Three favourites crashed in the first three races at the Calcutta racecourse on Wednesday and punters were left wondering whether they were in for a drubbing. Just then, the trend changed as the even money public choice Sieze the Night produced a scintillating run opposite the grandstand to bag the Accuser Handicap in great style. Secret Move set the pace in the seven-furlong sprint while the ultimate winner languished in the rear. Jockey Ashish rather cleverly switched the Darius Byramji-trained (and owned) runner to the outside and the five-year-old mare picked up a stunning gallop to leave the field standing.
Conquering Love broadened the smiles on the faces of local turfites when he landed the Roubaix Cup without giving his backers unwanted jitters. Christopher Alford rode his only winner of the afternoon with great aplomb. He took the top-weight to the head of the field and the hugged the rails all the way. The outstation challenger Top Of The Class may have needed the run. The filly finished an impressive third while owner-mate of the winner Aristotle finished a flying second.

The day commenced with Farley Rodrigues-trained Scorsese producing an encore despite a crushing impost of 62 kg (after being penalised 5 kg). The favourite Mirror Image was always prominent but never seriously threatened the ultimate winner. Manjhale Nawab failed to match strides with this pair.

After her brilliant third in her earlier race, Shafiq Khan-trained Shaksham Babe was piloted to a comfortable victory by Ashish. However, it may be mentioned that Fast Love was poorly handled by her apprentice rider Imran Khan and finished full of running a short-head behind. Rage-of-the-ring Sephora produced a good gallop in the straight but her handicap proved to be a stopper.

Then came the afternoons biggest shocker. Last outing facile winner Fighting Star bowled merrily along till the distance post, where the bottom-weighted Highly Fashionable put paid to her pretensions. With this win, apprentice Imran Khan made ample amends for his failure atop Fast Love.

Javed Khan-trained Charulat was confidently backed by the connections to close as the favourite in the Night Jar Handicap. Jockey S. Domingo rode the sprinter with a great deal of confidence. Permitting Candle Light and Smiles to cut each others throat till the distance post, Domingo engaged the front-runners in a keen tussle all the way down the final furlong to prevail by a narrow margin.

The curtain came down on the days proceedings with the aged Grand Pere picking up his second race of the season at the cost of the on-money favourite Aymaras who may be termed as the black sheep of the Vijay Singh-yard. With a series of debacles-when-fancied behind her, she appears to be the bookmakers cup of joy.

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