Pesi Shroff trained Parisian who seems to have hit a purple patch simply outclassed the opposition to win the Gr 3 2000 metres Eve Champion Trophy, a terms race for four-year-olds and over, in amazing fashion at Pune on Saturday. The five-year-old daughter of Champs Elysees is no doubt a late-maturing horse but the ease with which she beat the opposition was truly breathtaking. Pesi Shroff and his jockey Pradeep Chouhan dominated the day’s proceedings with a quadruple.

At the weights that she was in, Parisian was unbeatable and hence the odds quoted on her were very miserly. There were seasoned performers in Truly Epic and Caprisca who had seen better days. Apsara who hadn’t had her share of runs due to the disruption of racing was widely expected to finish second best. But it was not to be as the fast pace set up Magistero and Apsara’s jockey also wanting to chase her down ensured that the only four-year-old in the race would take a drubbing. After Magistero set a fast pace and weakened approaching the final furlong, Pradeep Chouhan who was astride Parisian got busy. In a trice, Parisian covered the leeway and bounced clear in the straight to win by a widening margin of eight lengths over Truly Epic. Grand Accord who lost considerable ground at the start ran on late to finish third. In the form that she is in, Parisian will be hard to beat in the terms races where she will always have the advantage of weight.

Another Pesi Shroff trained horse to record a smashing was the Manjri Stud Farm bred Sunrise who put daylight between himself and the rest in the 1400 metres Cabriolet Plate (Div II), a race for maiden three-year-olds. The three-year-old son of Phoenix Tower is surely cut for greater laurels. He could have been a possible winner of a classic at other centres if the racing programme was not interrupted due to the Pandemic. Trainer Shroff said that he would be targeting his ward in the Guineas. Chouhan merely had to wait with the favourite till approaching the final turn. Sunrise came wide into the straight and cruised past the front-runners to win by over eight lengths. Orchids held off Sinner to take the runner-up berth. The upper-division of the race also went the way of Shroff trained Medora who had gone down fighting in her last run. The run benefit had her spot-on as the three-year-old daughter of Multidimensional swept past the opposition to win by a widening margin of three lengths over Juiced and Jubilant Journey.

In a thrilling finish, Bezan Chenoy trained Aegon managed to head Golden Quest at the all-important end to land the spoils in the 1000 metres An Acquired Taste Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. After Sharareh and Poker Face cut the wind, Golden Quest shot ahead at the top of the straight with Aegon in hot pursuit. Under the driving finish of Sandesh, Golden Quest enjoyed the lead till the closing stride of the race but the never say die attitude of Kaviraj who rode like one possessed ensured Aegon to pinch the verdict. Both these horses were strong in the betting market. Excellent Gold was third edging out Pokerface to save place money.

Pesi Shroff trained Marvellous who had let down huge expectations last time out was widely expected to make amends in the 1000 metres To The Manor Born Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. The filly which had shown a lot of immaturity last time out with her head carriage indicating that she is yet to focus on the task at hand was sluggish from the gates and was never in the hunt. Spring Grove who was ignored in the betting ring possibly because her trainer stated in an interview that he believed that the filly needed one more run had it easy. Spring Grove had the beating of Enigma last Pune season and the latter had gone on to win twice by a huge margin. In the event, Spring Grove, in the hands of jockey Prashanth Dhebe, overwhelmed the front-running Wild Fire in the final furlong to win easily from late rallying Enlightened. Wild Fire stayed on to take the third position. A M Jadhav trained Excelerator had run suggestively in his last effort during the last Mumbai season despite interference. The three-year-old son of Excellent Art showed good improvement by easily tackling the opposition including the heavily supported Sufiyah who was expected to win on the back of her narrow defeat earlier in the season. Sovereign Master did well to finish second ahead of Sufiyah who ran out of ground.

Theon who had been relocated to the stables of Pesi Shroff from Kolkata, won the 2000 metres Amjad Khan Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46, quite easily from Flaming Lamborgini. Kokomo who was strongly backed moved well approaching the final turn and came to essay his challenge to Flaming Lamborgini but flattened out. Flaming Lamborgini gave hope but the big made Theon slowly gained supremacy and won with a measure of comfort in the end. Kokomo was disappointing third several lengths behind the runner-up.

Rank outsider Fairmont upset favourite Northern Lights close home to win the 1600 metres Continual Trophy, a race for horses in the lowest category. Pesi Shroff trained Northern Lights looked on course for a win but closer to home, weakened which enabled Fairmont to snatch the verdict. Kamaria ran on to finish third.

The benefit of a race run and the extended trip went in favour of Imtiaz Sait trained Pride’s Angel who asserted his supremacy in the 1400 metres Colombiana Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Pride’s Angel raced up in front and had the race sewn up a long way from home. Sandman was second ahead of early pacesetter Blazing Bay. Beemer who was also in the betting was flat-footed.