Pesi Shroff showed Amazing Grace showed vast improvement when swamping the opposition in the Gr 2 Maharaja`s Cup, the star event of races held on Sunday. The four year old filly, who had just about managed to beat the same opposition a fortnight ago, appreciated the step up in distance and roared past the opposition in the final furlong to record an emphatic win.

Amazing Grace was carrying two kgs penalty for her last start win a Group 3 race but that was not expected to deter her. The reason why she went to the post at generous odds was the tremendous surge of support for Agostini in the betting ring based on the belief that Agostini would be far fitter for this race and could prove a handful. But in the event, Amazing Grace, by her stunning performance proved that each run is helping her to improve by leaps and bounds. She is now showing great maturity and would prove formidable in the graded races during the winter and monsoon seasons.

	Amazing Grace (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Maharaja`S Gold Cup (Gr.2), being led in by trainer P Shroff

Roswald did the job of a pace setter with an energy sapping run in front. Jeremiah raced a few lengths adrift with Isn`t She Special, Agostini, Amazing Grace, Snowdrift and Wind Stream raced behind. Roswald packed up after bringing the field into view with Agostini going ahead. However, his foray in front was brief as Amazing Grace swooped on him with striking acceleration and kept stretching away without having to be ridden out aggressively. Agostini finished second four lengths adrift of the winner while Isn`t She Special was third. Snowdrift did not show any progress from his previous eye caching third and was a dismal fourth.

Wind Wonder has had a chequered career with two run away wins at the beginning of his career with two failed efforts as a firm favourite. He had run poorly in his first outing during the season where he had finished last out of 11 runners. As such, it was difficult to expect the five year old to overturn that form in the 1200 metres Rajah S R K Ranga Row Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 60 and above. The focus of betting was on Jersey Shore and Real Steel. There was quiet support on Wind Wonder by the people in the know. As is the case with horses of this particular connection which is proxy trained, the horse showed amazing reversal of form by slamming the opposition with a powerful run from a forward position in the hands of jockey Anjar Alam who had been in the past sacrificed for in and out running and not allowed to ride in races for a few months by the authorities. Real Steel who failed to get an advantageous position came wide into the straight, showed some spark but had left himself with too much ground to cover in what appeared to be a less enthusiastic effort. Catamaran managed to finish third ahead of Jersey Shore.

Apprentice jockey Yash Narredu who is enjoying a great season drew level with Pradeep Chouhan as the leading jockey by booting home a double to take his tally to 13 winners. Fair Game who had recorded a thrilling win over Bazinga showed vast improvement in the 1200 metres Young Rajput Plate, hardly facing any resistance as she cantered home for a runaway success. Fair Game had the race well sewn up in the final furlong. Cattleya was a faraway second ahead of Ocean Park.

Yash Narredu had earlier steered scored through Feet On Fire in the 1200 metres Endorsement Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class. Breaking Away was backed to the exclusion of the rest but the filly went too fast in front in the hands of apprentice Ramu and packed up in the final furlong. Feet on Fire easily contained the challenge Cherry Hilton and Quarter Cask. The number of three year olds running in the lowest class is pretty depressing as just three runs are enough for a filly to be eligible to run in this category.

Sriram Komandur trained V G Saravanam Memorial Cup (Div I), a seven furlong race for horses rated 40 to 65, saw Midnight Cruze and Clueless being the most supported. Clueless had lost a definite chance last time out due to inept handling. With Suraj Narredu declared to ride the five year old, the chances of Clueless were certainly fortified. The well backed Midnight Cruze went ahead in the straight but could not sustain the lead for long as Clueless essayed a strong challenge and easily collared the five year old mare. Ballantoy ran on to finish third. The lower division of the race saw Shivalik Fire receiving unprecedented support and duly obliging. Shaka Zulu`s late rally fetched him the second slot ahead of Mark of Genius.

Jaggy Dhariwal trained Saltoro Ridge fought off a stiff battle with favourite Super Force before getting stronger at the finish to win the 1200 metres Divine Light Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three year olds. Ad Astra who lost pace early on to race in the penultimate position, made good progress in the straight to finish third albeit about 10 lengths adrift of the winner. The lower division of the race had gone the way of Imtiaz Sait`s Helping Hand who just about lasted out to by the proverbial whisker to win from late finishing Fourth Dimension by 1/1000 of a second. Pontiac had a good forward run while finishing third.