By Punters Mind
Divine Star Completes a Hat-trick
Divine Star In Impeccable Form
Fit and ready after back-to-back wins during the recent Bangalore season, Divine Star made it three in a row by claiming the J.E. Hughes Trophy on Friday in the Pune Track at a slightly liberal odds as punters had some doubts whether it will continue to win in the different track. Trained by young Aman Hussain, Divine Star looked comfortable from the moment the gates opened. Jockey Trevor Patel pushed him into the lead early, with Alpine Star, Azrinaz, and Fighton tracking close behind.
Once they entered the straight, Trevor simply loosened his grip and Divine Star (Roderic O’Connor – Starletina) responded with ease, cruising home effortlessly. His win earned him a well-deserved promotion to the top class. Fighton came through to beat Alpine Star for second, while Azrinaz finished just behind them.
Divine Intuition Delivers a Deadly Shock
Right after Divine Star’s win, trainer Aman Hussain brought out another runner—Divine Intuition—who caused one of the day’s biggest shocks. The six-year-old, who hadn’t won in more than 200 days and showed no serious form in the morning trials, broke smartly from the inside draw and took the lead.
Jockey Akshay Gaikwad sensed no pressure and urged Divine Intuition (Roderic O’Connor – Intuition) forward. The outsider maintained a good pace and kept going under the whip to finish ahead of a surprised field. Hot favourite Liam never really got into it, finishing second, with Treasure Gold and Believe trailing behind.
Ultimo Leaves No Doubt
Ultimo, trained by Pradeep Chouhan, gave punters some relief when he made every bit of the seven-furlong journey his own in the S.K. Sunderji Salver. With jockey R. Ajinkya in the saddle, Ultimo (Surfrider – Honeydew) jumped into the lead as soon as the gates opened and never looked in danger.
The race was run in memory of Chouhan’s former master, and Ultimo did full justice. Golden Glow was a distant second, followed by Lord And Master, Medusa, and Caliph in that order.
Azure Outpaces Among The Stars
Among The Stars was made the public choice for the fourth consecutive time but once again disappointed. Despite being well-supported, the juvenile from Malesh Narredu’s yard failed to quicken when it mattered. Instead, Azure, trained by Imtiaz Sait and ridden by Antony Raj, made the most of her opportunity in the JK1 Gaming Trophy.
Although Azure drifted left out of the gates and caused some early crowding for Muskoka, AR Star, and Among The Stars, she quickly recovered and set the pace. Among The Stars tried to challenge but lacked response. Azure (Fiero – Fjord) stayed strong under pressure to secure a well-earned win. Mulan ran consistently to finish third, followed by Viennoise.
Nostalgia Brings Joy to Sait and Trevor
Another smart runner from Imtiaz Sait’s yard, Nostalgia, broke out of the maiden ranks to give both the trainer and jockey Trevor Patel their second winner of the day. Early on, Sands of Dubai led the field, with Nostalgia being kept well off the pace. Doctor Dolly ran midfield, biding her time.
As they turned for home, Hagibis took over from Sands of Dubai, and Vincero also made a move. Meanwhile, A. Sandesh on Doctor Dolly came charging from the wide outside. But Trevor guided Nostalgia through the shortest way along the rail. The final furlong turned into a battle between Doctor Dolly and Nostalgia, with the latter (Western Aristocrat – Panamera) proving just a shade better. Vincero claimed third, with Esconido close behind.
Yuletide Finally Celebrates
Bottom-weighted Yuletide, trained by Narendra Lagad, broke his long winless streak in the Ismail Khan Plate. Bursting out of the gates under A. Prakash, Yuletide (Surfrider – Snowing) took the lead and ran with heart. He entered the home stretch with a handy advantage and showed strong determination to maintain it.
Favourite Bohemian Rhapsody, carrying the hopes of many, started from the rear and improved late but couldn’t bridge the gap. She had to settle for second. Red Dust took third, while Baleno completed the frame.
Between Friends Steals the Show After 4 1/2 Years
One of the most heartwarming moments of the day came when Between Friends, a nine-year-old gelding, returned to the winner’s circle after more than four and a half years. Saddled for the first time by MK Jadhav after SS Shah’s retirement, the veteran proved age was just a number.
The race looked like Mirae’s for the taking after she led most of the way. But in the final strides, Prashant Dhebe urged Between Friends (Western Aristocrat – Ivana) to rally and the old warrior responded beautifully, winning by the barest of margins. Northern Singer and Collateral followed home. For Between Friends, this was only his second career success—a memorable and emotional one.
Summary
Friday’s Pune races were full of drama, unexpected results, and standout performances. From consistent winners like Divine Star to rank outsiders like Divine Intuition and the surprise comeback by Between Friends, the day had everything a racegoer dreams of—and dreads. While some horses justified their favourites’ tag, many turned the tables, making it a tough day for punters and a thrilling one for fans.
Horses to Follow (For the Punter’s Notebook)
- Divine Star – Three in a row; a genuine top-class contender now
- Ultimo – Controlled the pace with authority; a solid front-runner
- Nostalgia – Strong finish and smart rail run; more wins likely
- Azure – Held off pressure impressively; has class
- Fighton – Reliable performer, knocking on the door
- Yuletide – Now confident, could strike again in similar grade
- Between Friends – Veteran with heart; don’t rule out another surprise
