The 2025 Pune Meeting- Special Race Day kicked off under overcast skies and yielding track conditions at the Pune Racecourse on Friday, July 25. Opening the seven-race card was The Beyond Expectation Plate, a 1000-meter handicap race for Indian horses aged four years and above. The race carried a total purse of ₹5,00,000 and proved to be a sharp sprint test on a surface that read 4.7 on the Longchamp penetrometer scale.
The contest was fiercely run, but it was Between Friends who emerged victorious with a well-timed run under jockey Prashant P. Dhebe, guided expertly by trainer M. K. Jadhav. The gelding clocked 1:00.521, showing both grit and acceleration in the final meters to claim the honours. The winner is owned by Mr. S. S. Shah and lived up to its name by pulling ahead in the closing strides of a closely fought race.
Finishing second was Mirae, handled by S. Mosin for trainer Narendra Lagad. The runner-up completed the trip in 1:00.598, just missing out on top honours despite a strong gallop in the straight.
Northern Singer, also trained by Narendra Lagad and ridden by C. Umesh, secured the third spot with a time of 1:00.721, showcasing consistency despite not quite matching the winner’s finishing kick.
False rails were strategically placed throughout the course, 2 metres wide at the 1200m mark, expanding to 4 metres up to the winning post, providing some tactical advantages and influencing positioning, especially during the sprint.
Full race results from the Pune Meeting Special Race Day, including The Beyond Expectation Plate, can be viewed on RaceBuzz
With the day’s curtain-raiser delivering a thrilling finish, anticipation now builds for the next race on the card, The S. K. Sunderji Salver, while the marquee event of the day, The JSK1 Gaming Trophy, remains the centrepiece of Pune’s Friday racing festivities.
