Pesi Shroff trained Zuccarelli produced a vintage performance when slamming the opposition in Gr 3 2400 metres Idar Gold Trophy, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, the feature event of Saturday`s Pune races. Zuccarelli put behind his poor run in his last effort at Bangalore and toyed with the opposition with jockey Trevor Patel hardly having to exert a muscle to get the desired response. The expected challenge from A Star Is Born failed to materialize and the Bangalore challenger ended up being a poor third.

There was no doubting the ability of Zuccarelli. The RWITC has introduced the system of interviewing the trainers before a race to know about the prospects of their wards in each of the races. This has been both a curse and a blessing. Often you get information which may help a punter in firming up the choice but at other times, it could leave a punter confused and he may end up making a wrong choice.

Zuccarelli had run poorly at Bangalore. Trainer Pesi Shroff said that his ward was in good shape. This was helpful. But he added that his horse had an operation for a wind problem and that he might be short of a gallop for a race to be run over a mile and half. This put a question mark in the minds of those who might have backed Zuccarelli on sheer performance. Many people who did not were ruing the decision even as the race progressed past the final bend. Zuccarelli won like the giant that he was.

Arc De Triomphe who had recorded two back-to-back wins in impressive fashion was being thrown at the deep end and he did not do too badly when finishing a comfortable second ahead of A Star Is Born. The flip side of it is that Arc de Triomphe may end up getting penalized heavily for beating a horse rated 44 points higher by over three lengths. Jockey N S Parmar took Arc De Triomphe on a start-to-finish mission with Caprisca, A Star Is Born, Truly Epic and Zuccarelli following in that order. Approaching the final turn, Trevor gave more reins to his horse and Zuccarelli covered those in front on the bridle and won the race by a widening margin of four lengths without having to be ridden out. The aged warriors Truly Epic and Caprisca occupied the last two slots bringing in some stake money consistently despite racing at least once every month.

Trainer Pesi Shroff said that he was targeting Zuccarelli for the Indian St Leger. Going by the performance, there is no horse that will be in the fray who will be capable of matching strides with his Indian and Bangalore Derby winner even if he had occasionally ``shown the tendency of choking``.

Jockey Suraj Narredu drove out the lesser fancied It`s My Time to victory over Karyna in the 1600 metres September Handicap, a race for horses rated 20 to 46 for three-year-olds. It`s My Time had run a forward race last time out in his debut run and had plenty of scope for improvement. The last start impressive winner Golden Kingdom ended up being the preferred one. Suraj showed good reflexes to push his horse through a tight opening at the top of the straight to get a clear run before Karyna could pose any problem. It`s My Time responded well to shake off the challenge of Karyna to win with a measure of comfort. Long shot Brave Beauty made a late rally to be a suggestive third while Golden Kingdom could not defy the penalty.

Apprentice jockey Haridas Gore managed to guide Sanjay Kolse trained Pepper to a narrow win over The Awakening in the 1200 metres C A Kuts Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Pepper raced wide into the straight but with the horse rolling over at the final bend, Trevor Patel on fancied Cellini was intimidated and he checked his horse. Cellini eventually finished poorly. Pepper who had the first run on his opponents held on gamely to thwart the late bid of The Awakening. There was a cavalry charge behind with Lit, Spring Grove and Baby Bazooka finishing in close order behind the runner-up.

M K Jadhav trained Fortunate Son gave an assertive performance to record an encore in the 2000 metres Spearhead Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46, winning at long odds. Dyf was strongly favoured to win ahead of Souza. Parmar had Fortunate Son run freely in front and the progeny of Roderic O`Connor enjoyed the uncontested and skipped clear in the stretch to beyond the reach of the rest. Dyf rallied to finish a tame second ahead of Leto and Souza.

Trevor Patel drove out Altamash Ahmed trained Time to neck out Sim Sim in the closing strides of the race to win the 1400 metres Jaidev Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Sim Sim who seized the initiative close to home shaped to win but her hopes were dashed in the final moments of the ace. My Treasure failed to live up to expectations when just about nosing out Eyes On The Prize for the third slot.

Marwara Princess produced a scintillating performance in the final furlong to win the 1600 metres Spark of Gold Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. The long shot from the stables of trainer Faisal Abbas was ridden by T S Jodha. Marwara Princess moved from behind with such a flourish that she was hailed a winner a long way from home. Alpha Gene was second ahead of Charming Star. Favourite So So Special finished in the ruck.

Narendra Lagad trained Hilma Klint was backed to the exclusion of the rest and the favourite had no problem in keeping the challenge of stablemate Turmeric Tower at bay to win the concluding race of the day, the 1000 metres Azzurro Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Both these horses had left the rest stranded in the final furlong. Divine Soul necked out Ahren to save place money.