Deepesh Narredu trained King Khalil was coming on the back of two impressive wins recorded at Mumbai and the progeny Multidimensional completed a hat-trick of wins with ease in the 1000 metres Dr S R Captain Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 86 with a great deal of ease. Intermitted rains had no bearing on the fortunes of the fancied runners who lived up to expectations.

King Khalil had always been known to show blinding speed from the gates but this time out jockey Yash Narredu kept the favourite in the second position as Wild Fire blasted away in front. In the stretch, King Khalil covered the leeway easily and overhauled the leader inside the final furlong and stretched away for an effortless win. There was a cavalry charge behind with three horses almost finishing in a cline. Beshiktash grabbed the place with a good rally from behind to finish ahead of Flaming Martini who held off Joplin by a neck to save place money.

Pesi Shroff trained Sasakwa who had run an eye-catching second in her last outing at Bangalore benefitted by the fitness as well as her class as she romped home in the 1400 metres Classic Talk Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Bait And Watch who was in serious betting was withdrawn from the fray after being loaded into the gates after the delay caused by Peerless playing up at the gates. The withdrawal meant that there was nobody in the field who was even mentally prepared to take on the favourite. Trevor Patel let Blazing Bay and Peerless lead the way before alerting Sasakwa to take charge in the straight. The progeny of Kingda Ka picked up speed with great alacrity and went away for a win by a widening margin of 10 lengths. Blazing Bay stayed on to take the second position ahead of Peerless who was another four and ¾ lengths adrift.

The price drift on Pesi Shroff trained Arrowfield who looked too superior for the field could have dissuaded many punters who are more keen on depending on the market trend but benefitted those who preferred to stay with the horse in the 1600 metres Jamshed Dalal Trophy, a race for horses rated 26 to 46. Astounding Bay came in for bigger betting more by default. Arrowfield raced keen and Trevor Patel wisely let the horse hit the front after travelling a furlong and took over the running from Star Comrade. Arrowfield came into the straight a few lengths clear of the rest and expanded it to more than five lengths while crossing the post ahead of Astounding Bay who barely managed to get the better of Gold Medallist. Jockey Zeeshan on Kennedy who was trying to work his way on the outside of Silver King was cramped by the inward drift of Astounding Bay and had a bad fall as the space between these two horses closed up. There was a Stewards enquiry into the incident. The Stewards felt that it was dangerous riding by jockey Yash Narredu who could not control the inward drift of the horse but allowed the result to stand which was strange because if the Stewards unanimously felt that it was a case of dangerous riding, the horse should have been disqualified.

Apprentice jockey K Pranil had a double for the day when he guided the favourite Namaqua to an effortless win in the 1000 metres Hawke Bay Plate (Div II). Backed to the exclusion of the rest, Namaqua hit the front from the word `go` and proved so superior that the others were unable to match pace with the got-abroad gelding. Namaqua was all alone in front. Royston Rock and Antarctica took the next two spots behind the winner. Belenus who was the second favourite was planted at the gates. Pranil had earlier in the day won on long-shot Aquarius.

The 1400 metres Ismail Khan Plate, a race for horses in the lowest class, looked like a minefield and it was hard to find a horse with some semblance of form. Retained Asset and Romanesque were the fancied ones albeit at nourishing odds but the race, true to expectations, saw a long shot in Aquarius winning the race. Aquarius had the lead going into the final furlong with Retained Asset giving a strong chase, but the former skipped away and went beyond the reach of the rest to record a comfortable win. The last two back to back wins of Aquarius were recorded during the last Pune season. Flying Dragon held off the long-time leader Grand Chieftain and Western Style to save place money. The M K Jadhav trainee was guided by new apprentice jockey K Pranil for whom this was the first career win.

Dallas Todywalla opened his account through Golden Guest who recorded an encore with a flourishing run in the final furlong to win the 1000 metres Hawke Bay Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Thomas Hardy had the lead going into the final furlong when Golden Guest began to make his presence felt on the wide outside. Under the driving finish of Trevor, Golden Guest got the better of Thomas Hardy in the shadow of the post and then held off the late flourish of Adele who was full of running.

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Arrowfield (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Jamshed Dalal Trophy

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Sasakwa (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Classic Talk Plate

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King Khalil (Yash Narredu up) winner of the Dr S R Captain Trophy

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Aquarius (K Pranil up) winner of the Ismail Khan Plate

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Namaqua (K Pranil up) winner of the Hawke Bay Plate (Div-II)

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Intense Stylist (C S Jodha up) winner of the Alley Cat Plate

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Golden Guest (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Hawke Bay Plate (Div-I)

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