Trainer Rashid Byramji`s Make My Day came into classic contention following her easy victory over Must Be Magic and Strike A Deal her main adversaries in the 7 frulong Independence Cup on Saturday. The victory of the Emerald Cat daughter was quite creditable in view of a number of top-rated horses having disappointed recently in open classes. Moreover, she was set to concede weight to a good number of rivals in the nine-horse field which also included Xavier – a winner of two races in as many starts during the winter season.

Apprentice B. Mahesh rode a well-judged race on Make My Day – keeping the 2-1 favourite well off the pace while Autocrat, Must be Magic, Strike A Deal, Special Star and Asiatic Boy tested their hooves up-front. Make My Day improved places nearing the home turn on the wide outside as Mahesh carefully avoided getting into a traffic problem. Once put in top gear, there was no stopping of Make My Day and she went past Must Be Magic who had built up a sizeable lead nearing the distance post in no time.

	Make My Day (B Mahesh up), winner of the Independence Cup, being led in by trainer Mr. Rashid Byramji

The afternoon turned out to be tailor-made one for favourites and strongly fancied runners. In the opener, the 1,400m Best Of The Blues Handicap, Darius Byramji`s Avesco fully justified his 11-10 odds on his way to a near seven-length victory over a Queen Vic, the second favourite. Pushed into a two length lead from the start of the race, the Razeen colt went on increasing his lead in the stretch run to give an armchair ride to victory for jockey Christopher Alford.

Trainer Christopher Gleich`s Grand Pere enjoyed an equal support in the betting at 3-1 -with Jump Away and Mrs Jones who vied for the 1,000m Callisto Handicap. In his last outing, the horse had lost despite losing some ground at the start and had scored comfortably over Jump Away. With a perfect jump, on this occasion, Grand Pere did not need to be pressed unduly hard to record a back-to-back victory in the hands of Shailesh Shinde. Mrs. Jones finished a good second running first time after a long layoff.

Glorious Invention, the Harvinder Singh Bath`s three-year-old colt, was an even-money favourite to win the 1,100m Tasmac Handicap. Ridden by the south Indian-based jockey, M. Krishna, the failed-favourite in his winter essay, did not make a heavy weather of his two-length victory over the lowly weighted Iora who tried win from the start but failed to pull on when the favourite came alongside. The weakening Iora also gave way to late finishers – Apyrous and Manege.

Much was expected from trainer Bharath Singh`s Ashridge and the visiting jockey J. Sampson in the 1,800m Compassionate Handicap. However, both of them failed miserably in the race, which was won by trainer Vijay Singh`s Auckley who chased the leader Southern Beauty till the top of the home turn and took off for a facile four-length victory. Ashridge who was ridden well off the pace was brought six-wide into the straight and was also allowed to shift in past the distance post while making a good headway to catch up with Auckley which proved costly in the end.

Going by her impressive fourth, the last time out De La Paix was considered to be s cinch in the 1,400m Anokato Handicap. However, the Bath-trained horse never appeared to be in the galloping mood throughout the trip. A solidly fancied Argentina won the race from Italian Dream. The winner, from trainer Jasbir Singh`s yard, raced right behind the frontrunners – Noble Intention, Italian Dream, All In The Stars and Star Infinity till 300m from home before kicking off for meritorious win in the hands of jockey Pawan Sharma.