Starry Eyes, to be ridden by A Sandesh, is tipped to win the event. Trainer Cooji Katrak seems to have painstakingly got her back close to her last season's best form, after she blotted her copybook by putting in two back to back pathetic performances at Bangalore during the summer campaign.

If the mock race Starry Eyes ran at the Pune racetrack last month is any indication, the Multidimensional - Pricewise three-year-old filly looks all set to resume her winning ways, and may not face any serious threat from either of her two rivals.

Another classy three-year-old, Alaindair, trained by Altamash Ahmed, has also chosen to begin his campaign on the opening day's card having directly jumped into a class I fray, something that not all talented youngsters attempt to do.

He will have to guard himself against trainer Dallas Todywalla's Silver Streak who has taken the handicap route to the top class by posting a sensational winning performance in class II in his last run at Pune.