Aristos (Okawango-Leros) set the track on fire, setting a new course record over the mile trip, while pulling off a classy victory in the Qutab Shahi Cup, a 1600 m Terms race for horses 4 year olds and upward, which was the highlight of Sunday’s races at Hyderabad. Ladjadj Stephane who was atop Aristos while winning the H.R.C. Golden Jubilee Commemoration Cup last October, rode with supreme confidence, to reach home a ‘second’ faster than the existing course record. Aristos is the proud property of Dr. & Mrs. Vijay Mallya, representing The United Racing and Blood Stock Breeders Ltd.

Vijay Damini headed the field, followed closely by Iaepetus and Aristos, while Aloisia and Kohinoor Wish braced the rear. The same order prevailed till approaching the final turn. Vijay Damini started to fade out on entering the home stretch and Iaepetus surged ahead. Ladjadj brought Aristos with a challenge inside the last 200 metres and with a terrific turn of foot drew away, to score an impressive victory.

Jockey Imran Khan gave a copy book ride on Prasad Raju’s Strides Of Glory (Burden Of Proof-Saddle Star) in the Raja Sitharam Bhupal of Domakonda Samasthan Memorial Cup, a seven furlongs terms race for three year olds. Strides of Glory displayed good turn of foot inside the last 300 m to score a deserving encore. Racing close on the heels of Allendale till entering the home straight, Strides Of Glory surged ahead and pulled off from Hurricane Dancer. Dazzling Prince moved fast towards the closing stages to finish a close third behind Hurricane Dancer.

The owner, trainer and jockey combination of Col.S.B.Nair, Anupam Sharma and Carlos Henrique scored a double, through Young Soldier and Valentine. Young Soldier (Hymn-Spirit Of Patxi) won the R.W.I.T.C.Cup, a five and a half furlongs sprint from start to finish. Young Soldier who had gone down narrowly to Alexander Square in his last outing, jumped out smartly from the outermost draw to head the field from the word ‘go’. Dancing Touch and Aphrodisiac were in futile chase in the last 150 metres and finished second and third respectively.

Valentine (The Lady’s Groom-Amazon Sky) led all the way from the start and held on gallantly from the favourire Lake Blossom to win the lower division of the Naloma Plate, the concluding race of the day.

Sk.Kassam’s True Diamond (Diffident-Aquila) romped home in the Starsky Plate, a 1000 m dash. Jockey Satish Nayak had True Diamond in front at start and was the first to enter the home straight. Drum Beat tried to get to the leader inside the final furlong but True Diamond stepped up pace and drew away to score a convincing win.

L.D’Silva’s Anacostia (Clodovil-Almost Perfect) was ridden to victory by apprentice Kuldeep Singh in the higher division. Settled in third behind Best Pal and Kohinoor Supreme, Anacostia made a forward move in the last 300 metres. Kohinoor Supreme fell back and Best Pal continued to hold on till the last 50 m from where Anacostia surged ahead to finish well ahead.

D.Netto trained Glorious Bay (Young Senor-Gracious Bay) who had not seen the winner’s enclosure for almost two years, managed to scrape through from Midnight Beauty, in the lower division of the Dark Angel Plate, the opening race of the day. Midnight Beauty came up with a fast run and bridged the leeway Glorious Bay had established on the home stretch but the winning post came to the rescue of Glorious Bay who emerged victorious by a short head.

Laxman Singh’s Balladier (Ikhtyar-Perfect Catch) was a run-away victor in the higher division. In the forefront from the start, Balladier came in first for the final run and drew away from the rest to win by 9 lengths. Peasgus Belle was the best of the beaten brigade.