L.D’Silva trained Montpelier (Ad Valorem-Diarshana) raced away with the VIF Godolphin Barb Million – Grade 3, the feature event of Sunday’s races at Hyderabad. Seven 3 year olds lined up for the seven furlongs trip and Montpelier enjoyed maximum support, being sent in as the firm favourite. Azaiba set the pace from the start and Montpelier was held close to the inner rails, in about fourth position, till passing the 600 m board. Jockey Imran Chisty guided Montpelier swiftly along the gap that opened up as the field moved around the final bend for the home run and surged ahead. Chisty and Montpelier were in full control of the race throughout the straight and won convincingly. Winning Tactics rallied on to take the second spot ahead of Dark Avenger.

Anupam Sharma’s Kohinoor Wish (Gaswar-Blue Sonata) got back to winning ways, clinching the Umraolal Gupta Memorial Cup, a six furlongs sprint for horses in the highest category. Dancing Touch was looking to collar the front running Young Soldier on the home stretch and the favourite Kohinoor Wish was towards the rear, having almost a street to cover. Jockey Carlos Henrique guided the gelding on the wide outside and with just a couple of backhanders Kohinoor Wish showed sheer class and in a terrific turn of foot, swept past the entire field. Dancing Touch had to settle for the runner-up berth while Arrow in Auto Mode came in late to finish third ahead of Young Soldier.

Anupam and Henrique scored a quick double through Yakshagana (Dance To Destiny-Executive Angel) in the Mount Everest Plate. Travelling last out of eight runners, almost a distance behind the leading horse, on the straight, Yakshagana produced a scintillating run to score an encore. Celtic Rose who looked to wrap it up with 100 metres left, finished second while Days of Thunder failed yet again as a favourite, not able to figure on the board.

So Super (Don Micheletto-Super Swift) from the stables of S.A.Shehzad Abbas came up with a sustained gallop to get up to the front running Cannon Ten and rush forward inside the last furlongs to craft a maiden win the Smt.Teegala Sulochana Memorial Cup, a terms race for 3 year olds. Nano Desire covered plenty of ground from way behind but the asking was a tall one and failed to get to So Super by a ‘neck’ at the finish.

R.H.Seueira’s Toli Toli Toli (Mid-Town-Big And Blonde) picked up its first win of the season, in the higher ivision of the M.C.E.M.E. Rolling Trophy. The favourite Nasheeta had taken charge inside the last 300 metres and was joined by Toli Toli Toli. The two fought for a short distance and the latter accelerated well to win by three
lengths.

K.Satheesh trained Price Warrior (Sunday Doubt-Integrity) who has placed in all his runs except the debut one, made it a start to finish show, in the lower division. The 4 year old came into the home straight well in front after leading all the way from the start and won unperturbed. Kohinoor Victory was in futile chase towards the finish.

Satheesh and jockey K.Anil had earlier in the day teamed up to score a maiden win through Florentine (Tirol-Mataoka), in the lower division of the Elusive Pimpernel Plate, the first race of the day. Florentine who was sent into the race as the favourite, went ahead to lead the field within the first 100 metres from the start and made every pole a winning one. Sun Ray towed in to finish second in front of Royal Scotsman.

J.Silvester’s Ace Star (Hymn-Meryl) had to work hard to collar Indian Warrior in the shadow of the winning post and pick up her maiden victory in the higher division. Indian Warrior moved ahead, to lead, on top of the straight. Ace Star veered out all of a sudden when asked to quicken rounding the final turn and apprentice G.Sai Vamshi was quick to arrest the drift and brought the filly on even keel. The two fought out the last 100 metres and Ace Star emerged in front by half a length at the finish.

D.Netto’s Audacious (Epicentre-Ice Castle) ran away from the field to win the Aberader Plate, the concluding race of the day by a distance. Audacious who had remained a maiden after eleven runs, picked up her first win like a champion.