Ashwa Pratap dashed the hope of Trusted Friend, who was looking for a hat-trick in the Raffles Cup. The Delhi Race Club President Cup also saw Oriental Speed stopping Solid Success from achieving his second win in a short span of two days.

A close proximity of races, which had earlier seen a day being cancelled owing to paucity of entries early in this week, had no sign of resistance from the professionals as huge entries forced the authority to frame a card of seven races. After the Vaishnavi Kosmeticos and Unitech group, the Chadha Group turned out to be the third sponsor in this season. The group which has many sugar mills, malls and picture halls in India, had instituted a race on its brand - Raffles.

Bay gelding Trusted Friend, who had tasted victory on Sunday, looked all set to extend his winning streak until Ashwa Pratap's sparkling performance spoiled his celebration. The gelding who was rechristened from Aadm's Obsession was an arrogant horse. "I faced a greater difficulty in handling him after his arrival. He used to swerve either way and no jockey dared to mount," jockey Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told me. "My hardship has really paid me off," he said. "I give full credit to Roopendra Singh Shekhawat (trainer) and Gajendra who really worked hard on the horse to correct his manner," said Ravi Singh Chauhan (husband of Anita Chauhan), who received the trophy. "I am fond of naming the horses in hindi or sanskrit and that forced me to rechristen the two horses I have bought from the western India and they are running true to their names," he said.

The performance of Ashwa Pratap will definitely take him to the top class. Trusted Friend, who might have felt the pressure of running, was not looking as good as he was on Sunday. The run should be ignored. Fraud, who once used to be the miler, seemed to be shedding that status by pipping The Praetorian in the battle of minor placing. The latter has come the hands.

Like Trusted Friend, Solid Success failed to maintain the form while bowing down to Oriental Speed by half-a-length. In an attempt to bag the second trophy event within 48 hours, he was ridden out hard by K Sunny Kumar, who partnered him in the previous success. However, Oriental Speed produced some extraordinary strides while making every post a wining one over the seven furlongs contest. Oriental Speed should be eyeing for his double.

The Twilight Crown Plate, which was the opening event, was at the mercy of Senegal, who routed the field mercilessly. Despite being stalled in the widest of 14 in the 1000-metre race, he got the frontrunners near the bend. The son of Teleport, who was the 1000 and 2000 Guineas winner in the early 2000, has also the potential to stay from the mother’s side. He should continue to shine.

Snow Deer, Miracle Maker wand Manjhale Nawab were the only three favourites to oblige. Behaving Badly, who ran second to Miracle Maker, was taken to the task contrary to her habit by showing her daylight before turning into the homestretch. Feraligator seemed to have come to hands finishing third ahead of the late galloping Tactic. The latter should soon strike.

Manjhale Nawab utilised the benefit of tongue-strap by raising a winning gallop in the concluding event. Gamtai had spared nothing to foil the bid of the former, but failed shortly.