Pesi Shroff trained Amadeus won the 1200 metres Madras Race Club Trophy, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Sunday in record timing of one minute 09.62 seconds. The progeny of Choisir, who has thus far recorded five career wins over shorter trips, proved that he has improved by leaps and bounds during the season after being restricted to sprints with aggressive running in the front and staving off the strong bid of Orito.

This was the penultimate week of the Mumbai racing season but the interesting thing is that the authorities have been able to get a card of eight events with some good quality horses participating. With the Bangalore Summer Racing overlapping, some of the youngsters who are seen in action in the races meant for maiden races are bound to improve on their efforts and come into their own in the salubrious weather in Bangalore as they are most likely to participate in the prestigious season. The Bangalore weather at the moment though is not pretty and there has been no sign of rain thus far.

Amadeus went into the race as a well backed horse though Orito who had finished a close second to the former was expected to benefit from the difference in weight. However, it was not to be as jockey Zervan had Amadeus racing behind pace setter Weizhou with Bullet, Class Apart, Orito, and Dancing Glances racing in close proximity. Rounding the final turn, Zervan pushed Amadeus to take over the running and the progeny of Choisir quickened nicely to open up a useful lead. In the meanwhile, Dashrath Singh on Orito had got busy and went in strong chase of the front runner. The fight went on till the post but Amadeus who had the initiative right through, held on to win by half a length. Bullet nosed out Weizhou for the third slot. Amadeus bettered the timing of Forest Flair who only two months ago had set the mark of one minute 9.7 seconds.

The 1800 metres P B Avasia Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86, was an open betting affair though Spirit of Mercy who had found the mile and quarter trip long for comfort, was expected to bounce back over this reduced trip. He had the weights also in his favour. But the duo of Chemin De Fer and Enlightenment came in for great thrust in the ring easing the odds on the eventual winner. Jockey Sandesh had Spirit of Mercy lead the charge from the start and though he was pressed hard by Chemin De Fir in the straight, he managed to pull ahead. Towards the closing stages of the race, Enlightenment came home with a rush but found the front runner unrelenting.

The Pradeep Vijaykar Trophy, a race for maiden three year olds, was won by Dallas Todywalla trained Serena whose victory ensured a treble for the trainer. The race named is after a fellow journalist with whom I have covered quite a few international cricket matches. He had also been a regular in the J K Bose All India Sports Journalists Cricket Tournament. Vijaykar was an all-rounder whose principal area of interest was cricket though he made it a point to be there at the Mahalaxmi on all big occasions. It was good to see the club acknowledge the contribution of a fellow journalist which rarely happens in India. A Jodha trained Menage A Trois was backed to the exclusion of the rest but the favourite began to recede with more than furlong left in the race. Serene collared the front runner with ease and went away for an easy win. Habibian came from a long way back to finish a good second ahead of Purple Mokara.

Trainer Dallas Todywalla had earlier in the day recorded back to back wins. Starlight Magic won the day’s opener, the Solar Kiss Plate (Div II), a race for horses rated 20 to 46 quite easily from late rallying Calypso Queen who ended up being runner up for second time in a row. Prakash had Starlight Magic dictate the pace from the start which meant that Calypso Queen was in hopeless chase of the front runner in the final furlong. The lower division of the race was won by lesser fancied Arabian Champ who held off the challenge of second favourite Golden Memory. Favourite Roger Bcool drifted out in the homestretch and lost all his chances. Nemane perhaps waited a fraction more than he should have in the straight before going in pursuit of Arabian Champ which made his task of covering up the leeway difficult.

Imtiaz Sait trained Saifeena won the 1800 metres Racing Journalists Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46, as a strongly fancied runner. Favourite Carlyle Hills could only finish a poor third. Saifeena led all the way and though inside the final furlong it looked like Atlantic Star will put up a stiff fight, the former had enough reserves to pull away. Viva Zapata came home in distress.

Step Up won the J D & Peggy Banatwala Trophy, a mile long race for three year olds with a start to finish mission. Favourite Nigella took time to pick up steam and by the time he came home with a big run, the front runner had reached the safety of the winning post. Nigella fell short by a neck.

Cooji Katrak trained Agni Baan has this knack of winning at fancy odds each time. Entrusted to little known V Phadke, Agni Baan led all the way and despite cutting an erratic course in the final furlong, managed to win from Jacques who was inconvenienced by the wayward drift of the winner. The
interference though did not make material difference and the objection by Nirmal Jodha against Jodha did not find favour with the stewards.