmoke, Malesh Narredu`s runner hasn`t quite fired the bullets expected after his debut win. He did win again over a mile, but it wasn`t the sort of victory that sends shivers down the paddock. Let`s just say his name sounds more dangerous than his form does.

So, when all the arithmetic is done and the excuses are neatly dusted off, it really does boil down to Prokofiev — the seasoned, street-smart performer in a field largely populated by apprentices still finding their rhythm. Unless one of the others suddenly experiences an epiphany of brilliance, this Derby could resemble a well-rehearsed solo act. And with champion jockey Suraj Narredu in the saddle, there`s no shortage of experience to complement the class — a master rider piloting a proven performer, both likely to hit all the right notes.

If he does what the form book suggests, Prokofiev might not just waltz away with the Pune Derby — he could very well turn it into a solo recital. A victory here would hand trainer Prasanna Kumar consecutive Derby triumphs at two different centres, having already orchestrated Mountain Jewel`s success at Hyderabad. Incidentally, the maestro had also conducted last year`s Pune Derby symphony through Redefined. Should Prokofiev oblige, Prasanna might just redefine the term “Derby specialist.”

One presumes that the connections named the colt after the famed composer Sergei Prokofiev — and fittingly so, because if the script holds true, the Pune Derby could well turn into his finest composition yet. Sometimes, the music just plays itself.