Pesi Shroff trained Amazing Grace was not unduly tested by stablemate Circle of Bliss en route to winning the Gr 3 Idar Gold Trophy, a terms race for four year olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s races. Lack of experience had undermined Amazing Grace`s chances in the Indian classics but she showed enormous progress during the Bangalore Summer Season which saw her pick up three graded races and since then has not looked back.

Circle of Bliss had twice beaten Amazing Grace in the Indian classics but the latter had made enormous strides since then. Though Circle of Bliss enjoyed pull in weights, Amazing Grace went to the post as a favourite based on her imposing show in the recent past. The fact that when two stablemates of comparable merit are running in the same race puts some confusion into the minds of race goers which resulted in the odds on Amazing Grace shooting up to even money. In the event, those who put faith on the current form of Amazing Grace and the fact that Circle of Bliss is more used to running game races but winning very few of them stood to benefit.

Belvedere did the job of setting a fast pace for her more accomplished stable mates. Star of Gibraltar, Astapi, One Wish, The Ministerian, and Rodeo raced behind with Amazing Grace in the penultimate position while Circle of Life was ridden in exaggerated check. Rounding the final turn, Amazing Grace displayed the patented burst of speed and went storming clear. Circle of Bliss chased her without hope and ended up what she is best at by taking the second slot. Rodeo was faraway third. Amazing Grace is targeted to run in the Leger where she is to take on Alaindair. The clash between these two champions will be worth going a mile to watch as both are in their peak form.

Pesi was in the limelight saddling three winners. Tiger Tops who had finished third in the Bangalore Derby in July was installed the firm favourite to win the 2000 metres Zephyr Bay Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Poonawalla Multi-Million winner Shivalik Storm was widely expected to put up a good show after the forward he had last time out. However, Shivalik Storm disappointed, unable to show any spark and plodded home behind Tiger Tops who went on a successful start to finish mission and was not unduly pressed to win. Though Shivalik Storm was giving weight to Tiger Tops, the fact that the former did not show zest at any stage of the race is indicative of the fact that he hasn`t progressed much after the victory in the multi-million. In fact, he had to be extended to retain the runner up spot from Highlander.

Debutant Ramesses was another winner saddled by Pesi. Ramesses showed lot of alacrity to go storming clear in the final furlong to win with ease the Consequence Plate (Div I), a race for three year olds from Remarkables and Captain Abdon. Favourite Aleta was a beaten cause from the start and did not show any of the brilliance displayed during the morning workouts. The speedy Himalayan Queen easily justified the favouritism in the lower division of the race with a start to finish dash, leaving the rest stranded. Eduardo was the best of the beaten brigade.

In a tight finish which saw four horses almost finish in a line, Passion Prince just about headed home in the 1000 metres Premier Collection Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Mohegun Sun finished strongly taking the runner up berth ahead of Yardstick and Sunshine Heart. A head and two short heads separated the first four finishers. Umarkot covered places swiftly before approaching the final bend and had no problem in storming clear with two furlongs left in the race to win the lower division of the race from late finishing Ocean Star and Dark William.

The day`s biggest upset came in the 1400 metres Cape Knight Plate where friendless Stormy Princess produced a stunning burst of speed in the run in for home and had no problem in measuring favourite Beyond Horizons in the hands of apprentice jockey K N Bhati. Beyond Horizons weakened completely in the final stages of the race and lost even the second spot to Summer Express.

Zadmal Singh trained Providence had served notice of any early success in the 1200 metres Radical Force Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46 and the four year old filly duly obliged with a blistering run in the final furlong. Quick Fire showed some zest with a strong rally in the end and got the second slot by a whisker from Titliest. Favourite Zadora did not raise a fluent gallop.

Yash Narredu got a winner after going blank for a couple of weeks when he drove out Answer My Prayers to victory over Dream Yuga in the 1600 metres of Spark of Gold Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Favourite Nigella was a tame third.

The wrong `un landed the spoils as far as the public was concerned when National Gold overcame a sluggish start and caught up with the front running stablemate Without Fear who faltered close home and brought off an upset in the 1200 metres Personified Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Adams Wing was third.