Altamash Ahmed trained Astapi managed to neck out Okavango to win the 3200 metres Suresh Mahindra Trophy, the country`s longest race, the feature event of Friday`s Pune races. Astapi was easily the most experienced runner in the fray having tasted Gr 1 success in the Stayers Cup at Hyderabad in March and though he did not have any recent good performance to go by, his experience helped him in good stead as he lasted out the trip to emerge triumphant in the hands of apprentice jockey Bhawani Singh. Incidentally this was the second win for Astapi this year. The win prior to Stayers Cup had come than two years ago on the local track.

The fact that Indian jockeys are inexperienced when it comes to long distance races is time and again illustrated by the fact that horses rarely settle in the early part of the race and thus affecting their chances. Pace judgment is something that Indian jockeys are not known for and they also fail to think on their feet. The pace was a crawl with Fire Engine and Okavango fighting hard for their head and racing almost on the centre of the track. Rodeo was third while Astapi was settled nicely in the penultimate position with Caesar`s Star for cover. Passing the winning post for the first time, Fire Engine veered out of a straight course perhaps wanting to run in the direction of his stable but Sandesh brought him back on track but by this time, he was trailing the field by more than a distance.

Okavango stepped up the pace approaching the final bend with Rodeo in hot pursuit. Bhawani Singh on Astapi too made his move and improved places on the wide outside. Okavango had a useful lead going into the final furlong but Astapi managed to measure the front runner in the final yards of the race. Rodeo finished third while the other runner in the fray Caesar`s Star got the fourth place by default as Fire Engine finished down the field.

Rehanullah Khan trained Full Moon fought a resolute battle with front running Celsius before getting strong in the dying moments of the 1000 metres Fourth Estate Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Rajsamman stayed in touch with the front running duo but found them quickening and go beyond his reach in the final furlong.

Sandesh`s persevering effort on Tammy O who looked beat at one stage helped the lesser fancied runner to put it across last outing winner Cosmic Winner in the shadow of the post. Honeymoon came in for support with no form to go by and she was a lost cause from the start as she was lethargic at the start and trailed the field.

Lesser fancied Athens was pushed to take over the running on straightening for home and the lesser fancied runner showed a good burst of speed to go storming clear which held him in good stead in the 1800 metres Kojagiri Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Favourite Jack Frost did not show enough speed but responded brilliantly when the cause had been lost. The finishing burst of Jack Frost added an element of excitement to the race as the three year old came within striking reach of the eventual winner.

Bezan Chenoy`s Victorian took a stranglehold of the 1600 metres Pune Racing Journalists Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46 in the final furlong and had no problem in justifying the favouritism. Copperglow kept company with Victorian before the latter sped away. Gloria improved places on the wide outside and showed some spark while finishing third. Ashish who rode Victorian was also successful in the lower division of the race on Vixen who managed to get the better of favourite Legend of the Seas in the shadow of the post.

Antia trained Storymyday`s last two runs had fetched the five year old two runner up berths. This time out Stormyday overcame a wide outside draw and interference at the start to go storming clear at the top of the straight to win by a widening margin of seven lengths over Izarra and Light of Arabia.
Porto Banus made his ninth start of life a winning one when he broke clear inside the final 200 metres and won the day`s opener, the 2000 metres Road Runner Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category, from the hard driven Plated. Cumbre Vieja ran on from behind to finish a suggestive third.