The sixth race on the card, The Astounding Cup Div I, delivered a thrilling finish at the Calcutta Races, Winter Meeting – First Day, on Thursday, 1st January, 2026, as Polka Dot emerged victorious in a competitive Class III contest for horses rated 41–66 and 21–46 eligible, run over 1400 metres at 2:00 PM. In what quickly became one of the talking points of the afternoon and a key Calcutta race result 1 jan, Polka Dot justified strong support to score a narrow but authoritative win for jockey Mukesh Kumar and trainer Aashay Doctor, stopping the clock at 1:25.836 for an expansive ownership led by Mrs Menaka Gupta, Mrs Rina Mahindra, M/s Arion Horse Co Pvt Ltd, Mr Marthand Singh Mahindra, M/s Deciding Factor LLP, Mr Hemang Devendra Doctor, Mr Kaushal Kumbhat, Mr Chandrakanta Kankaria, Mr Viral Devkumar Doctor & Mr Achuthan Siddharth.
Settled into a handy position through the early stages, Polka Dot travelled smoothly as the field negotiated the backstretch, with Mukesh Kumar keeping his mount balanced and within striking distance. Turning for home, the gelding responded smartly when asked, quickening decisively inside the final furlong to assert just enough control and fend off late challenges in a closely fought finish.
Anigraha (J: Hindu Singh, T: Vijay Singh) chased the winner all the way to the line, finishing a fast-closing second in 1:25.866, while Blinky Bill (J: Arul J H, T: Neil Darashah) was right in the mix to secure third place with a time of 1:25.876, underlining how tight the contest was among the top three.
With The Astounding Cup Div I concluded in gripping fashion, attention now turns to The Astounding Cup Div II, scheduled for 2:30 PM, as the Calcutta card continues to build towards an exciting climax at the Maidan.
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