When the gates fly open on Sunday, trainers will be caught sharing quick, practised gestures with their horses — a reassuring pat, a soft kiss at the muzzle — and jockeys will flash furtive smiles as they mount. The crowd will swell and the course will hum: the Pune Races 2025 (RWITC) will promise an afternoon of top-class competition, tight finishes and the sort of small dramas that make race day afternoons linger in the memory.
Preview: Pune Races 2025 — Full Card
The card will open at 1:00 pm with The Excellent Sorrento Plate, a 1200m dash for Class V horses rated 1–26 carrying ₹5 lakhs. Arbitrage (jockey Haridas Gore, trainer Rehanullah Khan), Ariyana Star (jockey A. Sandesh, trainer Aman Altaf Hussain), Etoile (jockey Antony Raj S, trainer Bezan Chenoy) and Red Dust (jockey Aditya Waydande, trainer Faizal A. Abbas) will be expected to set the early pace. Watch for Zip Along, Anaira and Lightning Blaze — each could spring a surprise under experienced handling.
At 1:40 pm, The Excellent Trophy — another 1200m contest, this time for horses rated 80 and above and offering ₹10 lakhs — will shape up as a tactical affair. Dream Seller (jockey Bharat Singh, trainer P.S. Chouhan), It’s My Time (jockey Aditya Waydande, trainer Dallas Todywalla), Irish Gold (jockey Antony Raj S, trainer Dallas Todywalla), Christophany (jockey Neeraj Rawal, trainer Imtiaz A. Sait) and Divine Star (jockey A. Sandesh, trainer Aman Altaf Hussain) will promise close racing. Son of a Gun, Turn and Burn and Cellini will also be in the mix and could alter the script if given racing room.
The stamina test will come at 2:20 pm with The Serum Institute of India Trophy, a 2400m contest for horses rated 40–66 carrying ₹6,79,250. Exuma (jockey N.S. Parmar, trainer M.K. Jadhav), Bugatti (jockey A. Prakash, trainer P. Shroff), Black Thunder (jockey Neeraj Rawal, trainer Rehanullah Khan) and Land of Plenty (jockey Aditya Waydande, trainer Subhag Singh) will stand out on paper, though the balance of the field could invite a surprise challenger over the long trip.
The highlight will arrive at 3:00 pm when The Villoo C. Poonawalla Million — a 1200m dash exclusively for three-year-olds with ₹15 lakhs on offer — will demand all of the contestants’ speed and poise. All For Love (jockey Yash Narredu, trainer M. Narredu) will arrive with expectations, but American Eagle (jockey Mukesh Kumar, trainer Shazaan Shah), Foxy (jockey T.S. Jodha, trainer Behram Cama), It’s My Way (jockey Bhawani Singh, trainer Karthik Ganapathy), Mutual Trust (jockey A. Sandesh, trainer S.S. Attaollahi) and Youremanorborne (jockey K. Pranil, trainer P.S. Chouhan) will ensure fireworks are likely.
At 3:40 pm, the S.A. Poonawalla Million (Grade III) — a 1600m contest for three-year-olds with ₹15 lakhs — will bring another heavyweight clash. Ice Of Fire (jockey K. Sai Kiran, trainer Prasanna Kumar P), Gunsmoke (jockey Yash Narredu, trainer M. Narredu), Bishop (jockey R. Ajinkya, trainer P. Shroff) and Baychimo (jockey Antony Raj S, trainer Nirad Karanjawala) will be prominent, while Waitara, Challenge Accepted, Encino and Zacharias will add depth and tactical spice.
The penultimate feature, The Suraiya & Masoom Master Trophy, will run at 4:20 pm over 1200m for horses rated 40–66 and offering ₹6.5 lakhs. Quicker (jockey Bharat Singh, trainer M. Narredu), Divine Intuition (jockey Vivek G, trainer Aman Altaf Hussain), Aperol (jockey Mukesh Kumar, trainer Nirad Karanjawala) and Bee Magical (jockey Neeraj Rawal, trainer Imtiaz A. Sait) will generate early betting interest; Western Star, Zendaya and Cinderella’s Dream will not be without their chances.
The curtain will come down at 5:00 pm with The Sultan Suleiman Plate, a mile-long handicap over 1600m for horses rated 20–46 carrying ₹5.5 lakhs. Kings Gambit (jockey Vivek G, trainer P. Shroff) and Marcus (jockey C. Umesh, trainer Narendra Lagad) will bring proven consistency, while Storm (jockey T.S. Jodha, trainer Behram Cama), Applause (jockey Bharat Singh, trainer Altamaash A. Ahmed), Azalea (jockey A. Prakash, trainer P. Shroff) and Giant Gold (jockey Aditya Waydande, trainer Shazaan Shah) will aim to make the finale the day’s talking point.
As the Pune Meeting readies for Sunday, the blend of seasoned campaigners and emerging talent will ensure that Pune Racecourse remains the hub of thrilling horse racing action this weekend.
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