The opening race of the afternoon, Race 1 – The Esquire Handicap, a Class V contest for horses rated 1–26 over 1100 metres, set the tone for the Summer Meeting’s fifth day at Kolkata on Thursday, 19th March 2026. In what shaped up as an early highlight of the Kolkata race result 19 March coverage, ROYAL KING (J: Imran Chisty) delivered a sharp and professional performance to claim top honours for trainer Shafiq Khan, clocking 1:07.151. The winner, owned by Mr Sarfaraz Khan, showed pace and control to register a convincing victory.
Breaking smartly from the gates, ROYAL KING quickly settled into a prominent position, travelling fluently just off the early pace. As the field approached the final furlong, jockey Imran Chisty asked for an effort, and the response was immediate. The gelding surged ahead with authority, asserting dominance in the closing stages and keeping his rivals at bay with a well-timed finishing burst.
SCHWARZENEGGER (J: Suraj Narredu, T: Vikash Jaiswal) chased gamely to secure the runner-up position, staying on without seriously threatening the winner. HERMES (J: Vinod Shinde, T: Rutherford Alford) finished third after a steady effort, completing the placings in a competitive sprint.
With the curtain raised in decisive fashion, attention now shifts to the next contest, The Sunrise Song Plate at 02:45 PM, where another intriguing battle awaits on the Kolkata card.