Shiraz Sunderji trained Great Guns pulled off an improbable win in the 1600 metres Times of India Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66, the feature event of Saturday`s Pune races. In an excellent gesture to the media organizations which do a lot to promote the sport, the RWITC made Saturday a media day by instituting a trophy in the name of different publications.

Last start winner Great Guns was widely reckoned to record an encore in the 1600 metres Times of India Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Great Guns was backed spiritedly ahead of Aah Bella and the rest. Sandesh on Aah Bella nearly stole the race as the lesser fancied runner had a sizeable lead going into the final 100 metres. However, a persevering ride by jockey Ajinkya saw Great Guns pull off a last-stride win by the proverbial whisker. It was too close to call indeed. Zarak ran on to finish third.

A similar finish ensued in the 1200 metres The Hindu Trophy, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Imtiaz Sait-trained Pyrrhus led almost all the way in the stretch only to lose in the dying moments of the race to Dallas Todywalla-trained Balenciaga. It was a frustrating day indeed for trainer Imtiaz who had the mortification of losing two races when victory was in sight. Pyrrhus shaped like a winner all the way in the final furlong but slackened in the shadow of the post which enabled Balenciaga to pull off a win from a difficult situation. Perfect Win was third.

Hoshidar Daji trained Mysterious Girl won the Racingpulse.in Trophy, a race for horses rated 4 to 30, with a late flourish. Mysterious Girl was loitering in the rear of the field when the horses took the final turn but found all the right spaces in the stretch to clinch the race close to home in the hands of jockey Nazil. Multiencrypted led for the most part of the straight before losing steam in the final moments of the race. Remy Red showed up with a big effort in the final furlong but failed to sustain it. However, the four-year-old gelding managed to nose out late finishing Galloping Glory to save the place money.

Trainer Vinesh was successful in bringing off a quiet coup on Finch who won the Dopahar Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Finch produced a powerful gallop down the final furlong in the hands of jockey Sandesh to win the race with a measure of comfort. Jack Bauer necked out the heavily supported Kings Best to get the second place. Kings Best who was backed to the exclusion of the rest failed to raise a fluent gallop and looked a beaten horse well before the race came to a boil.

Narendra Lagad trained Northern Singh had no problem in winning the 1000 metres Race Mirror Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Apprentice jockey Mustakhim Alam had Northern Singer lead all the way. The front-runner did not come under pressure as the six-year-old mare skipped away in the final furlong to win by a margin of over three lengths. Tristar necked out Victoria Peak to get the runner-up berth.

Toussaint looked too good for the field in the 1200 metres Indiarace.com Trophy, a race for horses in the lowest category. Apprentice jockey Haridas Gore had no problem steering the favourite to victory. Toussaint went into a big lead in the final furlong and easily held off Daulat Mai to land the spoils. Dagger`s Strike was third.