Trainer Vijay Singh’s Commander (S. John-up) scored a decisive victory over the odds-on favourite, Shivalik Storm (Hindu Singh) in the 1,400m Stewards Cup, Saturday, star attraction. In the process of his victory, Commander also paid compliments to his schooler for bestowing faith in the six-year-old even as the stable holds several young aces in the yard, conforming the racing adage that the Class is permanent while the form is temporary. John also helped Vijay’s Akshaya win the baby race, albeit narrowly, beating Archivolt app. R.S. Bhati) in the Affection Plate.

Commander was ridden well off the pace while the 7/10 hot property had to contend with the likes of Brahmacharis and Rule Downuders, upfront, thereby tiring himself even as the field turned for home. The inevitable happened, below the distance post when Commander jumped into the race, leaving a tiring Shivalik Shakti in no position to offer much of a challenge. So Much so, the favourite was edged out to loose the second slot by Rule Downunder.

Atop Akshaya, John had to use all aces up his sleeves to beat the long time leader, Archivolt in the baby race. Archivolt, who nearly pulled off a creditable double after guiding trainer Arti Doctor’s quietly fancied Arabian Sky to victory, half-an-hour earlier, in a similar manner to lift the 1,100m Echoes Of Light Handicap, from another quietly fancied runner, My Freedom, ridden by B.L. Paswan for whom it was chance rides as jockey Rajinder Singh failed to report.

McKeown’s 9/4 favourite, Invincible Prince (C.Alford) however, delivered the goods in the lower division of the 1,200m Hearts Handicap. It was a hard-earned victory over trainer Vikash Jaiswal’s Simran’s Choice , ridden by brother, Vinay, who tried his hardest within the limited scope to lose in a camera-finish. Incidentally, the stable’s Sporting Trainer (app. Sujit Paswan) carried the punters’ faith in the race.
The upper division of the Hearts Handicap was an easy pick for trainer Shafiq Khan’s Bang Bang (N.S. Parmar) who was brought late on the scene, and on the wide out, to beat the long time leaders -- Scarlet Emperor (S. John) and Scarlet Emperor (Vinay), -- about 50m from.

Trainer Daniel David’s Desert Cat (B. Mahesh) set the day’s motion of start-to-finish but it looked like a made-to-order race, rather than a contest to win the 1,400m Dancing Leaves Handicap. Therefore, there is no point discussing the event.

Trainer Raunak Banerji efforts to win the 1,600m Friendly Dancer Handicap was thwarted by Shyam Habbu’s El Magnifico (app. Nikhil Naidu) who warmed up late in the straight to overhaul Danceress (Alford) who was being hailed as a winner.