There was much up for grabs for the massive New Year’s Day crowd, and also for regular visitors. While the blind followers of favourites made a kill, serious minded punters made mental notes of some scintillating performances which would come in handy for them as the season progresses. The brilliant show of two horses ? Romantic Fire and Ardelis ? however, missed no one’s attention.

Romantic Fire’s victory in the Calcutta Sprinters’ Trophy served the notice that the Steinbeck-Allspice son has it in him to grab limelight at the national level.

He was spotted winner at the top of the straight the moment jockey C. Alford released brakes on the Vijay Singh-trained five-year-old. The three and half-a-length verdict established over Sea Legend by the 65-100 hot-favourite was, therefore, hardly an index of his true performance.

Alford could have multiplied it by several times had he so desired.

Ardelis’ debut victory in the Indian Produce Stakes was an equally bloodless one. If Romantic Fire allowed Sea Legend to dictate terms until the home turn, the handsomely bred juvenile, by Razeen out of Kolar Gold, did not find it necessary to match such tactics. He cruised in front from the start allowing Alford to take a short nap during the course of the 1,200m journey.

He left the holiday magnitude aghast by beating the opposition hollow with Alford having to contribute nothing to the youngster’s cause. It may not surprise, therefore, if Vijay and horse’s connections pack him off to south or to west for more lucrative events.

The Vijay-Alford combo won four events in total, and each of their well-backed winners produces a champion-like performance. They hit it off with an easy victory of Exclusive Affair in the RCTC Gold Vase that was expected to be a close contest for the grey gelding, in view of Rising Force’s presence in the field.

Exclusive Affair not only asserted his supremacy over the Daniel David-trainee, he also dashed hope of his Derby dream.

Drop Dead Gorgeous was impressive in her recent defeat but the very small-made filly was expected to take some time for recovery from the hard run on debut. Her paddock looks, however, never bore any such sign of weariness and the Razeen-Sparkling Vision daughter complemented Vijay with crushing win.

In third until the distance-post, the 9-10 favourite covered the ground likes a seasoned campaigner to leave the field far behind. Rest of the four events in an eight-event card were left for the likes of Daniels’ Bharaths, Bhungards and Karkis who notched up a winner apiece.

Daniel Star Phoenix, in the 2,000m Goodfellas Cup, made sure of avenging recent defeat suffered at the hands of Oklahoma. Bhungard pulled off a good gamble through Arabie ? a back-to-back winner. Bharath always believed in surprises and his Azinger lived up to the trainer’s reputation in the 1,400m Baba Trophy.

Karki’s Give Der Slip paid a glowing tribute to the departed soul, trainer Pat Quinn, in whose memory a trophy was instituted by his children. The four-year-old cashed in on his upcountry’s fo-rm, albeit in Class II, after he was given a preparatory run in the lower set with a heavy impost.