An excellent 10-race card is framed by the Royal Western India Turf Club to usher in the Derby weekend in style.

The grade three, Kunigal Breeders' Produce Stakes is the feature event of the card in which half a dozen talented three-year-olds are in the fray, including Nearness Of You, a Poonawalla family-owned & bred filly by Diffident out of Forest Fantasy, who was unlucky to narrowly lose on her debut at Bangalore.

And although I personally downgrade any Bangalore runner facing the Mahalaxmi track for the first time, I am tempted to make her an exception. In fact, despite Maddox and Picasso, two promising local youngsters being in the fray, I nominate Nearness Of You as the best bet of the ten-race card. Bullet, much better placed at the weights as compared to his last run, may be considered a good bet in the United Spirits Challenge, a five-furlong sprint affair for class II horses.

First race at 1 pm. Selections: Bouvet-Ladubay Championship - Div II (For 5y&o, class V; 1200m)
Distinguished 1, Game Of Power 2, Hisham 3.

Bouvet-Ladubay Championship - Div I (For 5y&o, class V; 1200m)
Hickory 1, Blau Himmel 2, Top Action 3.