The Hyderabad Winter Races 2010-11 came to an end on Tuesday, with a nine-card extra day being framed. K.S.V. Prasad Raju’s Alberton Star (Royal Gladiator-Naval Guardian) won the Prince Mouzam Jah Bhadur Memorial Trophy, the feature of the day’s races, in an impressive fashion. The race looked wide open as the 13 horses left the paddock for the Category I event, with the consistent Chestnut Charmer looking to be the best. Alberton Star was favourably placed on handicap and the right money came towards race time, winding up as the first favourite, in the betting ring. Approaching the final bend, Chestnut Charmer was in front, closely followed by Metaforce, Dancing Touch, Mission Chief and Alberton Star.

On top of the straight, Chestnut Charmer shot ahead by about three lengths but Alberton Star bridged the gap with telling strides and emerged clear. It was double delight for Prasad Raju, having won the Knight Of Medina Plate with Transformation. Pitched against a mediocre opposition, Transformation (China Visit-Lei) surged ahead approaching the final bend and drew away to win by a distance. For the record, Bribe Madi, Audacious and Cherry Hill filled the frame. Apprentice Ajit Kumar got his thirtieth career win, in the opening race and followed it up with two more. He has been the most successful of the new lot of youngsters and is all set to become a full jockey very early in the next season.

Royal Quest (Sir Bordeaux-Tils) raced with Fortune Art till the top of the straight and travelled better to register a win in the Princess Helen Plate. Green Thumb and Trigger Happy were withdrawn before the start of the day and Chashm E Badur was withdrawn after she refused to move into the gates. Stablemates Star Value (Diffident-Star Role) and Crown Crystal fought out every inch of the final furlong and Ajit’s forceful riding enabled the former to prevail by a ‘short head’ at the wire, in the Diamond Green Plate. Jaz Elle took the third spot ahead of Prince Warrior while the favourite Vijays Dhara fared miserably to finish in the ruck. Kohinoor Glory and Sun Bird set a fast pace, racing together till the final bend, in the Vanasthali Plate.

Netto-trained Sun Bird (Razeen-Slickchic) slipped into the front with 400 metres left in the race and with Ajit Kumar riding all out, stayed in front to deny a win for the more favoured stablemate Laurelle. Deepanjali was withdrawn before the race. Netto pulled off a double, lifting the Ivory Touch Plate with Ilustrator (Young senor-Truly Scrumptious). A big gamble on Tico Tico, slammed from longer odds to 5/2, fizzled out. Approaching the 600 metres, Tico Tico rushed to take a big margin but showed signs of distress in the last 300 metres.

Bang On Target went past the tiring Tico Tico but that was not enough when Illustrator breezed ahead coming from way behind. Faiyaz Shaikh's Art Dealer (Ontario-Giovane Signora) was given a hard ride by S. John to win the Blue Wave Plate for three-year-old maidens. The favourite Samvida, who was on debut, went start-to-finish but couldn’t match strides when Art Dealer came charging towards the closing stages. Confidential was withdrawn after he refused to move into the gates. The Salini Plate, a nine-furlong race for horses in category II, was won by K.V. Srinivas-trained Moheena (Case Law-Metronomic). Fearless Mission took charge after chasing Magic Million till the top of the straight and opened a big gap. Moheena improved to be fourth, rounding the final bend and with gigantic strides bridged the gap and overhauled Fearless Mission in the last 50 metres.

Apprentice P. Venkat had replaced an injured Sai Vamshi on the winner. Season’s champion jockey P.S. Chouhan rode a peach of a race to emerge victorious in The Horsley Hills Plate, the concluding race of the day. Daniella showed up first on the home stretch closely followed by the favourite Samsonite (Gashwar-Samarinda). The two fought a hard battle and in the end Chouhan’s riding ensured a win for Samsonite. Apprentice Ajit Kumar rode a treble on the last day while D. Netto and Prasad Raju scored a brace each.