Karthik Ganapathy trained Juliette was given a peach of a ride by jockey C S Jodha and the champion mare did the rest, beating her adversary Zuccarelli with ease in the 1800 metres Gr 3 Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia Trophy, a terms race for three-year-olds and over, the feature event of Sunday`s Mumbai races. Zuccarelli who looked beat well before the final furlong reportedly burst his blood vessels. The punters got the wrong end of the stick as they were at the wit`s end to spot a winner in almost all the races.

There was no doubt about the superiority of Juliette vis-à-vis Zuccarelli. However, Juliette had suffered a setback in training and both her two outings at Pune had seen her perform below par. Both the setback and the tight Pune track may have had a bearing on her performance. Juliette`s mock race on the Mumbai track suggested that she was back to her prime fitness and that she would be a formidable horse as she was also getting weight from Zuccarelli. The only question mark was how jockey C S Jodha would ride her. Often, Juliette had lost winning opportunities with the jockey trying to ride her in exaggerated check and giving the mare too much to do in the stretch. However, Jodha was alert to the task, making his move at the final turn and shooting into a decisive lead even as jockey Trevor Patel waited too long and had lost the plot well before he could alert Zuccarelli to the task. The fact that Zuccarelli bled may absolve Trevor of poor tactical acumen.

Blazing Bay set a fast pace, with Northern Lights in the second position followed by Caprisca, Juliette, Truly Epic and Zuccarelli. In fact, Juliette was at least six to seven lengths in front of Zuccarelli all through the race. Jockey C S Jodha began to improve position on Juliette approaching the final bend and by the final two furlongs, had set alight Juliette who easily collared those in front and went away for a win by a widening margin of four lengths. Zuccarelli failed to produce his patented burst of speed but managed to get past stablemate Northern Light to claim the second position.

The race card that emerged for Sunday`s racing was such that it was expected to prove a nightmare and it indeed lived up to expectations with most of the races going the way of the horses which were not in serious betting. Hoshidar Daji trained Chat won the 2400 metres Maharashtra, Gujarat & Goa Area Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46, at long odds. Hooves of Thunder led for most of the way before weakening in the stretch. Chat who was in the chase then surged ahead and had no problem in winning the race with a measure of comfort. Galloping Bay edged out Hooves of Thunder in the dying moments of the race to take the third slot. Kirkines who was strongly backed to win finished a dismal last.

Another of Hoshidar Daji trainees Mysterious Girl overcame a very poor start and managed to overwhelm the rest with a last to the first performance in the 1600 metres R R Komandur Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Antia trained Shadows led all the way but closer home was strongly challenged by She Is On fire. Even as these two were fighting it out, Kritish Bhagat who was unperturbed by the slow start had patiently worked his way forward with Mysterious Girl and produced the fancied runner on the wide outside. Mysterious Girl covered the leeway swiftly and got the better of the battling duo in front close to home. She Is On Fire snatched the runner-up berth in the closing stride of the race from the long-time leader Shadows. Silver Steps who was the favourite was not spotted at the busy end.

Trainer Dallas Todywalla is always known to get his two-year-olds ready to strike early. Portofino Bay who had the benefit of a race run was quoted at unbackable odds by the bookmakers to win the 1200 metres Kheem Singh Gold Cup, a race named after the first Indian jockey to win the Indian Derby. Sandesh bolted to the front with the favourite. Portofino Bay led by lengths and eventually checked in by a margin of over four lengths over Dream Alliance who made a good rally from the penultimate position at the final bend to finish a suggestive second. Azrinaz headed Maysara to pinch the third spot.

In an interesting finish, two unlikely horses were involved in the photo finish for the 1400 metres Christmas Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. It was difficult to pick any horse in the crowded field as a possible winner though last start winner Dragoness appeared superior with a rider that she should not get left at the start. Dragoness lost pace soon after jumping out and trailed the field till the final bend. Jockey N S Parmar improved places on Dragoness and managed to slip the horse between two horses in the stretch taking a difficult opening. Dragoness shot ahead and shaped like a winner but began to slacken in the closing stages of the race. Rambler and Empower who were in the rear position at the final bend, covered acres of ground in the straight and went past the post locked together. Rambler had indeed prevailed by a short head in the hands of jockey Zervan for trainer Shazaan Shah. Both Rambler and Empower were on the radar of betting in the ring.

Debutant Justin from trainer Karthik Ganapathy`s stable shocked the field in the 1400 metres P A D`Avoine Trophy (Div II), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Narendra Lagad trained Daulat Mai who had recorded a runaway win in her last outing was backed to the exclusion of the rest. Daulat Mai appeared to be on course when Daulat Mai hit the front inside the final two furlongs but she did not show the spark of the last run. Though she quickened well and established a good lead, she looked vulnerable when Justin, in the hands of jockey Bhawani Singh, unleashed a powerful run on the edge of the outer rail. Justin finished so powerfully that the progeny of Top Class could win with a little more than a length at the finish despite a sluggish start and drifting out to the outer rail in the stretch run. Possibly, the fact that the jockeys were not allowed to carry whips, handicapped Bhawani Singh from correcting the drift. Attained ran on to take the third position. Second favourite Mysticism finished down the field. The upper division of the race saw another big upset with Nazak Chenoy trained Sovereign Master who led from the start, staving off the strong bid of Excellent Star by a narrow margin in the hands of apprentice Praveen Shinde. Alpine Star who was in with a serious chance could only finish third. The fancied Indian Crown reportedly broke a blood vessel.

The concluding race of the day brought some relief to those who persisted in backing the favourites. The well-backed Intense Belief successfully made a start-to-finish dash in the 1200 metres A Geddis Plate, a race for horses rated 4 to 30. Spirit Bay who shared favouritism with Intense Belief gave a chase in vain. Demetrius ran on to snatch third place from Rhythm of Nature.