Sprint races in the highest category appear to have become the racing world's equivalent of a deserted island—shockingly underpopulated. The 1200m Mathradas Goculdas Trophy, the supposed "feature event" of an otherwise uninspiring seven-race Thursday card at Mumbai, attracted a total of three runners. Yes, three. If it were a dinner party, the host might have cancelled. Jockey Sandesh had a big day, booting home four winners.

Of the trio, Irish Gold and Baby Bazooka had crossed swords last time out, with the latter narrowly edging out her rival. This time, however, Baby Bazooka decided to put on a masterclass in how not to behave at the gates, followed by a sluggish performance that screamed, "Not today!" Meanwhile, Irish Gold, the odds-on favourite, had the luxury of a personal escort in the form of stablemate Portofino Bay, who obligingly played second fiddle until the final furlong. At that point, Irish Gold strolled away to assert his dominance, leaving Baby Bazooka to claim an unflattering, distant third.

It’s ironic, really. Long-distance races were once the neglected stepchildren of the calendar, but now sprint races in the highest category have taken over the role of "least wanted." Most of the action—and by action, we mean "strategic maneuvers" like bringing down horses for gambles—happens in the lower-category races, where the thrills are as dubious as the intent. If this trend continues, racing's broader appeal may remain as stagnant as Baby Bazooka at the gates.

Pesi Shroff-trained Ataturk inexplicably captured both the public's money and attention, though his record suggested otherwise. With five lacklustre outings to his name, he was bafflingly backed as the favourite to win the Pradeep Vijayakar Plate (1800m), a contest for horses rated 20 to 46. Meanwhile, the habitually sluggish Kimiko was next in line on the betting boards.

Floyd did his usual front-running act, only to fold like a lawn chair in the final furlong, while Sands of Dubai, who briefly gave chase, suffered a similar fate. That’s when Kimiko, piloted by the ever-reliable jockey Sandesh, unleashed a storming run from the wide outside, breezing past the stragglers and hitting the wire with consummate ease. Trainer Karthik must have been pleased to see his charge finally shed her sluggish reputation in style.

Behind the impressive winner, Nostalgia stayed on late to secure second ahead of Applause, but the real disappointment of the day was Ataturk. Showing all the enthusiasm of a retiree at a treadmill convention, the favourite never threatened at any stage and left his backers scratching their heads.

Goodfellows, who had defied expectations to score an upset last time out, decided to play a different game this time. Rooted to the gates as if auditioning for a statue competition, he effectively took himself out of contention before the race had even begun.

Nazak Chenoy-trained Mila, a winner on debut despite a sluggish start, entered the Royal Barbershop Trophy (Div II) with the weight of punters’ unwavering faith squarely on her back. Backed to the exclusion of all others, Mila, drawn wide, wasn’t exactly lively at the break. However, jockey Vivek G urged her to the front within the first furlong, taking charge and setting the pace.

For a while, it seemed Mila might justify the hype, leading comfortably. But as the final furlong loomed, her early exertions began to tell. A stampede of seasoned campaigners, sensing blood, pounced on the tiring filly. Among them, the battle-hardened Jetfire—with a whopping 57 starts under his belt—swooped in with a late charge from the outside. Guided expertly by jockey Prashanth Dhebe, Jetfire edged out the late-finishing Demetrius by a neck. Milli was third, relegating Mila to a weary fourth. The change in tactics—forcing Mila into front-running duties—appeared to work against her. Combine that with the grit and guile of seasoned rivals, and the writing was on the wall.

Vinesh-trained Charlie, a seven-year-old warhorse who had battled physical setbacks and a lengthy absence from the track, proved his mettle yet again by clinching his second consecutive victory in the 1600m Aziz H Ahmedbhoy Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 86.

The race began with Splendido taking up his usual front-running role, while Waikiki, sluggish out of the gates, quickly recovered to settle into second. Charlie, the eventual hero, cruised along in third, shadowed by the favourite Pride’s Prince, who got a clean jump but was tactically restrained in fourth or fifth. Singer Sergent, sharp from the start, also kept himself in contention.

As they turned for home, Splendido clung to his lead, but the writing was on the wall by the final furlong. Jockey Sandesh pushed Charlie into top gear, and the gallant veteran stormed ahead. With every stride, Pride’s Prince loomed closer, but Charlie wasn’t ready to relinquish his moment in the sun. Digging deep into his reserves, he bravely held off the favourite by half a length, adding yet another feather to his cap. Singer Sergent stayed on to claim third, ahead of a late-finishing Regal Command, who ran an eye-catching race from the rear. This was the third straight win for Sandesh for the day having earlier won on Irish Gold and Kimiko.

Jockey Sandesh capped a memorable day with his fourth win, steering the well-backed Art Collector to an emphatic victory in the 1200m Royal Barbershop Trophy (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. The favourite, Liam, who had caught the eye with his flashy last run, turned out to be a damp squib, leaving his supporters scratching their heads in disbelief.

The race began with the speedy Esperanza dashing to the front, setting a brisk pace and enjoying a comfortable lead. Art Collector sat poised in a handy second, while Liam loitered in the rear group, perhaps contemplating why he’d been made the favourite in the first place.

Esperanza hung on gamely well into the homestretch, but her resolve was no match for Art Collector, who, under a power-packed ride from Sandesh, surged ahead and kicked clear to seal the deal with ease in the final 100 metres. The General, faced with the Herculean task of making up significant ground in the final furlong, failed to muster anything more than a meek third-place finish. As for Liam, his "eye-catching" reputation didn’t translate into action, as he limped home a disappointing fourth, much to the dismay of his backers.

Hoshidar Daji-trained Johnny Mac pulled off an unexpected victory in the 1200-meter Nadia Mary Homi Wadia Trophy, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Dallas Todywalla’s Jackson was the clear favourite, with Saseka as the hopeful underdog. Saseka led the pack initially, with Jackson hot on his heels. Just when it seemed Jackson would coast to victory, Johnny Mac—previously seen lounging at the back—decided it was time to shine. In a stunning display of speed, Johnny Mac blew past Jackson in the final moments. Tyrannus grabbed the third spot ahead of Exciting. Saseka, perhaps realizing the spotlight wasn't for her, gracefully exited the stage.

Now, about Faisal Abbas-trained Yes Minister: one might speculate if this horse had been hiding his skills like a superhero in disguise. After eight less-than-stellar performances, where the horse seemed more interested in sightseeing than racing, a miracle occurred. Despite finishing over 16 lengths behind just a week ago, Yes Minister was suddenly the second favourite, right after Antia-trained Otello. In a performance that would make even the most sceptical observer raise an eyebrow, Yes Minister behaved impeccably, zoomed past the front-runners (including Golden Rule and the favourite Otello), and left them all in the dust, winning by a comfortable six lengths. Meanwhile, Otello, perhaps saving energy for another day, settled for third place behind stablemate Luminosity. One can't help but wonder if Yes Minister’s turnaround is part of the mysterious and occasionally dubious world of racehorse performances that seem to defy logic, much to the indifference of complacent authorities