Evaldo, trained by Prasanna Kumar, has had moments of brilliance, though he`s equally known for inconsistency. However, on Tuesday, in the Gr 3 Winfaire 247 Eve Champion Trophy—a prestigious race for four-year-olds and over—Evaldo was at his scintillating best. Held at Pune, the race had originally been slated for Sunday but was postponed due to inclement weather. Despite his habitual slow start, Evaldo stayed in touch with the field, thanks to the slow early pace, conserving his energy for a powerful finish.

As the race unfolded, Evaldo, who was traveling comfortably within himself, surged forward in the homestretch, overtaking the strong favorite Dyf, who faltered after taking the lead in the final furlong. The mile-and-a-quarter trip seemed too short for Dyf, a horse that typically requires more time to find his rhythm. But for Evaldo, blessed with a tremendous late burst of speed, the conditions were perfect—aside from the initial hiccuip. Once Evaldo caught up with the front-running Dyf, it was smooth sailing for the Prasanna Kumar trainee, who cruised to an easy victory. The experienced Chamonix secured third place, while Jendayi, a dual classic winner during the last Mumbai season, continued to disappoint, struggling to regain the fitness or spark of her past performances.

Given the relative form of the competitors, Dyf, with a string of consistent performances and a bag of wins, seemed the best bet. The terms of the race were not unfavorable for him, and he went to the post as a strong favorite. Evaldo, on the other hand, often surprises when least expected, making him a lucrative option for those willing to take a risk. Some also had faith in Jendayi`s return to form after a lackluster showing. Kolkata`s Third Avenue also saw some betting action, while Evaldo`s chances were not widely considered, despite his impressive workouts. It`s often the case on unfamiliar tracks that horses need the benefit of a race run—unless they are a cut above the competition.

Evaldo started slowly, but jockey Sandesh remained calm, steadily guiding the less-favored runner into the bunch. Evaldo`s stablemate, Ruling Dynasty, set the pace, followed by Third Avenue, Chamonix, Dyf, Jendayi, Rasputin, and Evaldo, who was still traveling comfortably. Third Avenue led the field into the homestretch before losing momentum. Dyf then took charge, with Chamonix in close pursuit, and Evaldo closing in rapidly. In the capable hands of jockey Sandesh, Evaldo overtook Dyf in the final furlong, securing victory with ease. Chamonix took third place, while Third Avenue held off Jendayi to complete the frame.

Pesi Shroff`s trainee, The Panther, found his stride over the nine-furlong Parisian Plate—a race for horses rated 40 to 66—delivering a well-deserved victory despite some concerns. With odds drifting and whispers of a bleeding issue, many bettors hesitated to place larger wagers on him. After a strong win in Mumbai, The Panther had struggled in subsequent outings, yet the quality of the competition suggested that the progeny of Churchill was primed to make his mark.

In an unexpected twist, Exuma, a horse better suited to longer distances, attracted serious betting interest. Meanwhile, jockey Vivek G, now a regular rider for Shroff following Pradeep Chouhan`s retirement and move into training, kept The Panther relaxed along the rails, settling into fourth or fifth position as Giant King set a steady pace, leading the field into the home stretch.

As the race entered its final stages, The Panther found himself in a tight spot, needing to squeeze through a narrow gap between Zarak and Murwara Princess. However, the horse showed true determination, taking the opening with conviction, and bursting ahead in the final furlong. Despite a late surge from Big Red—who, as usual, had lagged at the rear before making a swift move at the final bend—The Panther held off the challenge to secure victory. Stablemate Angelo also finished strongly, claiming third place.

In a nail-biting conclusion to the 1200-meter Highland Crown Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds, two long shots at 20 to 1 odds stole the spotlight. Pesi Shroff-trained Mumtaz, who had disappointed as a favorite in previous outings, was once again heavily backed to redeem herself. Imtiaz Sait`s Inquilab also attracted serious betting interest. Meanwhile, Dallas Todywalla trained Lord Eric and Marcus, incidentally from Shroff`s yard, which had a strong favorite in Mumtaz—were both considered long shots, with odds so high you could name your price with the bookmakers.

As the race reached its final furlong, jockey Akshay Kumar guided Lord Eric into a prime position, surging into contention. Marcus, making a powerful move along the rails, joined him in a tense battle for the finish line. The two horses crossed the post locked together, with Lord Eric prevailing by the slimmest of margins—a proverbial whisker. Inquilab managed to edge out Mumtaz to save place money

Villanelle, trained by Pesi Shroff, obtained her second consecutive victory by effortlessly defeating the favorite Mazal in the 1200-meter Altaf Hussain Trophy. House of Lords, who had finished a noteworthy second in his previous outing, set the pace early, leading by more than five lengths. However, he began to fade in the final stretch. Mazal started to close in, but as the favorite was trying to gather momentum, Villanelle, the daughter of Admiralty, delivered a lightning-fast finish under jockey Umesh, clinching an impressive win. Mazal and House of Lords took the second and third spots behind the winner.

Eloquent, trained by Shazaan Shah, had narrowly missed a win in a previous race but made up for it this time in the 1000-meter Ronin Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. The heavily-backed Eloquent tracked Supreme Spirit into the straight before jockey Sandesh asked him to quicken in the final furlong. Eloquent responded promptly, pulling away for an easy win over Supreme Spirit and Goddess of Dawn.

Thundering Phoenix, trained by Adhiraj Jodha, had finished third in his debut and was well-prepared for the 1400-meter August Handicap, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Vincero, the early leader, had no answer when Thundering Phoenix, ridden by jockey C.S. Jodha, surged forward with a powerful run. The favorite stormed clear for a comfortable victory, with Come September finishing third.

Leo The Lion, trained by Narendra Lagad, had the strongest credentials in the 1800-meter Unicorn Plate, a race for horses rated 1 to 26. Jockey Mustakim Alam positioned Leo The Lion towards the back of the field as Uzi led with a significant gap. In the final 200 meters, Leo The Lion began to close the distance rapidly, easily overtaking Uzi for a decisive win. Uzi held on for second, just ahead of Toofan.