The Bangalore challenger Fighting Star made a complete mockery of the Prudential Cup field at the Calcutta races on Wednesday as he made every post of the six-furlong sprint a winning one. The Darius Byramji ward, ridden by Christopher Alford, had earlier in the season finished a good fourth to Brilliant Victory. After that lung-opener, he had improved sufficiently on the track to make it a no contest. Over The Limit was a faraway second. This was the second Bangalore runner to trounce the opposition, Safari being the other. She left the field standing in the Fillies Trial Stakes.

The day started with Patrick Quinn-trained Simply Perfect landing the Arthur B Cup. Available at even money, J. Chinoy on the winner had to work hard before he could hoist the winning flag. Flying Jaguar with apprentice Aharwal was trying to make it a star-to-finish affair but the top-weight favourite managed to catch up with the front runner close home and overhaul him in the final 100 metres.

The next race saw Rutherford Alford - trained Vignet installed as the 5/2 favourite. The three-year-old was however not permitted to bowl along merrily in front as he is wont to do. Islam took Robin Corner-trained Loughborough to the front and stayed there all the way. Vignet found the pace too hot and veered out at the top of the straight. It was the surprise package Alamgir who came with a spirited run opposite the grandstand to finish a good runner-up.

Then came the double of the Vikash Jaiswal-Shekhawat combo. Rock Superstar made every post of the Everynsky Handicap a winning one. None of his six rivals except Hymn Star had any form to go by. The last named may have found his weight a stopper. The distance also probably didn't suit him.

Shekhawat's next winner, Magic Mantra, was languishing in the rear of the field till heads turned for home and then swept past the front-running stablemate Mirror Image without batting an eyelid. the manner of the ten-year-old's win speaks well of his mentor.

The Dorania Handicap was perhaps the most thrilling race of the entire afternoon. Apprentice Pradeep Kumar took Corner-trained Cromwell to the front of the field as the gates opened and hugged the rails while the 'false' favourite Sportsman was slow off and in the rear of the field. The front-runner was followed by Thousand Stars, while a length further back was Bullet Broof and Shaksham Babe. The last named made the mistake of sitting on the outside of Thousand Stars who is known to go wide. After the bend, he sure enough went wide, taking the Babe with him. By the time jockey Ashish got his act together, it was a little too late but his was undoubtedly the fastest horse at the finish.

J.Chinoy too completed a brace in the last race of the afternoon as he guided R. Alford-trained Arrayal to a fine victory. Romantic Escape was withdrawn in this race while the favourite Autumn Rose was unimpressive.