Pesi Shroff trained Enigma who has made rapid strides since the last season had served notice of graduating into the elite league when she had run an impressive third against seasoned performers in the Gr 1 Sprinters Cup in December. Enigma lived up to expectations when tackling the best that local stalwarts could pose as she wore down the challenge of the prolific performer Iron Age to record a thrilling win in the Gr 2 Dr S C Jain Sprinters` Championship, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s Mumbai races.

With Iron Age who had a remarkable number of wins having flopped twice in succession, Enigma was the obvious favourite. There were many who were inclined to believe that Iron Age was capable of bouncing back if he got an uncontested run, in the front. And the expectations very nearly came off but Iron Age failed to sustain her foray in front in the shadow of the post and went down narrowly. Jockey Suraj Narredu who rode Iron Age for the first time, had him restrained in front though Joaquin did not allow him to breathe easy as he shadowed the front-runner all through. Iron Age shook off Joaquin and shaped like a winner as he broke into a few lengths lead with a furlong to go in the race. However, jockey Pradeep Chouhan was able to drive out Enigma to get the desired response. The progeny of Phoenix Tower closed in with a big effort and managed to edge out the front-runner close to home. Joaquin stayed on to take the third position.

The Dr S C Jain Sprinters Cup has always served as a pointer for the Sprinters Cup which is traditionally held on the first Saturday of March. Going by this performance, Enigma has a lot to catch up on this last year`s winner Multifaceted who continues to be in great form and Hyderabad`s erstwhile Sprinters Cup winner Corfe Castle who maintains his zest for racing. Multifaceted however will be going into the Sprinters Cup to be held at Chennai without the benefit of a race run as the Sprinters Trial Stakes which had three participants at Bangalore was unwisely uncancelled by the backward thinking Stewards. When the Sprinters Trial Stakes is held to nominate the entries from the centre, not having the race itself shows the poor mindset of the powers that be.

Shazaan Shah trained Rambler recorded an impressive win in the 1400 metres N M Irani Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Rambler was strongly favoured to win though it was Monarchy who was backed down to strong favouritism close to race time. Apprentice jockey Kaviraj kept Rambler in the penultimate position as Multistarrer set the pace and led the field into the straight. Rambler moved with raking strides on the wide outside and covered ground in amazing fashion and had the race well in control by the final furlong. Monarchy came through the rails to essay his challenge but it was clear that by the time he warmed up, he had ceded too much ground to make any impact on the eventual winner. Multistarrer stayed put to take the third spot.

On a day when lesser fancied runners spoiled those chasing the fortunes of the favourites, Karthik Ganapathy trained Lord Vader showed up in a different light in the 1200 metres Yawar Rashid Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Lord Vader bounced clear in the final furlong to eventually win by a whopping margin of seven lengths at fancy odds over late rallying Mad Love and strong favourite Rodrigo. Another fancied runner Vikramaditya also put up a poor performance.

Pesi Shroff trained Faith made an impressive debut in the 1200 metres Dancing Prances Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds at long odds. The three-year-old filly Faith, bred by the trainer at his Chester Stud Farm, raced prominently and despite her jockey, Pradeep Chouhan losing his whip, had things under control all the way in the final furlong. Brave Beauty who led the field into the straight faded out unable to quicken when challenged by the rest. Queens Pride who took a hesitant start ran green but nevertheless finished with purpose when snatching the second spot from the heavily backed Ataash.

Imtiaz Sait trained Endeavour whose three wins of his career had been won over a distance of five furlongs was backed with conviction to record an encore over an extended trip of seven furlongs in the 1200 metres P D Bolton Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Another last start winner Desert Fire initially came in for big support to complete a hat-trick but later the odds drifted out indicating that the enthusiasm on his win had waned. Enid Blyton came in for aggressive support. Endeavour who chased Desert Fire into the straight, quickly asserted his supremacy early in the straight to win as he pleased in the hands of apprentice jockey Kritish Bhagat. Desert Fire was a disappointing third.

Last start winner, She Is On Fire from the stables of trainer Nirad Karanjawalla pulled off a thrilling win over Mascara in the 2000 metres D W Reid Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Long shot Mascara led all the way but was beaten in the waning yards of the race by the resolute approach of She Is On Fire who kept responding to the urgings of jockey Zervan. Brazos and Beastia who attracted significant betting ran without hope.

Trainer Sangram Josh saddled a rare winner through Power of Neath who just about held on to win by the proverbial whisker, the 1200 metres Log On To play.rwitc.com plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category. The seven-year-old Power of Neath got a brisk start, broke into a useful lead by the final furlong and managed to cling on tenaciously to prevail over late rallying favourite Anoushka. Allied Attack was third. Seminole who shared favouritism with Anoushka was poorly handled by the apprentice and was a beaten cause well before the race came to the boil. Faisal Abbas who had the mortification of his ward Anoushka losing by a whisker, however, was successful in the lower division of the race when Kardashian gave a slip to her opponents and established a winning lead which the on-money favourite Candescent Star found it hard to bridge. Grey Falcon was third.