By Punters Mind

An action-packed Sunday brings joy to punters and new stars to the fore

It was a proud moment for trainer Sulaiman Attaollahi as his consistent runner Positano finally broke through in grand fashion to win the prestigious Maharaja’s Cup, run over 2200 metres. Always in the mix but never the winner in major races across Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru, Positano turned the tables this time with a commanding performance.

He looked fit and focused in the parade ring, in sharp contrast to the favourite DYF, who seemed a bit overweight and off his peak. With a handy weight advantage of 8.5kg, Positano made full use of the conditions. Akshay Kumar rode a gem of a race, biding his time before making a decisive move at the top of the straight. Once given the go, Positano accelerated smoothly to win convincingly.

Arkadian, who had finished behind Golden Thunder in his previous run, put in another strong effort to finish second. DYF, the public favourite, had no answers when the heat turned up and could only manage third. Now that Positano has tasted success, he’s definitely worth following in future big races.

Flight Of Fancy Outclasses Rivals in Rashid Byramji Memorial Million (Div 1)

The upper division of the Rashid Byramji Memorial Million turned into a battle between two promising fillies: Flight Of Fancy and the debutant Romping Home. Though the latter was the hot favourite backed by big money, it was Flight Of Fancy who rose to the occasion.

Despite concerns over the rain-soaked track (many felt Win Legend progeny struggle in wet going), Flight Of Fancy proved her class. Trained by Darius Byramji, she had previously finished second to Indian Brocade and was ready for her breakout moment. With a determined ride, she edged out Romping Home in a thrilling finish.

Romping Home ran a brave race and will surely improve with the experience. Supernal, who was third behind Flight Of Fancy in their last meeting, ran below expectations and finished down the field.

Hidden Dreams Stuns in Rashid Byramji Memorial Million (Div 2)

The lower division produced the shocker of the day. Hidden Dreams, trained by Narayan Gowda and ridden by Rajesh Kumar, pulled off a wire-to-wire victory at long odds. Paying a massive Rs. 313 on a Rs. 10 ticket at the tote, Hidden Dreams gave value-hunters a reason to cheer.

The favourite Mai Tai, who was fancied by big bettors after a strong second last time, had to settle for the runner-up spot, disappointing her large following.

Excellent Lass Back to Winning Ways

Excellent Lass, from Satish Narredu’s yard, returned to form in the AMC Gowda Memorial Trophy, a sprint contest. Yash Narredu had to work a bit to get her going after being boxed in, but once she found space, she took off with a burst of speed, overtaking Densetsu and scoring a well-deserved win.

Darrion, chasing a hat-trick, ran a solid race to finish third, while Connecting Dots, a major betting fancy, never looked threatening.

Wellington Delivers in Style for Inayathulla

Veteran trainer Inayathulla pulled off a classic coup in the Southern Empire Plate. Wellington, who had shown little in his last three starts, stunned the field under Arvind Kumar. Quietly fancied by insiders, the seven-year-old delivered a resounding win, dominating his rivals with ease.

This win was a reminder of Inayathulla’s tactical brilliance – turning an out-of-form runner into a race-day sensation.

Empress Bella Causes a Major Upset

The sprint race Commanche Plate saw another surprise result as Empress Bella, a 10/1 shot from Kishan Thomas’ yard, made every post a winning one.

The favourite Striking Eyes failed to live up to expectations, and Tripple V, the second fancy, found nothing when asked. Flamingo Dream, trained by Inayathulla, ran second but lacked the extra gear to challenge the winner.

Del Aviz Settles the Score

Del Aviz, who had lost a race she should have won to Pluto, bounced back strongly in the Lagarde Plate. Akshay Kumar, fresh off his big win on Positano, gave her a perfect ride, timing his run to perfection.

Jersey King, trained by Dominic, looked a potential winner before Del Aviz surged past. Mazal Tov finished a fair third, while the well-supported Art Collector lost all chances early by racing wide and never finding a rhythm.

Horses to Follow (Punters’ Notebook)

Keep an eye on the following runners in upcoming races:

• Positano – Finally found winning form; likely to improve further.
• Flight Of Fancy – Handled tricky conditions well; more wins in store.
• Romping Home – Strong debut run; will benefit from the outing.
• Del Aviz – Redeemed herself; looks capable of climbing the ranks.
• Wellington – Huge turnaround; worth watching if placed well next.
• Excellent Lass – Speedy and sharp; dangerous in sprints.
• Hidden Dreams – Big-priced winner; follow if racing in similar company.