The competitive edge of the Calcutta Races, Summer Meeting, Ninth Day, Friday, 3rd April, 2026 came to the fore in Race 6, The Punter’s Delight Handicap, a Class II contest for horses rated 61–86 (41–66 eligible), run over 1200 metres at 04:30 PM.
In a sharp sprint performance, Merlet (J: R Vaibhav) delivered a decisive victory for trainer S. Waheed, rewarding the confidence of a large ownership group led by Mr Ketan S Wakkar, Mr Amit V Menda, Mr Chirag V Shah, Mr Anil V Poduval, Mr Amarjeet Singh Narula, Mr Shivam Amarnath Mishra, Mr Kapil Bahl and Mr Rajiv Tinaikar, alongside Mrs Minal Pitale, Mr Suresh Pitale and Mr Nihar Pitale representing Green Turf Racing LLP. The result added another highlight to the day’s Kolkata race result 3 March coverage, reflecting the competitive depth of the card.
Breaking smartly from the gates, Merlet settled into a handy early position as the field travelled at a brisk pace. Approaching the bend, R Vaibhav began to edge forward, keeping the filly balanced and within striking distance. Once into the straight, Merlet responded fluently to pressure, quickening past the leaders with a telling turn of foot. From there, he maintained a strong gallop to the line, holding off all challengers with authority.
Conjurer (J: Neeraj Rawal, T: Rutherford Alford) ran a commendable race to secure second, staying on gamely in the closing stages but unable to match the winner’s acceleration. Ghirardelli (J: Vishal N Bunde, T: Neil Darashah) finished third after a steady effort, keeping on without seriously threatening the top pair.
With this sprint contest concluded, attention now turns to the upcoming The Cupid Handicap Div I at 05:00 PM, where another competitive field is set to keep the afternoon’s momentum alive.
Stay tuned to RaceBuzz for complete coverage, results, and highlights from the Calcutta Races Summer Meeting as the day unfolds.