The crowd held its breath as the gates flung open for the most awaited spectacle of the day—the Zavaray S. Poonawalla Sprinters’ Challenge, a 1200-meter blitz that promised high stakes and elite competition. As the sixth race on the RWITC card, the buzz around the track was electric, with punters and racing enthusiasts alike glued to every stride on the turf. The prize purse was as grand as the race itself—Rs.21,00,000 for the winner, Rs.7,70,000 for the runner-up, and Rs.4,20,000 for third place.
In a race that will be remembered for its nail-biting finale and sheer class, it was the tote-favourite, TIME AND TIDE who emerged triumphant, ridden with precision and poise by top jockey A Sandesh. Trained by Adhirajsingh Jodha and owned by Mr. Vikram Bachhawat, representing Bachhawat Farms Pvt Ltd, the champion stopped the clock at a blistering 1:08:781. Going off at odds of one, the favourite lived up to the hype, delivering a textbook performance that had the stands erupting in applause.
But it was no walk in the park. Breathing down the leader’s neck was CONSTABLE, piloted by the determined Vivek G and trained by the formidable P Shroff. Owned by a powerhouse consortium—Mr and Mrs Vijay B. Shirke, Mr Jay V. Shirke, Mr K N Dhunjibhoy, Mr Z K Dhunjibhoy, Ms Anosha Meyers (representing Five Stars Shipping Co Pvt Ltd) and Mr Berjis Minoo Desai—CONSTABLE pushed the winner to the limit, timing 1:08:853 and going off at odds of 12. The finish between the two was too close to call until the final few meters.
Not far behind was MAGILETO, a consistent contender ridden by ace jockey P Trevor and trained by Aman Altaf Hussain. Owned by a passionate racing group comprising Mr Solomon F. Sopher, Miss Jessy D’Cunha, Miss Veera D’Souza, Mr Ashok Ranpise, and Mr Anil Saraf, the galloper clocked 1:09:129 and went off at odds of 10, putting in a strong show to secure the third spot.
The Zavaray S. Poonawalla Sprinters’ Challenge not only delivered on drama but showcased the finest sprinters in the country in peak form. The final showdown of the day, the Hornby Vellard Million, is up next. Stay tuned as the curtain prepares to fall on a remarkable day of racing!
