Trainer Adhiraj Jodha`s horse, Dyf, secured victory in the Gr 3 1800 meters Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia Trophy, a terms race for three-year-olds and over, the highlight of Sunday`s Mumbai races. There was a strong challenge to the favourite from Mojito, who came remarkably close to surpassing Dyf but ultimately ran out of steam. Trevor Patel, currently facing challenges in securing victories, guided the favourite to the finish line, driving out the favourite aggressively. Dyf, gaining strength towards the end, won by more than a length at the finish. Consistent with his career trend, Mojito once again found the winning post out of reach.

The odds on Dyf increased, fuelled by the belief that Mojito, coming off an impressive second-place finish behind Count of Savoy in the previous essay, could return to the winner`s circle after a lengthy hiatus of 420 days. Despite Dyf boasting an outstanding career record, there was a perception that the distance might be too short for him, leading to a shortening of odds on Mojito by race time.

Cour De Lion set the pace, with Supernatural, Dyf, Rasputin, and Mojito following. Trevor made a c move early in the straight, putting the favourite in control by the final furlong. Mojito rapidly covered ground, hinting at a potential victory with the way he closed the gap. However, faced with renewed vigour from the eventual winner, Mojito couldn`t find extra gear and settled for second place. Supernatural, a former Derby winner, performed below expectations and secured the third position.

In a closely contested race, Outlander, an underdog from trainer Shiraz Sunderji`s stable, narrowly edged past the favourite Misty to win the 1200 meters Amateur Riders Club Trophy (Div II), a race designated for horses rated 40 to 66. After Into The Storm led the pack into the straight, Bubbly Boy took the lead before eventually giving way to Misty in the final furlong. Misty held the lead, but nearing the finish line, Outlander, ridden determinedly by jockey Ajinkya, made a strong dash and crossed the post alongside Misty, making it challenging to determine the winner. The camera revealed that Outlander had just managed to win by a small margin. Bubbly Boy secured the third position, while Into The Storm finished fourth. Inishmore did not meet expectations.

Trainer Narendra Lagad trained Golden Neil was skilfully ridden by apprentice jockey Mustakim Alam to victory in the 1400 meters Mulraj Goculdas Trophy, a race for horses rated 80 and above. Chopin, trained by Pesi Shroff, was anticipated to be a strong contender, especially against the recent winner Magileto, while Golden Neil was considered an outsider with long odds. Apprentice jockey Mustakim Alam, displaying a good understanding of Golden Neil, swiftly took the less-favoured runner to the lead soon after the start. The four-year-old maintained the lead despite continuous pressure from Magileto and Chopin throughout the straight. Golden Neil showed remarkable resilience, fending off the challenge with great determination and ultimately securing victory by half a length over Magileto, who edged out Chopin by a head at the finish. The connections of the winning horse were delighted to win the trophy named after their uncle, the well-known horse owner of the past, Mulraj Goculdas.

Bugatti, trained by Pesi Shroff and having triumphed over Giant King in the previous race, entered the 2400 meters Maharashtra, Gujarat & Goa Area Trophy as the clear favourite for horses rated 20 to 46, ahead of Giant King, Chat, and others. Eaton Square, a stablemate of the eventual winner, led the field into the straight. Saqlain on Giant King pushed his horse to take control in the final two furlongs. The offspring of Speaking Of Which surged ahead, establishing a considerable lead that proved insurmountable for the rest of the contenders. Although Bugatti attempted to give chase, he yielded too easily for comfort. Ultimately, Multiverse and Alpha Domino displayed a stronger finish, securing positions behind the winner, while the favourite, Bugatti, disappointingly settled for fourth place. Bugatti struggled to carry the weight and proved to be another disappointment for bettors from the renowned stable.

Horses trained by Pesi Shroff invariably enjoy the trust of punters, even when facing evident challenges. Reminiscence, a debut winner but inactive for over 300 days, was heavily supported to win the 1400 meters Jayaram Das Patel Gold Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Despite an unfavourable draw, jockey Pradeep Chouhan positioned Reminiscence well and sparked hope at the top of the straight. However, the favourite couldn`t respond when several horses closed in on her. The extended period away from racing took a toll on Reminiscence, and she couldn`t shake off the challenge from Lord Murphy. Close to the finish, Lord Murphy seemed poised for victory, but a late surge from the lesser fancied Fancy Nancy, trained by Imtiaz Sait, went unnoticed as she emerged victorious in a closely contested finish involving half a dozen horses. Lord Murphy secured second place, followed by Nolan, Whatisinaname, Phenom, and Reminiscence. Saqlain, riding Fancy Nancy, secured his second consecutive win.

Despite several disappointments from other horses, Jade, trained by Pesi Shroff, lived up to the strong support she garnered in the betting arena, securing an easy victory in the 1400 meters Lt Col Govind Singh (VRC) Trophy—a race for maiden two-year-olds. Aafreen set a rapid pace but faltered in the straight. Jade, positioned in the shadows of the front-runner, was urged forward by jockey Umesh. The progeny of Multitude surged ahead convincingly, with Umesh even looking back as stablemate The Panther, given an educational run by Pradeep Chouhan, followed behind. In recent times, Umesh appears to be riding more winners for the stable compared to previously favoured jockeys. Divine Hope secured the third position with a late rally, overtaking the long-time pace-setter.

Imtiaz Sait`s trainee, Dexa, pleasantly surprised connections with an unexpected victory in the 1200 meters Amateur Riders` Club Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Dexa`s last triumph occurred 472 days ago in the prestigious Poonawalla Breeders` Multi-Million. Unfortunately, the progeny of Planetaire faced setbacks, hindering the expected progress in his career, and recent performances did not hint at an imminent win.

Pesi Shroff`s Generosity, highly backed following an impressive second-place finish behind Irish Gold, failed to meet expectations, displaying no promise at any stage of the race. This adds to the growing list of disappointments of horses from the stables of Pesi Shroff which are generally highly reliable. Divine Thoughts aggressively led the field but weakened approaching the final furlong. Meanwhile, Majestic Warrior surged ahead even as Trevor attempted to make his move on Generosity.

The race shifted dramatically when Dexa, guided by the less heralded Vishal Bunde, made a strong appearance on the wide outside. The Sohna Stud Farm product sprinted home comfortably, surpassing late-rallying Ataash and Majestic Warrior. Generosity ended up in a disappointing fourth.

The concluding race of the year 2023 featured an unexpected victory by the long shot Mighty Wings from trainer Hoshidar Daji`s stables in the A Geddis Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. This upset came at the expense of another outsider, Esfir, and High Spirit. The more fancied trio of Prince O`War, Spirit Bay, and Dufy did not appear to have a serious chance in the race.

Mighty Wings pursued Lightning Place into the straight, surged ahead, and maintained the lead despite a robust challenge initially from Precioso and, in the dying moments of the race, from Esfir. This victory provided substitute jockey Amyn, stepping in for Sharukh Khan, with a winning end to the year. High Spirit made a late rally to secure the third position.