Trainer Malesh Narredu`s filly, Silver Beauty (Suraj Narredu-up, kept her date with the 2,400m Calcutta Oaks, on Sunday. The easy winner of the 1000 Guineas was rightly the punters` choice after both -- the trainer and the jockey – in the past, had exuded full confidence in the filly`s ability to stay the Derby distance by an equal measure. Needless to say that the Aussie Rules` daughter fully justified her partners on her way to the Classic Double. The 1,600m Deepak Khaitan Memorial Calcutta Gold Cup, on the other hand, was a close contest between the three out-station horses – Shivalik Showers (David Allan), Your Royal Majesty (Trevor Patel) and Commander (Suraj) who placed in the order named.

Silver Beauty, in the Oaks, as expected, was ridden well off the pace while trainers Pesi Shroff`s Rainbow Dash (Trevor) made most of the running, leaving her potential challengers – Dysnomia, Interstellar and Sand Prix – follow in a close order as the favourite was seen nicely settled behind the quartet. The grey filly jumped into the winning lead nearing the distance post and it was curtains for the opposition.

The local challengers – Ambries (S. Zervan), Serendine (Dashrath Singh), Sans Prix (A. Sandesh) and Dysnomia P. S. Chauhan) – were, however, best of the rest as Rainbow Dash went backwards like a pricked balloon, 250m from home while Interstellar failed to stay and Burnished burst a blood vessel.

Jockey David Allan`s ability get the best out of the stout-hearted front-runner was amply at display. The visiting jockey guided trainer James Mckeown`s fancied runner, Shivalik Showers, to half-a-length victory over the two western India invaders, Your Royal Majesty and Commander. The Calcutta Gold Cup is a much sought after trophy in the Indian turf circuit and now it has been re-christened with an affix of ‘Deepak Khaitan Memorial.

The fact that Shivalik Showers managed to retain the advantage almost through the last furlong, though leads kept tossing between the three named horses with every stride.

The migrated lot, in fact, ruled the roost as Vinay Lagad, Millennium Flacon (apprentice N.B. Kuldeep) and Raunak Banerji`s King`s Crown (Ashhad Asbar) also delivered their respective events – the 1,200m 1,400m Sans Pareil Handicap and INS Hooghly Cup -- with consummate ease.

If Millennium Falcon was ridden in a check behind the speedster, Sreeyantra (apprentice Ranidan Singh) before he was sent into the lead to win – his back-to-back --, King`s Crown was held back in third and fourth berth as Winds Of The Ocean and Aatish, the 13/4 joint-favourite, made most of the running. King`s Crown took over the running close to the distance-post and he skated clear of the opposition in a trice.

Vijay`s Drops Of Jupiter (Dashrath Singh) was the other one who scored in a facile manner, coming from way behind to win the 1,400m Navy Cup. The Rebuttal daughter, a 13/4 fancied runner, was seen covering a good ground 300m from home as he shot into the winning lead a furlong from home. The top-weighted Zephir (T.S. Jodha) was best of the rest while the 5/2 favourite Running Hand (Allan) was hard-pressed to place third.

The afternoon otherwise belonged to trainer Bharath Singh who picked up two important events – the 1,100m Calcutta Juvenile Stakes for babies and the 1,200m Quail Creek Wines Cup, won by his respective runners charge Gryffndor and Aquitania – both ridden by Trevor.

Gryffndor displayed amazing improvement after his debut run in the race won by King Credible. The Lucifer Sam colt allowed the speedy Tiberon (T.S. Jodha) and the 13/20 favourite Akshya (Sandesh) to call the shots but what tilted the scales in favour of the winner was a wide opening, along the rails, which Trevor quickly grabbed to his advantage.

Aquitania`s victory was on the cards as the Admiralofthefleet son had been knocking at the door. Trevor also rode the 6/4 favourite in a business-like manner; behind the long time leader Jupiter (P.S. Chauhan). With Jupiter visibly tiring, in the final 150m it was easy for Aquitania; until a late finishing Kanya Kalyan (Dashrath) made the finish interesting.