Vijay Damini (Elusive City-Kabubina) sported the popular silks of Pink and Red Stars to an overwhelming victory, in the Melbourne Racing Club Trophy, on Monday at Hyderabad. Four runners were declared to start in the race and L.V.R.Deshmukh’s Vijay Damini was the only local representation with the other three coming all the way from Bangalore. One Life to Love from the yard of Rashid Byramji topped the billing after her awesome win at Mysore recently. Hatsuhana and Aprillia had their share of supporters while Vijay Damini was least expected to win, going by the betting pattern. Vijay Damini, a speedy customer, set off on a fast pace followed by Aprillia, Hatsuhana and One Life to Love. On the final run in for home Vijay Damini never showed any signs of tiring and held out strongly in front till the winning post, stopping the clock fractionally short of the course record. Hatsuhana chased the winner right through the last 300 metres while the favourite started to dig into the turf when put pressure on the straight and finished last of four.

Ananth Vatsalya’s Nano Storm (Epicentre-torm) literarily stormed ahead, to register an overwhelming win in the Kitty Banks Cup. Jockey S.John settled Nano Storm nicely in third, while Girnar enjoyed a four lengths lead followed by the favourite Spanish Conquest. The pattern didn’t change much till approaching the distance post, when the long lead taken by Girnar started to diminish fast with Nano Storm making rapid headway in the centre of the track. Nano Storm stretched out by four and a half lengths at the finish with Secret Burden taking the second spot ahead of Handsome Hawk and Wedding Gift.

Trainer Donald Netto saddled two short priced winners. Half-money favourite Rajkumari (Rebuttal-Kabubina) won the opening race of the day, the Kakinada Plate. Jockey Imran Khan on Rajkumari encountered a brief clash mid-way up the straight from Sea Runner before surging clear. Home Town rallied late to finish a close third behind Sea Runner. The second winner for Netto, Kings Cruise (Eljohar-Bon Apetit) needed the expertise of Suraj Narredu in snatching the victory from Enchantment close home. Kings Cruise travelled towards the rear of the field till passing the 800 metres board and from there on moved around the field, taking the final turn almost seven horses away from the rails. Enchantment had by then taken charge and had a useful lead built up. Suraj had to ride out hard to get Kings Cruise to raise a gallop and get past the relentless Enchantment in the last 20 metres of the race. Grand Rapids and Disco Flash filled the frame.

Jockey Ladjadj Stephane rode a peach of a race on the favourite Blazing Asian (Razeen-Slickchic), driving home Shehzad Abbas’s gelding to a two length victory, in the higher division of the G Sudhakar Reddy Memorial Cup. Divine Ganges ran on to be second while Zambo Anga and Power Play finished third and fourth respectively.

K.S.V.Prasad Raju sent out winners in both the divisions of the Roman Beauty Plate. Imran Khan rode Royal Turn (Quest Star-Chivas Gold) to an easy victory in the higher division, while Cannon Jet (Royal Gladiator-Persian Conquest) scored a stunning win in the lower division. Royal Turn was settled well in third position behind Al Malawi and Cannon Vision till the last 400 metres and surged to take over and win comfortably. Green Thumb moved to second but found the winner hard to catch. In the lower division Buck Knife had taken a sizable lead over the rest and was shaping like a winner when Cannon Jet appeared from nowhere to score her maiden win in the shadow of the winning post.

Sk.Kassam trained Star Experience (Ontario-Pledge), who had scored a surprise win in his previous run, repeated the performance, in the Red Chieftan Cup. Al Jabal, a runner up on Sunday, had to settle for the second place once again. Al Jabal and Star Experience fought a hard battle right through the last 300 metres and the superior handling of P.S.Chouhan enabled the latter to move ahead by three parts of a length at the wire.

L.D’Silva’s Sun Strikes ( Intaquere Power-Waggamama) pulled off a stunning upset over the favourite Naughty Gal, in the Red Satin Plate, the concluding race of the day. With two wins from as many runs, Naughty Gal was sent in as the firm favourite in the race. Sporting a basket bit, Naughty Gal seemed to have overcome the bad habit of running haywire and kept a straight course along the inner rails throughout the straight. Sun Strikes moved menacingly towards Naughty Gal and after a fiercely fought battle in the final furlong managed to strike better by three parts of a length at the finish.