Pune: Auburn, the Champs Elyssee - Atwirl mare who has struck brilliant form this season, will be bidding for a hat-trick on the Pune track in the grade 2, Aquaguard Championship RWITC Ltd Gold Cup, slated as the feature event for the final day of the Pune monsoon season 2019. The Vishal Gaikwad ward, who posted facile victories over 1600m & 1800m, will now test her stamina over an extra furlong, 2000m.

Secretive Force, runner to Desert God in the President Of India Gold Cup at Hyderabad last month, has been ambitiously pitched in the fray by the Bangalore-based trainer Darius Byramji, and the four-year-old colt should be regarded as Auburn's main rival. I feel the distance of 2000m may help Secretive Force to humble Auburn despite the home turf advantage being in the latter's favour.