Imtiaz Sait trained Leto toyed with the opposition en route to a smashing win in the 2000 metres Mayor Baburao Sanas Memorial Independence Million Powered by SRS Group, a race for horses rated 20 to 46, the feature event of races held on Independence Day on Monday. Leto proved vastly superior to the opposition when making a rally from way behind to overhaul the front-running favourite Souza for an easy win.

Souza who had run seven times and not come anywhere near the winning post was made the favourite on the basis of the fact that Souza had run in the classics as a pacemaker and now was being campaigned against a modest lot of horses in a handicap race. The expectation looked like materializing when Souza cruised into a comfortable lead at the top of the straight but Leto put paid to the hopes of the supporters of the favourite with stunning acceleration which had the favourite flat-footed.

Jockey Pradeep Chouhan had Souza race prominently while Leto dropped back to the rear of the group. Souza was travelling well within himself when he took over the running at the top of the straight. However, Leto covered the ground with big strides and had a smooth run along the side as the spaces opened up and came into contention by the final furlong. Leto was travelling so well that it was clear that Souza would not be able to carry his lead to the winning post. Amped ran on well towards the close but narrowly failed to get the better of Souza who managed to keep the runner-up berth.

Shazaan Shah trained Esperanza had recorded a smashing win last time out and a repeat win by the three-year-old filly was considered a strong possibility in the 1000 metres Janardhan Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Jockey Zervan had Esperanza race freely in front. The progeny of Phoenix Tower enjoyed an uncontested lead and skipped clear in the final furlong to win by a widening margin of four lengths over Enlightened who had received considerable support in the betting ring. Champers On Ice was third.

Shiraz Sunderji trained Kaitlan who had the benefit of a race run at Hyderabad straightaway asserted her supremacy on the Pune track, spreadeagling the field in the 1200 metres Royal Barbers Trophy (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds only. The lesser fancied runner took over the running within the first furlong and thereafter the others could only hope to chase her shadow. Kaitlan checked in a distance in front of Weronika and Touch of Fury. The market fancies Golden Lioness and House of Lords put up timid performances and the public felt let down backing these horses who were beaten causes well before the final furlong. Adhirajsingh Jodha continued his good run when his ward Lady Cadet swamped the opposition in the lower division of the race. Lady Cadet bounced clear from the start and expanded the lead at the finish to a widening margin of five lengths in the hands of jockey Santosh. On money favourite Montgomery from the stables of Pesi Shroff found the front-runner too good for comfort and was a disappointing second ahead of Nelson River.



The followers of trainer Narendra Lagad who felt let down by the poor performance of House of Lords had the chance to recoup their losses in the last race of the day, the 1000 metres True Elegance Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class. Northern Singer came in for noticeable support though the favourite for the race was Cognosco who was supported in the hope that she would make amends for her last start failure as a fancied runner. However, the race turned out to be totally one-sided as Northern Singer put daylight between herself and the rest while recording an impressive win. Divine Soul was second a distance behind with Cognosco a neck behind in the third position.

Pesi Shroff trained Kinnara who had been given a light ride on the last occasion when the well-bred filly had finished about five lengths adrift of the winner was seen in a different light in the 1400 metres Enlightenment Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Barring the first win recorded by Kinnara when she had won start to finish, all other efforts had seen her being ridden in restraint. This time out, apprentice jockey Kaviraj had Kinnara dictate the pace from the word `go`. The got-abroad filly had no problem dominating the field to record an easy win. Kinnara was at long odds. The short-priced favourite Petronia laboured hard and eventually managed to snatch the runner-up berth by a whisker over Count of Savoy.

Earlier in the day, Shroff had a strongly fancied winner in Alastair who held off Multistarrer to win the 1600 metres UK Racing On play.rwitc.com Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Alastair had run a noteworthy third behind Ahead of My Time and was strongly backed to win. Alastair chased Flaming Lamborgini into the straight before taking command down the final furlong. Multistarrer was held up on the inside and despite a difficult manoeuvre done by Trevor Patel to give a clear run, Multistarrer failed narrowly to collar the favourite. With better luck, the result could well have been different. Pure rallied well to be a noteworthy third.

Faisal Abbas trained Mad Love showed tremendous improvement over her previous efforts at Mumbai when cantering home in splendid fashion in the 1400 metres Saint Emilion Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Lesser fancied Jack Bauer led the field deep into the final furlong but was floored by the finishing burst of Mad Love who came way off the pace to storm past the front-runner for an impressive win. Jack Bauer held off favourite Commandment to keep the second position.