On a bright Sunday afternoon at the historic Mahalaxmi Racecourse, the much-anticipated C.N. Wadia Gold Cup (Gr.2), powered by Zavaray S. Poonawalla, delivered a nail-biting finish that had punters and racing enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. The hot favourite Dye, who was offered at odds of 19/10, lived up to the expectations, narrowly winning the feature event of the day.
Trained to perfection and ridden by the seasoned and ever-reliable P. Trevor, Dye surged ahead in the final moments to register a dramatic neck victory over the valiant Pyrite, piloted by top jockey A. Sandesh. This triumph marked Dye's 10th career win from 24 starts, a testament to both the horse’s consistency and the synergy shared with his jockey.
As the field of 12 runners thundered out from the gates just in front of the finishing post for the gruelling 2400-meter contest, it was the experienced seven-year-old Rasputin who seized the early advantage. He dictated terms comfortably through the initial stretch, holding the lead past the 1600-meter marker. However, as the race began to intensify, High Command made a decisive move to snatch the lead, injecting momentum into the race.
With the contest heating up past the 1800-meter mark, the front-running pack saw a shake-up as Evaldo, Regal Command, and Golden Kingdom entered the fray, momentarily sharing leadership duties. The tactical shifts in pace and positioning kept the race wide open as the horses approached the final 400 meters.
Meanwhile, Duke Of Tuscany, breaking from the outer draw, made his move on the outside, while Dye, biding his time patiently in the middle of the pack, began to weave his way through the traffic with quiet determination.
In a heart-pounding finale that went right down to the wire, Dye unleashed a powerful burst of speed, colliding into a fierce duel with Pyrite in the last 100 meters. The crowd erupted as both jockeys threw everything into the final strides. But in the last ten meters, Dye edged ahead, securing a narrow yet emphatic win, giving Trevor yet another feather in his illustrious cap.
The race may have begun with many contenders, but it ended with one clear victor—Dye, who proved once again why he is a favourite among both punters and purists of the sport.
