Pradeep Chouhan-trained Dream Seller kept the winning streak sizzling with a bold mission in the 1200-meter Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy, a contest for horses rated 80 and above. Though Dream Seller recorded his fourth straight win, this victory wasn’t quite the smooth sailing of previous outings. Leading comfortably by the final furlong, he had a gaggle of rivals breathing down his neck, with late closer Snowfall looming large. But just as the finish line beckoned, Dream Seller dug deep and kept his neck in front where it mattered most. Hats off to the trainer for timing his races to perfection, allowing enough recovery between each run to keep him at peak form.

With Dream Seller favoured by the punters and the rest trailing with long odds, this sprint had all the ingredients of a nail-biter. Races in the top class are rarely a breeze, and any horse hitting form at the right moment can throw a curveball. Jockey Ajinkya had to adjust his usual front-running style when Democracy challenged the pace early. Wisely, he let Democracy take the lead, holding Dream Seller in second. Behind them, Irish Gold, Cellini, Magileto, It’s My Time, Dexa, and Snowfall bided their time, while Baby Bazooka seemed to have decided she’d rather watch the action from the back.

By the final 300 meters, Dream Seller shook off Democracy and surged ahead. It’s My Time, Magileto, and Snowfall all closed in, with Snowfall looking like she might just pull off an upset. But the wire arrived just in time for Dream Seller, who held on by a long neck, with a half-length separating the next two finishers. Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see if Dream Seller can keep this momentum, as the handicapper is likely to be a tad less kind after this win.

In another twist, Imtiaz Sait-trained Dream Alliance finally put to rest any talk of a “jinx” with a maiden victory in the 1600-meter K J K Irani Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 86. Known for dashing hopes more than making them, Dream Alliance had seen 13 fruitless attempts and even managed to get one jockey banned for a year along the way. Today, though, he found his stride and left his mark.

Despite a massive 300-day break and a back operation, Pesi Shroff’s Christofle—a horse with an impeccable pedigree—found some loyal backers. But after taking the early lead, Christofle fell apart in the homestretch, reminding us all that breeding isn’t everything. Fast Pace, who’d been on a dry spell for 547 days, was all the rage among punters, yet after a keen start, he seemed to lose interest when things got serious. Bubbly Boy briefly took over and looked like a winner before Dream Alliance arrived on the scene with a finishing kick that left no doubts, clinching victory comfortably. Regal Command charged up late to grab second, relegating Bubbly Boy to third. Meanwhile, Fast Pace and Christofle had to be content with trailing behind, possibly already plotting their next attempts at redemption.

It required all the skill and finesse of jockey Suraj Narredu to secure a win for Pesi Shroff-trained Odysseus in the 1600-meter P B Avasia Plate, a contest for horses rated 20 to 46. This well-bred colt by Ulysses carries plenty of promise, though his victory here was less a statement of impending glory and more a workmanlike outing. With time, patience, and experience, Odysseus might yet emerge as a star, but for now, his win was simply a job done right.

Stablemate Picasso took on the early pace, allowing Suraj to settle Odysseus into a comfortable second. Behind them were Amadeo, Endurance, Gordon, Come September, and Ataturk, each biding their time. At the 300-meter mark, Odysseus shifted gears, moving ahead as Amadeo attempted to keep pace. However, the real excitement sparked when Endurance and Gordon began their late runs, closing in fast. Odysseus maintained a safe lead to the finish, though Gordon rallied along the rails with a commendable burst, clinching a noteworthy second, just ahead of Endurance. Both Gordon and Endurance showed promising form, hinting at early wins in the season.

Pesi Shroff had another success with Jade clinching the 1400-meter Dr S R Captain Salver, a race for horses rated 40 to 66. Fontana took off with an aggressive early pace, with Jade in hot pursuit. The frontrunner fought gamely but ultimately had to yield as Jade surged ahead in the final strides. Dash, the race favourite, tried to work his late-burst magic but found himself short on runway, having conceded too much ground to the well-backed Jade.

Suraj Narredu kept his winning rhythm going, piloting Divine Star to a straightforward victory in the 1200-meter Welcome Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Suraj sent Divine Star to the front right from the start, and the filly faced no serious challenges enroute to the wire. Vincero, however, added a touch of drama by cutting a rather unpredictable path under pressure, swerving into The General’s path. Although Vincero managed to hold onto second place, the interference caused an official objection by jockey Bhawani Singh, resulting in Vincero’s relegation.

Dallas Todywalla finally broke a dry spell as Mi Arion delivered a win at juicy odds in a 1200-meter sprint, bringing some much-needed relief to the veteran trainer. Jockey A Prakash timed Mi Arion’s move perfectly, steering the horse to victory with a powerful late burst. The race began with Fidato setting a brisk tempo, followed closely by Mirae, Lightning Blaze, and Mi Arion, with the heavily favoured Khaleesi lurking in midfield. As they approached the finish, Mi Arion found an extra gear on the outside, sweeping past Mirae to seal the deal. Meanwhile, Khaleesi’s day went south as the favourite found herself stuck in a traffic jam, lacking the necessary speed when it counted. She ran on well but had to settle for third, leaving her backers feeling the sting of an unexpected loss.

The curtain rose on the Mumbai racing season with a surprise twist, as the well-kept secret known as Anoushka bolted into the limelight, delivering trainer Faisal Abbas and jockey Amyn Merchant a win in the 1400 metres Fedora Plate. In a season where Amyn typically does the heavy lifting for the stable without much to show for it, it was a pleasant change to see him riding to victory instead of, well, exercise.

Meanwhile, Dallas Todywalla, who spent the Pune season searching for winners like they were four-leaf clovers, sent his charge Sorrento Secret out as the favourite. Evidently, the punters had faith in a miracle performance from the filly, but alas, Sorrento’s secret remained well-kept—no extra gear, no final kick, just a lot of head-scratching.

As Atomic Angel set a respectable pace, Amyn got down to work early, nudging Anoushka to attention like a teacher waking up the back row. Anoushka responded enthusiastically from about the fourth position at the final bend, pulling away in the final furlong to the kind of clear lead.

Further back, Marlboro Man made a late bid, but by the time he realized there was a race on, Anoushka was already miles ahead, and the rest was academic. Mariella squeezed into the third slot just ahead of Sorrento Secret, saving a bit of place money.