In the highlight event of Sunday's Mumbai races, the 1400 meters Seth Ramnath Daga Trophy, reserved for horses rated 80 and above, Narendra Lagad's Coeur De Lion displayed remarkable determination. Facing off against the favourite, Pride's Angel, Coeur De Lion engaged in a fierce battle and emerged victorious by a neck. Under the guidance of jockey Mustakim Alam, Coeur De Lion pushed himself to the limit, responding eagerly to every urging to maintain the lead and withstand the relentless pressure from Pride's Angel. Despite Pride's Angel posing a constant threat throughout the straight, Coeur De Lion refused to yield, ultimately securing the win through sheer tenacity and grit. Coeur De Lion has always proved handy whenever he gets an uncontested lead. The only other contender Baby Bazooka was reconciled to take the third position.

As the racing season nears its conclusion in the first week of April, fatigue appears to be taking its toll on participants. With only three race days remaining, anticipation builds for the two-day Racing Carnival, marking the end of the season. A noticeable trend throughout the season has been the lack of participation, particularly in races designated for higher-class horses or longer distances. This trend continued on Sunday, with the feature event featuring just three runners. The scarcity of competitors has made it challenging for punters to identify potential winners, as form consistency has not been guaranteed.

Despite Coeur De Lion's experience competing against higher-rated horses, the 7.5 kilograms weight conceded to his adversary was expected to tip the scales in favour of the well-performed Pride's Angel, who, despite not winning a race for a year, remained a formidable opponent. Nevertheless, Coeur De Lion demonstrated his prowess by taking the lead from the start and establishing a comfortable margin over his rivals. When Pride's Angel mounted a significant challenge, Coeur De Lion rose to the occasion, displaying resilience and determination. In a hard-fought battle, Coeur De Lion refused to yield, ultimately emerging victorious and underscoring his ability to overcome challenges and maintain his position at the forefront of the competition.

The star of the day was undoubtedly jockey Trevor Patel. He is undeniably gifted, yet there are moments when his performance leaves observers questioning his consistency. At times, his riding seems indifferent, and his choice of mounts occasionally contributes to this perception. However, when Trevor fully applies himself and sets his sights on victory, the results can be incredibly rewarding, as demonstrated by his five-win streak on Sunday. If Trevor can cultivate greater consistency and minimize distractions, there's no limit to the success he could attain. His exceptional display on Sunday, securing victories aboard Tiepolo through sheer persistence and Galloping Ahead with a never-say-die attitude, underscored his potential. Let's hope he maintains the same level of commitment that led him to triumph in five out of seven races, potentially setting new records in the process.

In the 1400 meters Jimmy Bharucha Trophy, a race exclusively for three-year-olds, Pesi Shroff's Tiepolo achieved an astonishing victory, defying the odds. Despite uncertainty among punters due to the lack of dominant form displayed by previous maiden race winners, Tiepolo, who entered the race at long odds, emerged triumphant under remarkable circumstances.

Tiepolo, sired by Cougar Mountain and out of the Indian-Derby winning mare Jacqueline, had displayed sluggishness from the gates and had finished over 16 lengths behind the winner in his previous race. Given this lacklustre start, expectations for dramatic improvement were tempered. However, Tiepolo showcased unexpected resilience and speed.

As the race unfolded, Quicker set a brisk pace, leading the field into the straight before relinquishing the lead to Baklava, who surged ahead and appeared destined for victory. Meanwhile, Tiepolo, typically slow off the mark, was trailing at the rear and seemed unlikely to contend. Yet, in a remarkable turn of events, Tiepolo found his stride and unleashed a remarkable burst of speed in the final furlong, charging home to overtake Baklava in the dying moments of the race and secure a stunning win. Vincero trailed in third place.

Tiepolo's future performance is of tremendous interest as his character display and determination in this victory bodes well for his potential. Surely his progress during the upcoming Bangalore Summer Season will reveal his full capability.

In the 1600 meters Cursetjee Dhunjishaw Trophy, a race designated for horses rated 40 to 66, Pesi Shroff's El Greco, who disappointed in his previous outing against Kimiko in the lower category, displayed complete domination this time out as a bottom weight in the higher category. Under the guidance of jockey Saqlain, El Greco, sired by Multidimensional, left no room for competition. Taking the lead early on, El Greco encountered no challengers from behind as he surged ahead in the final furlong, effortlessly clinching victory. Empower managed to secure the second position with a late surge, while the highly touted Golden Glow failed to live up to expectations and settled for a disappointing third place.

