After the high-octane spectacle of the Indian Derby weekend, Sunday’s racing card seemed to have left its glitter at home—seven events of unremarkable thrills that even the most optimistic punter couldn’t call smooth sailing. The races featured a motley crew of favourites and long shots that promised excitement but delivered a rather pedestrian parade.

Imtiaz Sait’s Christophany, still smarting from being upstaged by the record-breaker Democracy in her previous outing, redeemed herself over a more forgiving seven-furlong trip—trifling in comparison to the challenge posed by a horse aptly named It’s My Time. It’s My Time’s moment of glory is fashionably late. Meanwhile, jockey Sandesh, riding a streak of dreamlike form, casually clinched three wins, with two victories shining almost solely on his dazzling performance.

In the 1400-metre Mulraj Goculdas Trophy—a contest reserved for horses rated 80 and above—Christophany was the confident crowd favourite. Yet, one can’t help but notice that the upper echelons of racing seem to be a revolving door of the same familiar faces, with fresh talent rarely breaking through, as trainers appear perfectly content to keep their prized youngsters frolicking in the lower divisions. Jockey Neeraj Rawal took charge from the outset, only to see his lead eroded by the relentless surges of Son Of A Gun, It’s My Time, and Alpine Star, with the latter, the declared favourite, being eased into a rather unenthusiastic fourth.

Adding to the circus, two of the four runners belonged to the same stable—seemingly there more to pad the numbers than to mount a genuine bid for victory. Neeraj Rawal’s decision to send Christophany wide paid off handsomely, as the Planetaire progeny accelerated with the ease of a well-rehearsed routine, maintaining control even as It’s My Time performed its desperate sprint. Alpine Star settled for a respectable third, while Son Of A Gun continued his endless quest for that ever-elusive drop in form, leaving fans to wonder if bold was truly in his makeup.

The forceful riding of Sandesh turned Karthik Ganapathy trained Kimiko’s race into a masterclass in determination—an encore performance. Despite the valiant challenge from Endurance (yes, another last start winner in the 2000 metres Sonny Brar Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 66, Kimiko held on by a long neck. Giant King started off with a promising burst of zest, leading the field into the straight only to graciously step aside when Kimiko decided it was her moment to shine. Endurance, launching a spirited attack from the rear, nearly caught up, but thanks to Sandesh’s unrelenting guidance, Kimiko managed to pull out that extra bit of magic. Meanwhile, Giant King trotted into third place ahead of Multiverse, while Gordon, fresh off a previous win, seemed content to keep his performance firmly in the “good enough” category.

Sandesh’s brilliance wasn’t limited to just one race. In the 1600 metres Nawabzada Rashiduzzafar Khan Trophy (a race for horses rated 20 to 46), he once again proved he’s the maestro of maneuvering. Tasked with driving Substantial through a gap so narrow it might as well have been a tightrope; Sandesh delivered a performance that would leave even the most jaded punter in awe. Chardikala, who had already let down a significant number of hopeful punters the previous Sunday, decided to run too freely in front—only to be overwhelmed in the final furlong by the ever-determined Mighty Sparrow. With the inside lane shrinking faster than his chances for a win, Sandesh expertly extricated Substantial through the narrow gap between a fading pace setter and Mighty Sparrow. Substantial surged ahead to clinch a narrow win, leaving Mighty Sparrow to settle for a valiant second. Eaton Square, ever the underdog, made a late dash to snatch third place ahead of a thoroughly exhausted Chardikala. Surely, Sandesh seems to be sculpting victories by his craft.

Sandesh had an easy ride aboard another horse trained by Karthik Ganapathy—Bashir—who, fresh from a narrow loss to Chagall, easily outclassed the competition in the 1400-metre Nadir & Yawar Trophy, a race for horses rated between 40 and 66. Star Romance set the pace, running freely from the start and building a comfortable lead of several lengths over Celestial and Axlord, while Sandesh held Bashir back in the rear. Bashir launched a lightning run along the outside, storming clear to claim victory at his leisure. Celestial finished second, more than four lengths adrift, while Axlord edged out Lord And Master to secure a place prize.

The fifth and sixth races of the day proved to be a bittersweet cocktail—one part relief for the bookmakers, one part headache for the punters. Antia-trained horses remain an enigma wrapped in a mystery, defying even the most meticulously calculated bets. In these contests, it seems that only the trainer and the gods have a clue about what’s coming.

The 1000 metres R M & Rukmani Goculdas Million, a race for horses rated 20 to 46. Maysara, with all the requisite credentials, was the darling of the betting crowd. Yet, as fate would have it, the field was led by Divine Intuition, trailed closely by Mojo and Maysara, while the eventual shocker—Malet Sprint—ambled in from fifth. Mojo had everything in sight, collaring the pace setter in the final furlong and then charging ahead with gusto, only to have her hopes dashed by Malet Sprint’s late, roaring rally under Santosh G’s skilful guidance. Meanwhile, Maysara couldn’t seem to find that elusive extra gear, finishing third in what could only be described as a disappointing plod.

Then there’s trainer Pesi Shroff, whose problem of plenty forces him to run multiple horses in races meant for first-season runners. His juggling act often results in the “wrong one” triumphing, much to the chagrin of punters who cling to the divine powers of their favourites. In the 1400 metres N M Irani Trophy for maiden three-year-olds, Superstar was the on-money favourite—benefitting from a couple of previous outings. But the drama unfolded when Millenium Star, having led freely, began to tire approaching the final furlong, allowing Superstar to surge ahead. Just when you thought the race was settling, Red Bishop—loitering in the rear like he had all the time in the world—launched a powerful comeback. Despite a bit of unwanted interference from a shifting Superstar, Umesh managed to wrangle Red Bishop into a narrow win. Abhyankar snatched the third slot, while Jackson simply didn’t figure on the frame despite the benefit of a good previous effort.

Altamash’s Applause had all the credentials to win—and naturally, he shared the limelight with Antia’s Otello in the concluding 1200 metres Gentlemen’s Groomers Trophy, a race reserved for horses in the lowest category. After Lightning Blaze made a brief, cameo-style appearance at the front, she graciously stepped aside to let Otello surge ahead and lead into the final furlong. Just when the race seemed to be unfolding as predicted, Applause decided to steal the show. In a powerful burst of speed under jockey Zervan’s expert guidance, Applause overwhelmed the front-runner and recorded a comfortable win. Otello managed to cling onto second spot by a neck from Trillionaire.