Easily the best four-year-old currently racing in India, Miracle was presented with a mediocre opposition none of whom had won a race in the Gr 1 Villoo Poonawalla Indian Oaks, the third classic of the season, the feature event of Sunday`s races at Mahalakshmi. Pesi Shroff trained Miracle was steered to her eighth successive win by jockey Pradeep Chouhan hardly raising a sweat. She is on course for next month`s Indian Derby.

Trainer Pesi Shroff has simply dominated this event having saddled an incredible 10 winners of this race. For Pradeep Chouhan, this was the third success in this premier event.

The Usha Stud Farm horses have a stranglehold on the Indian Oaks with the horses from this leading nursery of India producing runaway winners of this race. Miracle who has proved to be very versatile, winning over a range of distances, was essaying the mile and half trip for the first time. Unfortunately, there was not a single horse in the fray which could make the race an interesting one. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan was only required to get some cover in the early part of the race before asking the unbeaten champion to stretch out in the final furlong. Miracle won by a widening margin of four lengths over Aah Bella and Animous who disputed for the minor placings.

It is a pity that the Oaks turned out to be a poorly contested one. With the other turf clubs in India scheduling their oaks and Derby around the same time, the good horses get distributed. This year`s Derby too will be affected because there are three Derbys scheduled for the last week of this month and the time gap between these events will be too sharp for them to have a realistic chance in the Indian Derby. Barring the unforeseen, Miracle is on course to provide Pesi Shroff with his second successive Indian Derby success.

Pesi had a rough patch for about two years but he has more than made up in the last year sweeping classics all over the country besides winning the lion share of handicap and other races held at Pune and Mumbai. Sunday also proved to be one such day when the champion trainer led in four winners, including classic hopeful Supernatural who made a smashing debut. Full brother to last year`s Indian Derby winner Immortality, Supernatural had enough workouts for him to make a winning debut in the 1400 metres Thumbelina Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Supernatural showed maturity which enabled jockey Pradeep Chouhan to settle the horse in the mid group before pulling him out in the stretch. Supernatural picked speed instantly and went sailing clear to eventually win by a widening margin of seven lengths over Liam and Hooves of Thunder. Hawk of the Wind who had the benefit of a good forward run disappointed after being up with the pace before packing up.

The progeny of Multidimensional, Supernatural has won so early in his career which itself is a big bonus and augurs well for his future. Pesi surely has a solid classic contestant for the plums during the Bangalore Summer Season.

This year`s Gr 3 Ramniwas Ramnarain Gold Cup, a terms race four-year-olds and over, had poor quality of horses in the fray and in the fitness of things, Pesi Shroff trained Chopin came out of the maidens ranks in this graded race. 2000 Guineas winner A Star Is Born was not in the fray which reduced the value of this race. Karthik Ganapathy trained Darwin win came in for good support with veteran jockey Srinath in the saddle. Chopin was next in demand. Much to the chagrin of the supporters of Darwin, Srinath came a cropper soon after the jump out. Jockey Neeraj Rawal had Chopin lead all the way and the four-year-old was not hard-pressed to stay in front and eventually won by a comfortable margin of over three lengths. Chieftain and Zarak fought for the minor berths.

Malesh Narredu trained Giant Star has hit sublime form. The five-year-old was taking on a small field of four runners, many of whom had in the past achieved laurels. Giant Star was backed to the exclusion of the rest. After Victorious Sermon led the field into the straight, Neeraj Rawal on Giant Star let his horse stride out. Giant Star cruised past the front-runner and extended the lead to more than six lengths at the finish to late rallying Truly Epic. In the form that he is in, Giant Star should maintain the winning run as those he will be tackling will be the same set of horses who have left the best days behind them. Victorious Sermon was third.

Hoshidar Daji trained Petronia towered over the rest in the 1400 metres P D Avasia Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66 as the filly had beaten Teresita in her last run and the latter had gone on to win the Bangalore Oaks. Petronia was not hard-pressed to score over Multistarrer and Superleggera in the hands of jockey Trevor Patel. Minx who was expected to spice things ran a poor race, finishing down the field.

Pesi Shroff trained Sunlord came out of the maidens` ranks in commendable fashion in the 1400 metres Marchetta Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category. Apprentice jockey Kritish Bhagat brought Sunlord into contention with a well-timed run to down Vikramaditya who had gone on a start to finish mission. On Va Danser ran on to take the third position. Demetrius who was in the betting ran out of steam in the straight after chasing Vikramaditya well into the straight. Vishal Gaikwad trained Full of Grace came home with a powerful dash in the hands of jockey Zervan to land the spoils at lucrative odds. Favourite Cherished shaped to win but went down close to home. Polaris was a suggestive third.

Another Vishal Gaikwad trainee Nothing To Worry quickly seized the initiative on entering the straight and held off the late rally of Lagertha to win the 1200 metres Tricumdas Dwarkadas Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Less heralded Akshay rode the winner. Emerald was a disappointing third. Favourite Dragoness was a bigger disappointment.

Karthik Ganapathy trained Kamaria recorded an encore. The five-year-old mare fought off a stiff battle with favourite Botero in the straight before emerging the winner in the 2400 metres Uttam Singh Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Brazos was third a distance behind the battling duo in front.