Horses, whose potentials were affected by the errant professionals during the previous meetings, landed spoilsports on the third day of the season in Delhi on Tuesday. Spade of Ace and Raffaello were the jubilant winners, while Fraud succeeded in ensuring runner-up berth when the racegoers failed to nominate the successful winners in the jackpot, super jackpot and treble pool.

A heavy downpour recorded two days prior to the racing did not much affect the going which was as usual good. Even though the penetrometer reading was three centimetres, there was no sign of searing heat under which the previous day’s races were conducted.

Spade Of Ace, who had seen change of hands within a short period of six months barring the stable, was knocking at the door ever since the beginning of the season. But for one reason to another, the Mumbai-imported gelding was being kept off the target and the last run had made the jockey to pay the price while finishing late second to Cataluniya.

The Mohsin Khan trainee was in with a hope to bring laurel for his connection and truly he did so while mincemeating the class three companions in an easy manner in the Femina Plate. As soon as the field broke out, he found the leaders running within his reach and before turning into the homestretch, he had almost carved his name over the plate. "I had a little doubt about the in-form Paramount but being the younger horse pitting out against my matured animal, I was giving my trainee an edge over him," Mohsin Khan, trainer told me. "But the way he wrote a script, I did not think about it," Mohsin said. Full with great confidence, Mohsin went on further to say that he should bear another chance in the same class.

Fraud, whose reinman was also penalised for feeble handling last time out, made a fluent run in the straight after coming from the hind group to hold Winning Chick off by neck for the runner-up slot. Winning Chick got into action very late from the tail-end. Paramount, who had enthralled with his strides during his double, never looked to be serious in business and even clipped the heels of a horse running ahead of him in the straight.

Raffaello, who had come from Bangalore a couple of years ago to compete in the prominent races here, was eager for a long overdue win which he tasted eventually after a gap of a season. The bay gelding was prevented from running on its merit on the first day for which the jockey had to cough up a handsome amount. Taking a lesson from it, the connections sent him out in top hole and rest became a history when he routed the mediocre set with a widening gap of nine lengths in the Times House Plate. Since, the gelding has attained its rhythm, he should be followed till beaten.

The opening event - Sports Desk Plate - saw the punters standing dead cold when Strokeofbrilliance upset the calculations in a close battle with Minha Carina. Interestingly, Fixed Dividend, who finished third, the winner and second placed horse were in longer odds. The favourite Holy Warrior returned lame.  Minha Carina should make amends.

Faurties timely picked up momentum from his last victory he registered at the fag end of the last season and returned home beating the speedy customer Rose Velt. Once trailing the field till the early furlong, he joined the issue in the last furlong. He has the calibre to stay over longer trip. The run to remember is of The Little Mermaid, who bid her time late from the rear and that enabled her only the fourth place.

Time And Again returned to the winning ways by defeating Avtaar in the Times Of India Cup. Incidentally, both were in the longer odds. The public fancied Northern Prince, who was unnecessarily forced to run within a striking position of the leader Rainbow Shine, failed to live up to expectations. This run should be ignored. Rhapsody In Red bears watching. Ashwa Paddma taught a lesson to Protection and Little Cut over the furlongs competition. The gelding, who had a close save in the last outing, was ridden out superbly by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The performance of Mrs Anita Chauhan and Ravinder Pal Singh Chauhan's horses made the people sit-up. Despite running third, Gajendra continued drive him hard till the gelding took up charge before the curve. He should set his eyes for hat-trick. Protection should soon step into the winner's boot.