Dallas Todywalla trainer It`s My Time lived up to expectations, asserting his dominance in the 1400 meters Kailashpat Singhania Trophy—an event tailored for horses rated 60 to 86. This race, held on Thursday at Mahalakshmi, was the feature event of the day. Despite facing setbacks that led to missed racing opportunities in his formative years, It`s My Time, has been remarkably consistent in handicap races. The horse`s readiness to strike was evident in his previous second-place finish behind Christofle, signalling the preparedness to strike.

It`s My Time not only lived up to expectations but also clinched victory in an effortless manner, confirming its supremacy in the field. The ease with which the horse secured the trophy aligned perfectly with the high expectations of the punting public.

Jockey Trevor Patel kept It`s My Time a handy second behind pace-setting Lord And Master. The duo was followed by Ashwa Yaduveer, Pride`s Angel, Believe, and Ataash. It`s My Time effortlessly overtook the front-running Lord And Master as they entered the straight, seizing the lead. Pride`s Angel pursued, while Lord And Master gradually faded from contention. Ataash, attempting a significant rally from the rear along the rails, encountered obstacles. Hindered by a lack of opening and restricted space, Ataash was unable to secure a potential third position. The situation unfolded with Lord And Master dropping back and Pride`s Angel running alongside, leaving Ataash with nowhere to manoeuvre.

The leisurely pace of the race posed a challenge for the favourite Exuma in the 2400 meters P R Mehta Trophy, a contest for horses rated 20 to 46. A winner of a race over 2000 meters just 20 days prior, Exuma, trained by M K Jadhav, faced a tough battle against the spirited Regal Command, who garnered significant attention in the betting arena.

Fortunate Son, a stablemate of Exuma, set a moderate pace, with Exuma trailing by about 10 lengths, and Regal Command positioned three lengths further back, followed by Ganster. As the race approached the final bend, both Exuma and Regal Command surged forward, narrowing the gap to the front-runner. Regal Command exhibited more speed, momentarily taking the lead, but Exuma, urged on by jockey N S Parmar, responded a bit late, finishing the race with increasing strength. The trainer intends to run Exuma in the Indian Derby.

The winning margin of ¾ th of a length could have been greater with a faster pace, given Exuma`s inherent ability to excel in longer distances—a trait inherited from the Epsom Derby-winning sire Australia. Fortunate Son held on to secure the third position, not far behind the battling frontrunners.

Breaking the maiden`s rank in the seventh attempt, Decacorn, representing the stables of trainer M K Jadhav, secured a comfortable victory in the 1200 meters Pradeep Vijayakar Trophy—a race designed for horses rated 20 to 46. The consistent Decacorn emerged triumphant in a race where the enigmatic The General and Etoile were also considered to have an excellent chance of winning.

The General, who won at Pune but failed to keep the race following an objection for interference, has struggled to maintain form since and failed to live up to expectations. Despite hopeful backing from supporters, The General showed no speed from the gates, lingered to the rear, and made no progress throughout the race. It appears that the trainer is still figuring out the ideal distance for The General, leaving his performance open to uncertainty.

Under the guidance of jockey N S Parmar, Decacorn pursued Light of Life into the straight before effortlessly taking the lead approaching the final furlong. The horse then accelerated away from the field, clinching victory by a four-length margin. Etoile, recovering from an early loss of position due to the crowded field, secured the second position, with Ultimo making gains on the wide outside to finish third. Light of Life settled for the fourth position.

In a race featuring underperforming horses, Behram Cama, the trainer of Floyd, saw his horse trailing Des Marquez by approximately 16 lengths in the previous effort. Nevertheless, the connections exuded confidence in Floyd who was backed overwhelmingly in the 1600 meters Samuel Nathan Plate—a race designated for horses rated 1 to 26. The betting predictions were accurate, as the other competitors seemed out of sorts, struggling to present any challenge.

From the race`s onset, Leo The Lion took the lead, closely pursued by Floyd. As jockey T S Jodha urged Floyd to make a move at the top of the straight, the horse effortlessly surpassed the front-runner and swiftly established a commanding lead. Floyd secured victory without requiring full exertion, finishing four lengths ahead of Leo The Lion. Come Back Please made a late surge from the rear, claiming the third position. Juliana struggled from the start in the rear made little progress in the straight and fell short of expectations.

Fast Approach, trained by Sanjay Kolse, garnered more support in the 1200 meters M D Mehta Trophy—a race for maiden three-year-olds, likely owing to the experience gained from the debut run. Wind Dancer held the second spot in the betting preferences, followed by Doron from Shroff`s stables, with Pradeep Chouhan in the saddle. Apprentice jockey Kritish Bhagat rode Vincero, the stable`s second runner. Wind Dancer, however, was withdrawn from the race due to restlessness at the gates. Fast Approach took the lead from the start and appeared to be the probable winner as they entered the final furlong. However, Fast Approach couldn`t break away decisively, and the pursuing horses closed in with a sudden surge.

Aperol engaged in a fierce battle with the front-runner, momentarily holding a slight advantage. In the closing moments of the race, Vincero, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, exhibited a powerful finish. In the dying strides of the race, Vincero, the offspring of Leitir Mor, clinched victory. Fast Approach settled for third place, finishing half a length behind.

Rouge, positioned in the third spot, abruptly veered out in the final furlong. This unexpected move caused the horse to drift towards the outer rail, leading to an unusual incident where jockey T S Jodha was thrown out of the fence—a rare occurrence. The jockey was reported to be stable and was sent to the hospital for further investigations.

Trainer Antia orchestrated a massive gamble on Hagibis in the 1200 meters Polish Patriot Plate, a race catering to horses in the lowest category. Hagibis, with only one victory in 18 previous outings and recent runs not signalling a change in fortune, raised eyebrows for the high volume of money that the horse attracted in the betting ring especially when R Shelar was chosen as the rider—an unfamiliar jockey with an uncertain track record and win history. It seemed as though confidence in the chances of other horses was notably lacking. As Champagne Smile led the field and weakened, House of Lords surged ahead and held the lead for a considerable stretch in the straight. However, a powerful surge by Hagibis down the final furlong secured an easy victory for the heavily gambled horse. House of Lords successfully fended off the challenge from the previous race winner, Silver Steps, crossing the finish line with a narrow neck advantage.

The two mock races had provided clear indications that Dream Seller, under the training of Shiraz Sunderji, had overcome his previous wayward tendencies, which had marred his performance at Pune. In the 1200 meters Pradeep Vijayakar Plate (Div I), a race designed for horses rated 20 to 46, Dream Seller was heavily backed, almost to the exclusion of his competitors.

Racing as a handy second behind Jetfire, Dream Seller showcased a remarkable transformation and quickened well urged in the straight by jockey Ajinkya. Responding instantly, Dream Seller accelerated and surged ahead, leaving the field behind to secure a convincing victory with a substantial margin of four lengths. Red Merlot overhauled Jetfire to claim the runner-up position in the race.