The day's opening race, the 1000 meters Truefitt & Hill Founder Trophy, which catered to horses in the lowest category, presented an open field where most runners appeared evenly matched. This sentiment was reflected in the betting trends, indicating a wide-open competition. However, the race's outcome revealed a surprise as Eloquent, trained by Shazaan Shah, demonstrated an underutilized potential in his career thus far, despite nine previous runs. The progeny of Speaking Of Which had shown promise in previous races, particularly in Jetfire's victory, garnering reasonable support in the betting ring. While Divine Intuition received stronger backing, it was Eloquent who stole the show.

Jockey Saqlain took Divine Intuition to the front, leading by lengths while Eloquent patiently held position around fifth, waiting for the opportune moment. Divine Intuition maintained the lead until approaching the final furlong but when Trevor Patel urged Eloquent into action, the race dynamics swiftly changed. Eloquent showcased remarkable acceleration akin to top-tier horses, leaving the rest of the field vying for minor positions. With an impressive burst of speed, Eloquent surged ahead, widening the gap to secure victory by an impressive four-length margin. Meanwhile, Divine Intuition managed to fend off Adonis in a closely contested finish for the runner-up position, with Reciprocity rounding out the frame. Mirae, who had consistently performed well in her last five outings, failed to maintain her form, fading out after initially staying in touch and finishing poorly.

Trained by Malesh Narredu, New Dimension showcased his brilliance once again by securing his fourth win of the season in the 1200 meters Byram N Jeejeebhoy Trophy, a race tailored for horses rated 60 to 86. Following his recent hard-fought victory, New Dimension, under the expert guidance of jockey Trevor Patel, demonstrated even greater ease in triumph.

Patel exhibited tactical acumen by refraining from pushing New Dimension to the front early on, opting instead to bide his time while Soup And Sandwich set a blistering pace. Strategically positioned in the rear, Patel patiently awaited his moment. As the field straightened out, Patel skilfully secured a clear path for New Dimension to secure a clear path on the wide outside. The response from New Dimension was immediate and powerful.

In a breathtaking display of speed and determination, New Dimension swiftly overtook all competitors, surging clear with remarkable ease. Ataash followed in second place, while the favourite, Reminiscence, attempting a step up in class after previous setbacks, settled for a distant third. This was the third win secured by Trevor who dominated the day’s proceedings. Unfortunately, New Dimension broke a blood vessel during the race.

Continuing his remarkable streak, jockey Trevor Patel displayed his exceptional form once again as he guided Galloping Ahead to a thrilling victory in the 1200 meters Race of Hope Gold Cup, a fiercely contested event for horses rated 20 to 46. This triumph marked Patel's fourth win of the day, further solidifying his dominance on the track.

Galloping Ahead, who had disappointed in his previous outing due to a sluggish start, showed remarkable improvement in this race. Long shot Northern Singer burst to the front early on and maintained the lead throughout the straight. However, as the race unfolded, Galloping Ahead and Attained launched powerful surges from the back of the pack.

In a thrilling climax, Galloping Ahead surged forward in the final moments of the race. Meanwhile, Attained, ridden by jockey Anthony Raj, unleashed a significant burst of speed, challenging for the lead. In a nail-biting finish, Galloping Ahead managed to secure victory by the narrowest of margins over Attained, with Northern Singer closely trailing in third place. Hagibis, despite receiving spirited support, failed to make an impact against the superior competition. The top three finishers were at big odds.

Trevor Patel's appetite for victory remained unsatisfied even after securing four wins, as he clinched his fifth triumph out of seven races by piloting Aman Altaf Hussain's Art Collector to a commanding victory in the 1400 meters Behram A Engineer Trophy. This race, designed for horses rated 20 to 46, witnessed Art Collector's prowess overshadowing the favourite, Kinzhal. Patel positioned Art Collector behind the frontrunner, Light of Life, until the final 300 metres, where he urged the less fancied contender to surge ahead. Despite some deviation from a straight path, Art Collector demonstrated his overwhelming superiority, crossing the finish line a comfortable four lengths ahead of Kinzhal. Meanwhile, Light of Life maintained momentum to secure third place in the race. For young trainer Aman, this was the second consecutive win for the day, Galloping Ahead clinching a thriller in the previous race.