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Pesi Shroff-trained Supernatural seized victory effortlessly outpacing two formidable rivals in the 2400 meters Madras Race Club Cup. This feature event of Sunday’s Mumbai races, catering to horses rated 80 and above, saw a triumphant return for Supernatural after nearly 400 days of drought.
Facing a lacklustre and fatigued opposition, Supernatural was set to shatter his winless streak. Jockey Trevor Patel patiently trailed at the rear until the final stretch, where he unleashed the former Bangalore Derby winner. Supernatural surged ahead, triumphing by an eight-length margin, leaving the seasoned contender Truly Epic, with 54 races under its belt, far behind. Despite its age of nine, Truly Epic continues to rake in stake money. Meanwhile, Kamaria, who led until being overtaken, settled for a stake money consolation, merely participating in the lacklustre event.
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In the day's opener, the 1600 meters Sportsbet.io Prestige Mile, tailored for horses rated 40 to 66, Narendra Lagad-trained Alpine Star seized victory with a remarkable start-to-finish sprint, defying the odds. Alpine Star's performance has been a mix of highs and lows, often leaving pundits uncertain of its status as a top contender, owing to the strategic maneuvers of veteran trainer Narendra Lagad. Alpine Star surged ahead from the starting gate and tenaciously maintained its lead to secure a comfortable victory. Behind the frontrunner, a fierce battle ensued for the minor placings. In a tightly contested finish, the heavily supported Opus Dei clinched the second position, narrowly edging out Kariena, while the favoured Bubbly Boy faltered, settling for fourth place.
In the 1600 meters Fun Fast Fair Trophy by Sportsbet.io, for horses in the lowest category following underwhelming performances in higher tiers, Pesi Shroff-trained Mariana found her bearings. Despite initial jitters, Mariana, heavily favoured to succeed, started hesitantly, trailing at the rear. However, as the race progressed, Mariana found her rhythm and unleashed a powerful surge in the home stretch, effortlessly overtaking the front-running Zarafat to secure a convincing victory. Behind Mariana, Prince O War surged ahead to claim the second spot, leaving Might Wings to settle for third place, while Zarafat, who led the field into the final furlong, managed to salvage a fourth-place finish.
Trained by Malesh Narredu, Eaton Square showcased his imposing form by effortlessly adapting to the reduced trip of 2000 meters in the Sonny Brar Trophy, a race catering to horses rated 20 to 46. With the withdrawal of Endurance from the fray, the path cleared for Eaton Square's easy victory. Goldiva, typically a slow starter, surprised by taking the lead early on, but it was short-lived as Eaton Square asserted his dominance in the final furlong. With a commanding performance, Eaton Square surged ahead, leaving Goldiva trailing by over five lengths as he crossed the finish line at his own pace. Goldiva managed to hold on for second place, while Double Scotch secured the third position.
In a remarkable upset, Cipher, hailing from the stables of trainer Faisal Abbas, emerged victorious in the 1200 meters Indian Air Force Trophy (Div I), a race reserved for horses rated 20 to 46, defying all expectations. Despite lacking significant attention in the betting ring, Cipher stunned the punters with an impressive performance.
Karthik Ganapathy-trained Lord Vader, heavily backed following a commendable third-place finish behind Dream Seller, was the favourite to win. However, Cipher, unnoticed in the betting odds, delivered a sensational race under the guidance of apprentice jockey Haridas Gore. Fiery Red took an early lead, but as the race approached its climax, Lord Vader overtook the front-runner. Yet, Lord Vader's lead was short-lived as Cipher unleashed a powerful surge in the final furlong, leaving both Lord Vader and the rest of the field behind. Despite a valiant effort from Trevor Patel, who aimed for his fourth consecutive win, Cipher's unexpected victory upset the predicted outcome. Fiery Red managed to hold on for third place, with Liam finishing fourth.
Karthik Ganapathy enjoyed a good day with back-to-back wins in the subsequent races at the Mumbai races. First, his heavily backed Gambino secured victory in the 1600 meters Sportsbet.io Million, a maiden race for three-year-olds. Despite facing pressure to accelerate at the final turn, Gambino rallied under a determined ride from jockey Neeraj Rawal, ultimately edging out competitors Pamchavan and Amadeo to claim the top spot by a neck.
In the following event, the 1400 meters World’s Oldest Barbershop Trophy, Karthik Ganapathy-trained Caliph surged ahead with a powerful late surge, defeating Silver Steps and Toofan to clinch victory at lucrative odds. The unpredictable nature of the race left punters guessing, with no clear betting trends indicating the outcome.
Aman Hussain-trained Galloping Ahead disappointed in the 1200 meters Indian Air Force Trophy (Div II), failing to live up to the hype despite being heavily backed. Instead, Vinesh-trained Nairobi stole the show with a strong finish, narrowly beating Dowsabel to win the race, with Moment of Madness finishing third. Galloping Ahead lost his chances by staying put in the gates and coming out long after the cause had been lost.
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