Trainer Bharath Singh`s Double Do won the 1,200m Prince Blossom Cup, on Wednesday, the concluding fixture in the monsoon racing calendar. The trophy was an easy pick for the 5-4 course favourite, who was efficiently handled by apprentice B. Nikhil, against a relatively fresh allowanced rider Hindu Singh, partnering Macedonian, also in the betting. Trainer Vijay Singh, as expected, wore the championship hat while jockey`s crown was claimed by Shailesh Shinde. Originally, Vijay`s main stable-rider, Christopher Alford was comfortably ahead in the race for the jockey`s championship, but he stopped accepting rides, since last month, in view of his back injury In fact, favourites were in total control in the afternoon`s seven-event card, leaving the followers of money, carry some happy memories about the season.

Nikhil rode a clever race on Double Do, the 5-4 favourite. The apprentice kept the Aajad-Paddington Green son in a close attendance of the 5-2 fancied runner, Macedonian, until 300m from home and pounced on the tiring leader to score with a degree of ease. In the same race, trainer Patrick Quinn`s Home Alone also attracted some quiet money at 6-1, inspite of the horse`s big handicap disadvantage against the two public-choice horses. Home Alone was hard-pressed to place fourth, marginally behind the top-weighted runner, Rising Power.

All eyes were on trainer Shayam Habbu`s Meet The Legend, in the 1,200m Best Of The Blues Handicap. The horse had performed credibly in the Colts Stakes but lost narrowly in his subsequent start to an unheralded, Cohiba. The expanding odds of the Win Legend son also confirmed the shaky faith of the horses`s connections in the present ability of the two in-a-row winner, last winter. However, the even-money favourite retuned to the winning way, and with a bang. The way he bisected the two front runners – No Politics and Gallop To Glory – to shoot into the winning lead, inside the final 250m of the race, he gave the impression that he would score again, whatever the penalty imposed for the victory.

Vijay`s Self Directed, another one who has more let downs to his credits than the winning stars, did the Meet The Legend, albeit at nourishing odds of 3-1, to claim the 1,400m Flamenco Handicap. Ridden by Shinde, the Diffident son was backed down from 4-1, to score, to justify the level of confidence reposed in him.

Trainer Daniel David`s Phy`Eau Liang also went on to justify that his last victory, over Simple Simon, was no fluke. More so because, Simple Simon went on to win, on Tuesday, and from a very difficult position. Phyt`Eau Liang (apprentice Mohammed Azharuddin-up), in the 1,600m Affection Handicap, though pitted against two smart youngsters – Resolution and Sugar Sweet – attracted good amount of wagering as Resolution`s odds to expand to 14-10 from even-money. However, it was the top-weighted Habbu`s filly, Gorgeous Girl (apprentice Jorawar) , who took the mantle of challenging Phy`Eau`s authority and the filly nearly succeeded. The verdict of a nose separated the two but the judges` node went in favour of the Daniel`s charge.

Manvender`s Macedonian did let down the followers later in the day but the trainer`s charisma with his youngster, Praise Her Gaze – a debutante, in the lower division of the 1,200m Celestial Gift Handicap – deserves an appalaud. The whipless apprentice Hindu also rode a powerful finish on the Express Wish filly – quoted at 11-10 – as he zig-zagged his way up through the field to deliver the goods while Fankaar was making threating run on the wide out.

Trainer Shafiq Khan, too, seems to have done wonder with his newly acquired mare, Riverdown Empress, from Baharath, after the conclusion of the last winter. The five-year-old notched up her consecutive third win and she looks good for another one. In the upper division of the Celestial Gift Handicap, the Holy Roman Emperor daughter carried her 62kg weight to a fluent victory. In the same race, Manvendra`s Chinese Pride was, originally an even-money favourite but a rush of money, on Riverdown Empress, after horses left for the start, installed the hattrick aspirant as a 17-10 public choice.

There is nothing to write home about trainer Harvinder Bath`s Secret Love`s victory in the 1,400m Desiree Handicap, the day`s opener. Ridden by B. Mahesh, the 18-10 favourite was, as usually, a slow starter but covered the leeway in the stretch run to easily down the longtime leader, Gonna Be Rokstar.