Pesi Shroff-trained Zuccaro, clearly revelling in the pinkest of conditions, stormed to his fourth consecutive victory with an emphatic performance in the Gr 2 Ardeshir Trophy, leaving the supposedly invincible Geographique and others gasping for air at Mahalakshmi on Sunday. Despite Geographique entering the fray with a lofty rating of 117 and a reputation built on marathon races during the monsoon season, it turned out she had bitten off more than she could chew on this sharper mile-long trip. Zuccaro simply ate her for breakfast.

Geographique, favourite, was seemingly caught in an existential crisis, unsure whether to go fast, slow, or take up knitting mid-race. With Suraj Narredu aboard, she found herself leading the charge early in the straight, but her inability to quicken on cue opened the door for the ever-improving Zuccaro. For those pondering "what ifs," one might wonder if Geographique would`ve had a better shot if Suraj had injected some urgency earlier instead of letting Coeur De Lion lull the field into a slow dance.

As it unfolded, Coeur De Lion set the tempo at a modest clip, followed by Geographique, Once You Go Black, Mojito, and Zuccaro, who was perhaps too busy contemplating life at the back to bother with a quick start. But once the real action began, jockey Vivek G decided it was showtime. Steering Zuccaro wide into the straight, the progeny of Kingda Ka unleashed a devastating turn of foot that left the rest looking like they were jogging in place. By the time they reached the final furlong, Zuccaro had put the race to bed.

Geographique, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, eventually warmed up enough to secure second, while Once You Go Black completed the top three. As for Zuccaro, with this performance, he has graduated in graded race company.

Imtiaz Sait-trained Pride`s Prince may have had the upper hand over Celestial when they last clashed at Pune, but racing, as they say, is a game of fine margins—and alertness at the gates. Competing in the 1400 metres Jehangir P Dubash Trophy for horses rated 40 to 66, Celestial capitalized on his rival`s sleepy start to dominate proceedings and justify his status as the favourite.

Pride`s Prince, fresh off a hat-trick of wins, decided to take a leisurely approach to the starting gate, effectively waving goodbye to his chances before the race even began. Meanwhile, jockey Vivek G made no such blunders aboard Celestial, sending the colt straight to the front on a start-to-finish mission. Free from any real threat, Celestial galloped to an untroubled three-length victory, enjoying his time in the limelight.

Fontana tried to make a race of it, briefly flirting with the idea of a challenge, but Celestial`s unrelenting momentum dashed those hopes. Pride`s Prince, after finally waking up, showed some determination in the homestretch, weaving through the field to secure third. Perhaps if he`d been a bit more punctual at the start, he could have given Celestial something to think about. The sleepy prince will have to wait for another day to reclaim his throne.

Narendra Lagad trained House of Lords had the punters in a tizzy with a effective front running job in the 1000 metres Ibrahim A Rahimtoola Trophy a race for horses rated 20 to 46. The big field of 14 runners posed a problem to pick a winner as the form of the horses did not clearly point to any horse as being outstanding. In fact, it was the stablemate of House of Lords, Majestic Warrior who went to the post as a favourite. Jockey A Prakash took House of Lords to the front from the word go and the long shot led all the way and had enough legs to reach the safety of the winning post. There was a cluster finish behind, with Majetic Warrior nosing out Mojo and Goomah to get the runner-up berth. The others in the fray made up the numbers and completed the task of having an airing besides the handicap drop that such an exercise would get.

When Pesi Shroff fields a horse, it`s like unwrapping a mystery box—everything looks polished and expensive, but you`re never quite sure what you`re getting. Gordon, the flashy second last time out, was expected to steal the show in the 2000 metres JSK 1 Gaming Trophy for horses rated 20 to 46. Instead, what unfolded was a plot twist straight out of a video game: Gordon led boldly, only to run out of gas before the straight, leaving punters in the lurch.

As Gordon threw in the towel, Seeking Alpha, another Shroff runner, grabbed the baton and looked set to justify expectations. But wait! Cue La Dolce Vita, the underdog who had other plans. In a dramatic finish, the long shot swooped in to snatch victory, leaving Seeking Alpha and late-charging Kimiko lamenting what might have been. Kimiko, for her part, launched a desperate late bid but narrowly missed catching the bus—proving yet again that timing is everything, in both life and racing.

Pesi Shroff`s stable, as usual, left punters in a quandary. Picking the right horse from his arsenal is as nerve-wracking as flipping a coin—will it land heads, tails, or just roll off the table? With three runners in the mix, including the favourite Gordon, this race was a prime example of the chaos that ensues when Shroff`s "problem of plenty" plays out.

If the JSK 1 Gaming Trophy wasn`t enough drama, the next race brought its own surprises. Former star Christofle, once a beacon of brilliance, has clearly seen better days. After a lacklustre run last time, there was hope he`d shake off the rust and redeem himself. It wasn`t to be.

Meanwhile, Dream Alliance, fresh off breaking a 15-race losing streak, attracted plenty of support but failed to deliver on the hype. Instead, it was El Greco, a lesser-fancied runner from Pradeep Chouhan`s stables, who stole the spotlight. Taking the field on a start-to-finish mission, El Greco, in the hands of jockey Ajinkya, thwarted a late challenge from Dream Alliance and held his ground with authority. Christofle`s third-place finish left fans disappointed, as the once-reliable performer seems to be still searching for his old spark.

Trainer Antia is the racing world`s version of a poker player—calm, calculated, and never revealing his hand until the timing is just right. With Otello, he clearly had the perfect card to play. Having impressed with a strong second at Pune, Otello was the buzz of the 1200 metres Bejan Bharucha Plate, a race for horses in the bargain basement of the ratings.

Jockey Prasad took no chances, sending five-year-old gelding Otello straight to the front in a start-to-finish mission. Like a seasoned campaigner, the gelding set the pace and dug deep when the challengers came knocking. Despite Mili and Sorrento Secret throwing everything they had into their late bids, Otello stood his ground with the tenacity of a bouncer guarding a nightclub to record his maiden win in 12 outings.