Chris Hayes gave a perfect ride, on Celestial Way, to win the Golconda 1000 Guineas 2009 (Gr.II), on Sunday, beating the more favoured stable mate, Messalina. Spot on led the field from the start and opened a sizable lead setting a fast pace. Celestial Way quickly settled in about third position, while David Allan could not find way through the crowd and preferred to settle Messalina off the pace. As the field straightened up, Chris jockeyed a challenge and sizzled past Spot on and Smrithiman. Meanwhile, Messalina was put into top gear widest of all and although she devoured ground, found Celestial Way a good two lengths in front. There were no hard luck stories for Messalina as Celestial Way won in her own right.

Speaking to Indiarace after the race, trainer Padmanabhan, who seemed pleased by his ‘one-two’ in the Guineas, said, ”Messalina was trained for a mile and a quarter for the Mysore Derby while Celestial Way was coming on, from seven furlongs to a mile and the fast pace of the race suited Celestial Way.” He feels that the punching of the hands in the air by Chris near the winning post probably denied Celestial Way a place in the record books as the timing of 1 min 37.11 secs was slower than Diego Rivera’s course record by 0.02 secs.

Shehzad Abbas’s Iaepetus lifted the Chief Justice of A.P. Trophy, the supporting event of the day. While Iaepetus was a ‘certainty’ for most of the race goers, Coral Gables, who will be turning ten by the end of the year, had his share of die hard fans. Iaepetus led well into the straight and managed to comfortably hold on to the lead from Coral Gables who ran a mighty race to finish second. The other nine runners in the race turned out to be ‘also ran’. It may be well argued that weight and not age was a stopper for Coral Gables.

Shehzad’s Chiquelle had cruised to a splendid win earlier in the day, in the Vedavathi Plate. Chris Hayes had partnered the 10-3 on favourite and going by the manner of the filly’s victory she should turn out to be a sitter when put on the track again.

The Ardent Knight Plate, a race for the youngsters produced an exciting finish. Airborne Magic was first collared by Ice Mountain midway up the straight while Don Valentino was preparing to pounce, widest of the three runners. David Allan rode a peach of a race poking through runners on Rapture of Victory to give a well-deserved win for trainer Vittal Deshmukh. Don Valentino, who lost by a neck, should be fancied to clear his maiden ranks in his next run.

Leo led in Zulima in the Medak Plate, the opening race of the day and Regents Park in the higher division of the Original Vel V. Balasubramani Memorial Cup. Zulima gathered momentum in the last 50 metres to beat Grand Party who had set out on a start-to-finish mission but failed to accomplish. Regents Park produced a stunning turn of foot in the last 100 metres to fly and win the race with Good Speed, Ujjaini and Hunting Bay filling the frame.

Prasad Raju’s Smarty Prince was tactfully guided to victory along the inner rails in the division I of the Zoom Zoom Plate. Smarty Prince was in about sixth position entering the straight and Suraj Narredu found it more prudent to make his move along the rails and the tactics paid out as Star Favours drifted out in the last 100 metres thus opening a highway, allowing Suraj to shift gears on Smarty Prince.

Cheetah He Jeetha justified the favouritism in the lower division, winning by a widening margin.

Habeebullah’s Fusion Music finally managed to get into the winning bracket, getting it right, in the lower division of the Original Vel V. Balasubramani Memorial Cup. Music Express moved from outermost draw and settled well in second. Coming inside the final furlong, Music Express went clear by two lengths while Hospitality, Classic Ruby and Narwhal were beginning to pose a threat. Fusion Music unleashed a good run, covered plenty of ground, and flashed past Music Express by a neck. Classic Ruby was observed to be lame on his left fore after the race.