Narendra Lagad trained Golden Neil who had won four races during the Mumbai racing season, maintained his upward curve with a smashing win in the 1400 metres Gamble For Love, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of opening day`s Pune Racing Season held on Friday. The seasoned horses in the fray were simply outclassed by Golden Neil who controlled the proceedings from the word `go` and spurted clear in the stretch. Races did not run kindly for followers of favourites.

In his last essay in Mumbai, Golden Neil had gone down by a whisker. His track movements indicated that he was rearing to go. Quoted at miserly odds against the more seasoned opponents, Golden Neil showed alacrity at the gates to storm ahead from the start. Jockey Mustakim Alam was only required to do the steering job as the progeny of Excellent Art kept expanding the lead to eventually win by a widening margin of three lengths over In Contention rallied well in the straight to take the runner-up berth. Successor who chased Golden Neil into the straight weakened to finish third ahead of Count of Savoy. In the form that he is in, Golden Neil could be trusted to make a mark even if campaigned in group races.

Brave Beauty gave a pleasant surprise to her trainer Hoshidar Daji as the well-performed filly tackled the underfoot conditions extremely well which perhaps helped her to overcome the sharpness of the trip in the 1400 metres Season Opener Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Winner of two races at Mumbai over longer trips, the seven-furlong trip was reckoned to be sharp for her and she was quoted at longer odds. The betting rage though was Karthik Ganapathy trained Kariena who lacked the early speed and went out of the reckoning after a slight interference she received midway through the race from Walter. Supreme Spirit led all the way but was pounced upon in sight of the post by Brave Beauty who produced a powerful dash in the final furlong to win in impressive fashion in the hands of jockey Nazil. My Princess edged out Flashing Famous to snatch the third spot.

Shiraz Sunderji trained Ameerah recorded a comprehensive win in the 1400 metres Season Opener Plate (Div II), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Smiles of Fortune had run twice second against horses which have moved up in the handicap scales and as such, the Malesh Narredu trainee was backed aggressively. The odds on the debutant winner Ameerah drifted on the back of sustained support for Smiles of Fortune. However, in the race Smiles of Fortune appeared to have no chance, gracing the rear and not making any significant strides midway through the journey. Attained had the first run on his opponents, opening up a lead in the straight but once Ameerah got into his stride, there was no stopping the second favourite from striding clear for an easy win in the hands of jockey Neeraj Rawal. Goldiva came from a long way back to edge past the struggling Smiles of Fortune to save place money.

The Pune season has always seen Narendra Lagad in his elements. Lagad who has 10 championship successes to his credit in Pune had a long-shot winner in the opening race of the season, the 1200 metres Beyond Expectation Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category. Zip Along hadn`t done anything significant at Mumbai to merit support and as such, he was quoted at long odds, with the unreliable Anoushka being the market frenzy. Zip Along zoomed ahead in the final furlong for a comfortable win over Prince O`War who appeared the only threat in the stretch run. Divine Soul and Prince Igor ran on late to finish in close order along with the runner-up. Anoushka was lost in the crowd. Despite going miles wide in the straight, favourite Superimpose from the stables of Shiraz Sunderji managed to nose out Champagne Smile to win the lower division of the race. The inability of Dashrath Singh to correct the outward drift of the favourite would have cost dear but for the fact that Superimpose was far better than Champagne Smile who despite a ground-saving run lost by a whisker. Adamas was a suggestive third.

The D K Ashish Trophy (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds proved to be eventful, with strong favourite The General from trainer Karthik Ganapathy yard winning the race on the track but losing it in the Stewards room. Pesi Shroff trained Democracy had the first run on her opponents as she headed the field in the home stretch, with The General essaying his challenge on her outside. Jockey Bhawani Singh could not prevent The General from rolling over to the rails which resulted in jockey Pradeep Chouhan completely easing up the horse close to home to save himself and the horse. In the process, Chouhan`s whip also fell due to Bhawani Singh using the whip on the right-hand side despite being in proximity to the horse on the inside. It was inevitable that The General would lose his position the moment Chouhan lodged an objection. Athenian who had snatched the second position with a late run on the wide outside by a whisker as Democracy was eased up got the race by default. M S Deora was astride the lucky horse. Democracy was promoted to the second slot, with The General being relegated to the third position. The lower division of the race also went the way of Adhiraj Jodha trained Hall Of Grace. Hall of Grace had been campaigned in the Ooty classics without success and he was now running over a reduced trip. Hall of Grace bolted to the front from the jump out and gave an armchair ride to victory for C S Jodha. The winner spared more than seven lengths at the finish to Enabler who found the trip too sharp for comfort. Multiverse was third while the well-backed Endurance made no show.

Pesi Shroff trained Generosity trounced the opposition in the 1000 metres Alley Cat Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Generosity had finished a close second behind Misty in her last essay at Mumbai in the hands of Trevor Patel. With raw apprentice Bhosale being declared to ride, Generosity was at good odds as Inishmore had more takers. Generosity showed tremendous speed from the gates so much so that Bhosale had to look behind at the bend to see how far ahead from his chasers. Generosity won by an increasing margin of four lengths without having to be driven out. Inishmore pinched the runner-up berth from Pyrrhus in the concluding stride of the race.

Adhiraj Jodha had his horses more ready than the other trainers as many of his horses raced at Ooty at a time when the horses at Pune were not in active work. Time And Tide who had won the Colts Championships Stakes at Ooty at the expense of the subsequent winner of Gr 1 Colts Championship Stakes winner at Bangalore Knotty Charmer had an excellent chance of winning the 1200 metres Double Bull Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. In the hands of five kg claimer Gagandeep Mann, Time And Tide raced a handy third before assuming command early in the stretch. Snowfall covered significant leeway in the straight despite veering out under pressure as well as the top weight that she carried. However, Snowfall could not prevent the front-runner from reaching the safety of the winning post with a measure of comfort. Buckley ran on to finish third. Snowfall did not show early speed but finished on well the way she had done under Sandesh last time out for which the jockey had come under critical scrutiny.