Pesi Shroff`s hopefuls, Northern Lights and Zuccarelli seeking redemption from their previous lacklustre performances, fell short of expectations in the Gr 3 1600 meters A C Ardeshir Trophy. This terms race, designed for three-year-olds and over, was highly anticipated to be a showdown between the star horses from the esteemed trainer`s stable. The market mirrored this sentiment, with odds on these two fluctuating at the top end, each taking turns as the favourite to win.

Contrary to predictions, Malesh Narredu-trained Count of Savoy disrupted all calculations, surging to the front in the final furlong and tenaciously fending off the late challenge from Mojito to claim victory. Despite coming from a considerable distance behind, Zuccarelli made a valiant effort to contend but ultimately fell short. Northern Lights, once a champion, seemed a mere shadow of his former self. He failed to showcase his customary front-running style, lacking the necessary speed, and in the stretch, he couldn`t accelerate enough to make an impact at the finish.

The disappointing performance of these two horses, despite an impressive mock race that had built anticipation for their readiness, proved to be disheartening for punters, culminating in a shocking outcome.

Northern Lights, once a dominant miler with seven consecutive victories, faced a setback when challenged in a 2000-meter race—a distance unfamiliar to him. Despite a promising mock race and anticipation of a comeback in his preferred mile distance, Northern Lights appeared to have lost his usual vigour. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan could not take his horse to the front which is what the horse had always enjoyed when giving dominant performances. In the crucial home stretch, Northern Lights lacked his customary flair, and when prompted for acceleration nearing the final furlong, he failed to find his usual rhythm.

Contrastingly, Zuccarelli, returning to competition after a 350-day hiatus, was expected to face challenges despite being a multi-classic winner. The race dynamics unfolded with Cour De Lion taking the lead, trailed by stablemate Golden Neil, Count of Savoy, Northern Lights, In Contention, Chopin, Mojito, and Zuccarelli. Yash Narredu, riding Count of Savoy, made a decisive move, surging past the front runner in the final two furlongs and securing a commanding lead. Northern Lights, however, failed to make the anticipated progress and dropped out of contention.

Mojito and Zuccarelli, the latter ridden patiently by Trevor Patel, displayed significant efforts. In a thrilling finish, Count of Savoy held on to win by a neck over Mojito, with Zuccarelli claiming third place, half a length behind the runner-up. While both defeated favourites are expected to improve from this performance, their future dominance remains uncertain compared to their peak years. At least this question whether to back or not will plague the punters when these horses run again.

Veteran trainer S S Shah led in a winner through Gimme who broke the maidens ranks in his 15th attempt. Gimme had run Mighty Thunder close at Pune but subsequently finished more than 16 lengths behind the winner in his next outing and as such it is difficult to back such horses with any degree of conviction unless the betting trend alone is the guiding factor. Gimme was well fancied along with Imtiaz Sait trained Freedom with Midas Touch, being third in demand. Freedom, Arbitrage, Leo The Lion had their chances dented by a lethargic start, with the second named losing considerable ground. T S Jodha had Gimme lead from the start with Lightning Blaze for the company. Rounding the final turn, Gimme kicked on merrily even as Lightning Blaze faded out. Midas Touch joined the issue and shaped to overhaul Gimme but the latter battled back to regain the lead and then comfortably held off Midas Touch. Arbitrage improved places along the rails to end up third ahead of Leo The Lion.

Jockey Trevor Patel finds himself in a challenging phase, partly due to his own decisions and partly due to the opportunities he`s been given. There`s a noticeable lack of confidence in his recent rides, and it seems that even horse connections are hesitant to select him as their jockey. Once a highly successful jockey, Trevor is now grappling with a series of losses, often attributed to his delayed responses.

In the 1400 meters Jehangir P Dubash Trophy, Trevor rode the highly touted Ataash for the second consecutive time, only to lose in a closely contested finish. The well-supported Democracy, trained by Pesi Shroff, backed up its previous impressive performance and was favoured to triumph over Ataash. Apprentice jockey Bhosale took Democracy to the front from an outside draw, maintaining a determined resolution in the final stages of the race to withstand Ataash`s late surge.

Trevor positioned Ataash in the mid-group, but by the time he initiated his move, Democracy had secured a potentially winning lead. Despite Ataash closing in rapidly, Democracy held on to secure the victory by a neck, with Majorella Blue finishing in third place.

Exuma, trained by M K Jadhav, emerged as the clear favourite in the 2000 meters V P Koregaonkar Plate, a race for horses rated between 20 to 46. As the offspring of the Epsom Derby-winning Australia, Exuma was anticipated to thrive over the extended distance. Despite lacking early speed that left him trailing the pack, he made up the leeway with a powerful surge in the home stretch, overtaking Chat in the final stages and securing a comfortable victory under the guidance of jockey N S Parmar.

The performance of Malesh Narredu trained Eaton Square was noteworthy, claiming a suggestive third place that seemed more like a strategic move to assess its potential for future competitions rather than an all-out effort for victory.

Star Prosperity, trained by Malesh Narredu, pulled off a surprising victory in the 1400 meters Kheem Singh Gold Cup, a race catering to horses with ratings between 20 to 46. The betting trends did not strongly suggest that this well-bred colt would be a frontrunner. Perhaps, this particular race was intended to sharpen him up, but Star Prosperity showed ample fitness, surging ahead decisively in the final furlong to secure a convincing win with a substantial four-length margin.

In a tight battle for the second position, Pride`s Prince managed to edge out King`s Retreat in the closing moments near the post. Unfortunately, The General continued to underperform, maintaining a disappointing streak.

he 1200 meters B Fifty-Two Trophy, for horses with ratings ranging from 20 to 46, was a challenging puzzle, with the form of the horses offering little clarity on their potential outcomes. Amidst the field of contenders, Hela, trained by Karthik Ganapathy, stood out. Despite not securing a victory for 420 days, on her recent outing at Pune, the five-year-old mare had run a forward race. Hela shot into a decisive lead down the final furlong and won with a great deal of ease. Jetfire, who had been consistent but without a win for 609 days, claimed the second position. Chieftain secured the third spot.