Trainer Vijay Singh`s prized horse, Multitude (A. Sandesh-up) raised a meaningful gallop when needed most to claim the 1,200m San Craintes Stud Farm (P) Ltd. Calcutta Champions` Sprint, which took the centre stage during the Derby weekend, beginning Saturday. The Multidimensional son had been producing a below-form performance after a hattrick of wins during the monsoon season but inspired by the advantage of being kept fresh for the event, the 6/1 shot mauled the opposition that had some national flavour.

Vijay`s Avarua (Sandesh), on the other hand, cashed in on her outing advantage to justify her 12/10 odds with a handsome pillar-to-post victory in the 1,400m Pat Quinn Memorial Cup, on a afternoon ruled by favourites. One, however, again missed the popular colours of Khaitans, known to normally dominate the big days, having already drawn a blank on the New Year`s Day.

Multitude`s was a electrifying finish, coming almost from the wrong-end of the field to easily beat the course-favourite, Your Royal Majesty (Trevor Patel) who made most of the running behind the long time leader, Zander, who had run short of the gas at the top of the final turn. So emphatic was the victory of the top-weighted runner that Sandesh did not even had to punish his charge, besides early niggling, in the stretch run.

The 1,600m Eastern Command Cup, as expected, went the Ship Rock`s way. The Shyam Habbu-trained even-money favourite followed the day`s trend of start-to-finish victory, on his way having an easy measure of trainer James Mckeown`s less-fancied runner, Torino (Ashhad Asbar), who had no hard luck story to narrate.

Trainer Shafiq Khan`s last outing winner, Lhotse (apprentice Hindu Singh) was no exception as the top-weighted runner followed the winning-formula on the Derby eve to keep the opposition at bay. The six-year-old mare made every post of the 2,000m Lt Gen. Jameel Mahmood Memorial Cup a winning one. The 8/1 shot was briefly overtaken by the 12/10 favourite in the stretch run but Lhotse was brought into the contention with a second run to retire as an easy winner over the late finishing Romantic Society (Sandesh), also from Vijay`s stable.

Trainer Narendra Lagad, a regular visitor to the city, made his trip a fruitful one as his 14/10 fancied charge, Flight Of Phoenix (Dashrath Singh), delivered the goods with ease to lift the 1,100m S.S. Bala Memorial Cup. A close contest was expected in the race between the Lagad`s favourite and his western India compatriot, Adhirajsingh Jodha but such notion fell flat on the face as the later`s charge, Altus (Nirmal Jodha), was hard-pressed to retain the second slot from Vijay`s Mustang (apprentice Nikhil Naidu).

Trainer Pesi Shoff`s 12/10 favourite, San Martino (Trevor), also demonstrated the his superior class while carrying his Herculean impost of 62-1/2kg to a cruising pillar-to-post victory, over a lowly placed Blue Zone (Munna Alam) , from Vijay`s yard.

The two divisions of the lowest class races, the 1,200m Icelandic Handicap, produced contrasting results. The upper division was claimed by trainer Bharath Singh`s long-shot, Forest Dunes (apprentice N.B. Kuldeep) who was brought with a late run to beat Habbu`s quiet fancy, Horsea (Vinay Jaiswal) while Javed Khan`s heavily wagered 5/2 favourite, Francina (B. Mahesh) muscled her way to victory, having literally roughed up a fancied Heliconia (Shezad Khan). An objection, by Heliconia`s jockey, against the winner did not find favour in the stewards` room and the Arti Doctor`s mare was a good thing lost.