A Jodha trained Gold Bag duly completed the hat-trick when the four year old filly produced a winning gallop down the final furlong to win the 1200 metres P Hadow Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 86, which featured the card of nine events that were gone through on the second day of Pune races on Friday. Racing was a mixed blessing for punters as the victory of fancied runners were interspersed with long shots spoiling their good run.

Egyptiana had more supporters than Gold Bag and the odds on the latter went up to a nourishing odds of 4 to 1 and more by race time. Hidden Asset put in a speedy effort and raced up front. In the straight, he began to veer out taking those behind him also along. Gold Bag got a trouble free passage in the middle of the course and jockey Sandesh was quick to grab the opportunity and drive out the progeny of Sedgefield for a comfortable win over Fortune Favours who was a surprise second ahead of Apache who ended up on the extreme outside. Remember Me, as is her wont, came up with a late bid but missed the third place by a whisker.

Christmas Eve was strongly backed to win the 1200 metres Classic Talk Plate a race for three year olds, on the basis of the filly`s fair record. She run against some formidable opponents and performed well. Itscaro was the other to corner betting while Another Conquest was allowed to run at lucrative odds though she was the only winner of two races in the fray. The small made Another Conquest had proved to be a gutsy performer and yet again she asserted her class when slamming the opposition. Christmas Eve who led from the start began to send distress signals in the straight and Itscaro then took charge. Another Conquest was baulked for an opening at a crucial stage. However, when jockey Yash Narredu pulled her out and shook the reins, the response was immediate. The progeny of Phoenix Tower flew home to win in great style. Hidden Soul ran on to finish third ahead of Sentimental while Christmas Eve finished in distress.

Malesh Narredu trained Velvet Amari had won a race at Mumbai but had lost it in Stewards room. On the basis of that performance, she was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1400 metres Amorous Knight Trophy, a race for maiden three year olds. Velvet Amari led from the start with the well backed Fearless Nadia shadowing her. Velvet Amari did not show any acceleration on turning for home and Fearless Nadia (Oath – X Factor) easily overhauled her and went away for a facile win. Velvet Amari held off Pearl Secret for the runner up berth.

A little more than an hour, the biggest upset of the day came through Lucky Charm. The four year old screamed away in front in the 1200 metres A J Wadia Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46 and was never headed as apprentice jockey A Gaikwad enjoyed his moment of glory. The winner paid a huge dividend on the Bangalore tote despite the fact that favourite Make My Way was withdrawn at the gates on veterinary grounds. Upsets are generally associated with trainer Narendra Lagad and predictably Lucky Charm belonged to him. Alderley Ridge and Blue Flame occupied the next two slots on the frame. The lower division of the race was won by Karthik Ganapathy trained Strategic Move. Mount Rushmore and Strategic Move received support in equal measure but the race itself turned out to be a miss-match. Sandesh had Strategic Move dictate the pace from the start and the progeny for Dancing Forever blasted away in front to win by a margin of over six lengths. Mount Rushmore was a well beaten second ahead of Royal Sapphire.

Lagad trained Multinational was a firm favourite to win the 1000 metres Oriental Express Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class. The marginal drift in odds on the favourite was a worrying factor for those who believe that if the price goes up in the ring, it is not a good sign. However, for those who believe in pedigree, the worrying thing was the sharpness of the trip of five furlongs for a progeny of Multidimensional. Aletta who was assigned to raw apprentice D M Iyer shot into the lead on turning for home and though the front runner looked vulnerable all through the straight as Multinational came up with a big burst of speed, the front runner held on to win by a whisker. Either it is the lack of fitness on the part of jockey Dashrath Singh or his inability to extract that bit extra, the favourite was a victim of one of these factors. Victory Dancer was faraway third.

Golden Belle did not enjoy the confidence of punters in the 1400 metres Air Dash Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66 as stablemate Zodiac came in for spirited support. Such an expectation was justified as Zodiac moved up with raking strides in the straight to collar all the front runners and won by a widening margin of four lengths over favourite Golden Belle and Troppa Bella. Zervan was astride the winner.

The well backed Star of Babylon was driven out to contain the challenge of front running Dhanyavaad in the 1400 metres Saint Emilion Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Star of Babylon who raced in about the fourth position entering the straight, picked up tremendous acceleration in the hands of jockey Trevor and had the race in his grasp long way from home. Dhanyavaad held off Sansani for the third place.

Cooji Katrak trained Blavatsky had some below par efforts during the Mumbai season. In one of her runs, she had finished about three lengths behind Your Royal Majesty which was a significant effort considering the fact that the latter had made his mark in the highest class. Blavatsky belonged to the class of unexploited horses. The top weighted four year old progeny of Steinbeck produced a strong run in the final furlong to overhaul the front running favourite Soul Centric to land the spoils at lucrative odds.