The Pune Meeting’s second day got off to a cracking start on August 2nd, 2025, as Storm Cloud breezed home in the Truefitt & Hill Trophy Division II, delivering a smooth and assertive win under the guidance of C. Umesh for trainer Narendra Lagad.
Beneath overcast skies and on a good track with a penetrometer reading of 4.5 (Longchamp method), the 1000-metre race for Indian horses aged four years and older carried a purse of ₹5.5 lakh and signalled the promise of a thrilling afternoon of racing at the Pune racecourse.
Storm Cloud Sets the Tone
Owned by Mr Dhananjay M. Vidhate, Mr Sahil D. Vidhate, Mr Suresh Keshaorao Yadav & Mr Rajiv Tinaikar, Mrs. Minal Pitale, Mr. Suresh Pitale & Mr. Nihar Pitale rep. Green Turf Racing LLP, Storm Cloud jumped cleanly and maintained a consistent gallop to stop the clock at 0:59.742, claiming the day’s opening race with confidence and control.
Trailing just behind was Arbitrage, piloted by Haridas Gore for trainer Rehanullah Khan, who finished second in 1:00.112. Maratha Admiral, partnered by N. S. Parmar for M. K. Jadhav, took the third spot with a timing of 1:00.328.
All Eyes on the August Handicap and Sprungli Plate
With Storm Cloud drawing first blood, anticipation now builds for key attractions on the day’s card, including the August Handicap, the Sprungli Plate, and the Zephyr Bay Plate, which concludes the day’s racing at 5:00 pm.
Racegoers will also keep a close watch on the JSK1 Play & Win August Trophy, the next event lined up, promising more high-stakes action. Take a look at the contenders for this race.
Stay with RaceBuzz for in-depth coverage and race-by-race analysis from Pune Meeting, happening under the aegis of Royal Western India Turf Club.
