Pesi Shroff-trained Odysseus lived up to the literal meaning of a close shave, winning the 2000-metre Maharashtra, Gujarat & Goa Area Trophy by a short head at Mahalakshmi on Sunday. While he didn’t exactly set the turf on fire or make the quantum leap everyone had hoped for, he did just enough to snatch victory from Multiverse and the ever-late-to-the-party Booster Shot.

The highly anticipated son of Ulysses was hyped as a potential Derby contender, but the only thing Derby-esque about him so far might be the nerves he gave his supporters. Neeraj Rawal, back in the saddle after a long layoff due to a collarbone fracture in Kolkata, ensured Odysseus did the bare minimum required to justify his favourite status. The thriller began after Giant King, the sacrificial lamb of the race, brought the field into the straight. Neeraj then prodded, pushed, and prayed as Odysseus edged ahead, only for Multiverse to appear from nowhere like an uninvited guest determined to ruin the party. A photo finish eventually granted Odysseus his win, leaving Booster Shot to, as usual, boost only his frequent-flier miles while finishing a close third. Meanwhile, Kimiko brought her patented “better-late-than-never” finish to secure fourth but, predictably, too late to matter.

The two-year-old race brigade had its usual suspects—Adhiraj Jodha and Pesi Shroff—hogging the lineup, with the former enjoying more frequent trips to the winner's circle lately. Jodha-trained Elusive Art justified the punters’ faith, leaving Diligence, from Dallas Todywalla’s stables, to do what it does best these days—look promising on paper but struggle in practice. Jockey A Sandesh decided there was no time for drama and went straight to the front, guiding the speedy son of Dali to a decisive three-length victory. Behind, Big Bay gave a brave but hopeless chase, while Pristine Glory narrowly held off Rafael to claim third.

Altamaash A Ahmed-trained Chardikala, making her belated debut in the Faiz Jasdanwalla Trophy, wasted no time making a splash. With Trevor Patel in the saddle, the filly went on a start-to-finish mission, leaving the rest of the field in her rearview mirror faster than you can say “veterinary grounds.” She blitzed to an over five-length victory, while favourite Red Mist, who threw a tantrum on the way to the starting gates, clearly ran out of tricks and had to settle for second. Flashman, true to his name, arrived flashing late but not fast enough to make any real difference.

Trevor wasn’t done yet. He struck gold yet again, this time aboard another debutant, Mila, trained by Nazzak Chenoy, in the 1200-metre Lagarde Trophy. Despite debuting as a four-year-old (better late than never?), Mila had no intention of blending into the scenery. The speedy Toscana, under Akshay Kumar, went all out with a bold front-running display, dragging Rush and Axlrod along for a merry chase. But Mila, who initially seemed more interested in sightseeing than racing, decided to wake up in the homestretch. Charging down the wide outside, she delivered a jaw-dropping finish to snatch victory in the dying strides.

Trevor had started the day on a winning note. In the day’s opener, he guided Precioso, to victory despite a slow start from the gates in the 1400-metre Trouvaille Trophy, a race for the lowest-rated horses. Trevor, cool as ever, didn’t panic. He coaxed and cajoled the sleepy starter, and by the final furlong, Precioso had transformed into a force of nature. With a powerful surge, he stormed past the front-running Northbound for an emphatic win, leaving the latter to contemplate what went wrong. Anoushka, the last-start winner, settled for third, her brief flirtation with glory now a distant memory.

Adhirajsingh Jodha trained Substantial who had the benefit of a good forward run asserted her supremacy in the 1600 metres Gulamhusein Essaji Trophy, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Last start winner Desert Classic put up a stiff fight but Substantial in the hands of jockey Sandesh, was resolute and pulled off a comfortable win in the end. Tresure Gold showed some promise but was a neck shy in the third place.