The Pune racecourse saw a flurry of activity on Tuesday morning, September 22, as trainers put their charges through their paces on the inner sand track. Among the morning's notable performers, Highground, Social Butterfly, and Cornucopia produced eye-catching efforts that suggest they are nearing peak condition for their upcoming engagements.
Highground, under the guidance of Siddharth, delivered a particularly sharp performance during gate practice. Covering 1000m in 1:03, the horse clocked 49 seconds for the 800m split and 37 seconds for the final 600m, responding well to the work. In the general training sessions, Social Butterfly also drew attention with an attractive 1000m gallop, clocking 1:05, with an 800m sectional of 52 seconds and a final 600m in 40 seconds.
Strong Gallops Define Morning Training
Cornucopia, partnered with Gore, was another to impress during the 1000m work. The pair clocked 1:05 for the distance, finishing well clear of Whisper after covering the 800m in 49 seconds and the final 600m in 37 seconds. This effort was matched in quality by Royal Champ, who finished a distance ahead of Wise Approach in a similar 1000m hit-out, recording 1:05 overall with a 50-second 800m split.
Other notable 1000m gallops included El Nino and Golden Gun, who moved level in 1:07, and the pair of Caspian and Magical Star, who finished their work in 1:09. Meanwhile, in the 1400m distance work, The Olive Crown and Savage Peacock maintained a steady rhythm, moving neck and neck to clock 1:37 for the full distance, with a 1200m split of 1:21.
Recent Mock Race Results
The training updates follow a series of mock races held on September 20 on the race track. In the first 1200m mock race, Minimus staged a dramatic recovery; after trailing the field until the bend, the horse produced a strong finish to overhaul the long-time leader, Brahmastra, winning by three-quarters of a length with a final 600m time of 36 seconds. The second mock race over the same distance saw Starbuster dominate from the start, leading pillar to post to secure a victory by three-quarters of a length, with a final 600m sectional of 36 seconds.
Earlier in the week, on September 21, Time And Tide also caught the eye during an impressive 1200m gallop, clocking 1:19 for the distance and 1:04 for the final 1000m. As preparations continue at the Pune centre, these performances provide a clear indication of the current form among the local stables.
