Royal Mysore, trained by Prasanna Kumar, secured his fifth consecutive career victory in the 1400 meters Winfair 247 Gaming Trophy. This race, held for horses rated 80 and above, was the feature event on the opening day of the 20-day Pune Racing Season on Sunday. Despite facing interruptions early in his career, the Bangalore challenger has been in exceptional form since last winter, demonstrating an unbeatable presence every time he hits the track.

Dual classic winner Jendayi, who was returning to a shorter distance, was anticipated to be a significant competitor. However, after leading the race into the final stretch, the favored runner weakened and barely held on to second place against the late surges of Baby Bazooka and Snowfall.

Betting trends indicated that Jendayi might not be in peak condition and could need this race to regain her former brilliance. In contrast, Royal Mysore, who had undergone systematic training, was poised for another victorious performance and was strongly backed for a bold showing. Jockey Trevor Patel kept Royal Mysore in the middle of the pack, patiently waiting until the final turn to make his move. Meanwhile, Jendayi, racing prominently in fourth position, took the lead at the home turn. However, Royal Mysore closed in with impressive strides, effortlessly overtaking the leader for another easy win. Jendayi slowed down as others closed in rapidly but managed to narrowly secure the second spot.

Malesh Narredu-trained Dash, who made a victorious debut as a two-year-old on the same track last year, was the favorite in the 1200 meters Columbia Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. However, Dash lost ground at the start which undid his chances.

Dallas Todywalla-trained Portofino Bay, who had shown early promise but then faltered, delivered an assertive performance, fending off a strong challenge from Fighton to claim victory at attractive odds. Dash finished third.

Jockey Akshay Kumar kept Portofino Bay in a handy second position behind the pace-setter and surged ahead on the home turn. Although Fighton mounted a strong chase, Portofino Bay held on and secured the win. Dash made up ground in the straight, but his sluggish start and the significant distance to cover undermined his chances.

Trainer Adhiraj Jodha celebrated a treble win for the day. Aperol, the favorite in the 1200 meters D K Ashish Memorial Trophy (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds, lived up to expectations. Jockey C S Jodha kept Aperol in a handy second position before making a decisive move on the home turn, securing a commanding victory well before the finish. Stablemate Fable made a strong late run in the final furlong to claim an impressive second place, hinting at her potential for an early win. Trigger edged out Key Largo to save place money.

Jodha`s other trainee, Mother`s Grace, was a runaway winner in the lower division of the race. With jockey A Sandesh aboard, Mother`s Grace took an early lead and was never challenged, coasting to an easy victory. Wild Child and Malengo followed behind. Meanwhile, Divine Hope, the strong favorite, kept pace with the leaders until the home turn but faded to finish poorly.

Malet Spring tenaciously held off a fast-finishing Fast And Famous to secure a win for trainer Adhiraj Jodha in the 1000 metres Vibrant Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Fast Approach initially led the race but weakened upon turning for home, allowing Malet Spring, who had been tracking the pace, to take control in the final two furlongs and storm clear. Despite a late rally from Flashing Famous, Malet Spring maintained enough momentum to reach the winning post first. Fast Approach faded to third place, while favourite Serrano never posed a threat throughout the race.

In the lower division of the race, M K Jadhav-trained Turn And Burn recorded back-to-back wins despite a shaky start. Turn And Burn veered out at the start, but jockey Parmar managed to quickly bring the fancied runner back into the bunch from the outside. Lord And Master controlled the race but faltered in the final strides, allowing the determined Turn And Burn to edge past and win. Hilma Klimt edged out Luminosity to secure third place. Raise The Stakes, despite attracting significant betting, stayed with the front-runners until the final bend but failed to quicken and faded from contention.

Dallas Todywalla-trained Champagne Smile, who had struggled to maintain the form shown in some of her previous runs, especially last year`s narrow miss, finally secured a win in her 17th attempt. She triumphed in the Elegance Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category, under apprentice jockey Bhosale. Champagne Smile overtook the favorite Khaleesi at the top of the straight and finished clear ahead of late rallying Precioso and Showman. Khaleesi, ridden by Sandesh, failed to respond to a strong ride and was out of contention well before the final furlong.

Trainer Narendra Lagad, who enjoys success during the Pune season, led in the winner of the lower division of the Elegance Plate. Zip Along, well supported in the betting ring, made a well-timed run in the final furlong under jockey Mustakhim Alam. Zip Along overtook the front-running Moment of Madness to win the race easily. Moment of Madness held on to second place by a neck, narrowly beating Sorrento Secret.

The day saw several highly favored horses, surrounded by much hype, falter. Among them was Malesh Narredu-trained Running Star, who disappointed in the 1400 metres Season Opener Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Running Star, carrying public money, led the field initially but failed to sustain the challenge, conceding defeat when the race intensified in the final furlong. Spanish Eyes, racing in a handy position, easily took charge in the stretch run and won comfortably under jockey Sandesh, giving Dallas Todywalla an early success in the season. Treat rallied late to secure second place ahead of Madras Cheaue.