After the high of the Derby on Sunday which saw a record crowd and topsy-turvy racing, action on Sunday was lackluster. Racing was pedestrian and understandably so as pressures and pulls that are associated with racing when betting is held on Malakpet races all over India was absent. There were no rude jolts to punters as results were confined to horses that were in the money.

	Captivating (R Marshall up), winner of the Melbourne Racing Club Trophy, being led in by trainer Mr. K V Srinivas (deputising for trainer Mr. J S Dhariwal)

Just four runners were in the fray for the 1400 metres Melbourne Racing Club Trophy, a rich terms race for three-year olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s races and it was easy picking for Kunigal Stud Farm`s Captivating who toyed with the opposition before winning by a widening margin of four lengths over stablemate Cruising.

Jaggy Dhariwal had two runners in the fray and both of them were infinitely superior to the local horses. The terms of the race ensured that Captivating was unbeatable. Jockey Ryan Marshall took Captivating on a start to finish mission followed by Chiquelle, Cruising and Clever Ploy. Captivating kept on expanding the lead to win as she pleased from Cruising. The third placed Chiquelle finished way behind.

Favourite Grand Rapids was in danger of being blocked out of contention as jockey Chary who elected to come the shortest way home could not get an opening as Bella Coola and Tristar were battling on in front and were showing no signs of falling back in the 1400 metres Police Cup. He was boxed in. Chary had to wait for an opportunity to angle out Grand Rapids to get a clear run and he was successful in maneuvering the horse from a tight spot with a furlong out. Grand Rapids flew home to get the better of Bella Coola and Tristar in the closing strides of the ace.

Lesser fancied Sweet Heart led all the way and easily held off the belated bid by Manduro to win the 22000 metres Red Satin Plate, a Category II race. Favourite Vijaysiddanath, who was chasing the front runner for a long while, dropped back to the penultimate position approaching the final bend and then ran into front runners and was switched wide before he began to stretch out. This complicated effort resulted in Vijaysiddanath producing his best when the cause was lost and he ended up a head behind Manduro.

The well backed Hard Kingdom produced a scintillating run in the final furlong to catch the front running Alexander Square close home to the land the spoils in the 1100 metres Bhagat Singh Plate. Alexander Square led from the start even as Hard Kingdom, after a prominent jump out, fell back to about sixth position. Alexander Square broke into a useful lead but Hard Kingdom who made rapid strides in the straight bridged the gap steadily and fought a resolute battle with the front runner before going ahead in the shadow of the post. He spared a length at the finish.

From a fourth position at the final bend, Indian Storm was pushed to take over the running inside the final 350 metres and the progeny of Inner City produced a resolute effort in the hands of apprentice jockey Ajit Kumar to go clear. Indian Storm had some reserves left when Rising Rays and See You There came up with a late charge to lift the Faridoon S Chenoy Memorial Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated up to 75. Laxman Singh trained Caligatae recorded an encore by winning the lower division of the race with a start to finish dash. Favourite Onera Onera Onera came threateningly close with a furlong to go but the front runner pulled away at this stage to win with ease in the end.

Donald Netto trained Key Note exploited the inner draw to take charge of the proceedings along with Geography in the Kakinada Palte (Div I), a race for horses rated up to 50. Key Note skipped away from the opposition at the top of the straight and all that favourite Sharp Victor could do was to make a futile bid to catch up with the front runner who spared more than three lengths at the finish. Netto had a winner in the lower division of the race too where Drayton won in similar fashion, seizing control from the start and winning easily from Sorbitrate.

Xtreme went into the Kitty Bank Cup as a favourite but she proved to be no match for Elzaam who shot into the lead from the start and won by a widening margin of eight lengths over Divine Ganges. Xtreme was a poor third.