Pune city found itself in the grip of a wet spell with steady rains continuing unabated right from Saturday night till the start of the races on Sunday afternoon. At one stage it was feared that races would have to be cancelled but the rains stopped just in time to allow the proceedings to take place though there were sporadic showers during the day.

Blackjack (Alnasr Alwasheek – Academy) dispelled the fears of adapting to the monsoon track on her debut with aplomb and recorded a smashing victory in the Saarthi Maiden Million run over seven furlongs. P. Kamlesh had the Bezan Chenoy trained filly settled comfortably behind Flashing Sword, who shot into lead and had Elizabeth in close attendance. As the field rounded the bend Elizabeth made her move to overhaul Flashing Sword and also brush aside the attempt of Ocean Princess to gain the upper hand. Kamlesh then got Blackjack going and the favourite asserted her superiority in no uncertain terms. Elizabeth clung to the runner-up spot while Light My Way ran on late to finish third.

S. K. Sunderji trained Ocean Legacy (Diffident – Raziya) lived up to the promise shown in her previous run by storming into the lead after Marigold had shot her bolt at the bend and was then driven home for a convincing victory by Suraj Narredu. Tamarai ran in hopeless chase throughout and was later pegged back by the winner`s owner-mate Starry Glow for the second berth. Fallen Angel ran thereabouts to find a minor place on the judge`s board.

Sunderji completed a popular double through Highland Warrior (Alnasr Alwasheek – Endorsement), who made every post of the sprint a winning one in the hands of Trevor Patel. Silver Soul ended second ahead of Hammerhead who failed to keep a straight course. Master Craft ended a fair fourth.

For the third running Highland Music had to play second fiddle as the A. Imran Khan powered filly Lyrical Lass (Diffident – Spectacular Blood) frustrated her close home. Highland Music looked a winner at every stage of the five-furlong scurry till the Karthik Ganapathy saddled chestnut filly wore her down. Flaming Arrow, who has strangely been tried over varied trips this season, found the trip sharp and finished a tame third after coming into contention late. Estevez ran a tame third.

Hormuz Antia`s other candidate and favourite Sea Bucaneer also suffered the same fate as Highland Music and came across one better in the Narendra Lagad trainee Silver Screen (Diffident – Silver Academy), who forced his adversary into submission close home.

The inexperience of apprentice N. S. Parmar told on Floods of Fortune, who had registered his maiden success in style on Independence Day, when Pesi Shroff`s candidate veered out under pressure in the straight in the Super Hero Plate. This allowed Magansingh Jodha schooled filly Tara (Royal Kingdom – Kojagiri), who came through the shortest route home, to topple Floods of Fortune. Saddlers Rule laboured hard to finish third with Oriental Magic finishing a close fourth. Krug surprisingly chose to adopt runaway tactics which flopped long before the race came to a boil. Little Warrior gave enough hints to suggest that he is not cut out for sprint events which he has been tried over till now. He should be a force to reckon with over a mile-and-a-quarter or so. As far as the winner was concerned, it may be recalled that she lost as a favourite to Green Signal and her rider Pramod Belose got away with a two-day suspension for “incompetent” riding!

The two rookie riders, A. Sandesh and Kavraj Singh, rode a winner apiece through Dancing Money (Mr Mellon – Shirley Valentine) and Wings of Angel (Diffident – Moot), who both appeared to have relished the underfoot conditions. The Don Surti trained filly made her handicap count in the curtain raiser when she warded off the threat of the fancied duo Chingari and Victor Ivanov.

Nana Raghunath saddled Wings of Angel never came under any threat after taking over from Brave Gun and kept Hi Dolly and Sparkler at bay.

Sandesh completed a brace of winners when Rehanullah Khan`s ward Uproar (Don Michelleto – Grand Start), who essayed his challenge from close to the inner rails and won repelling the challenge of Tattenhoe and MyPetHoney. Stud of Gold ran a disappointing fourth.

Bonny Light (Placerville – I`m A Nine Plus) from the yards of Faisal Abbas was hard-ridden by Imran Chisty to sustain the advantage he seized from the word go. Favourite Culcrieff made a valiant attempt to catch the winner but found the winning post coming to the rescue of his conqueror. Fluent Victory retired to be a game third with Musical Rhythm rallying on late when finishing fourth.