Khaleels Pride from Hyderabad, against the run of general expectations, won the 1400 metres Civil Service Cup which featured Saturday’s races. It was not that Khaleels Pride was winning out of turn because he had an imposing record back home and had a good forward run when finishing fourth to Southern Empire in his lead up race. What made his task easy was the fact that the local horses which should have been a force to reckon with, did not have the needed preparation, the trainers still to get over their holiday mood! They also started the season on a wrong note, more pre-occupied with their strike and now their horses have struck work! Cedros who had run a close second behind Green Bax in his last run during the Invitation Cup weekend races, had the requisite credentials to win as he had to move up on the handicap scale. Romantic Getaway looked far from fit while Mumbai contender Live Legend had dropped form as evidenced by his sequence of poor runs. Hence the support for him was misplaced. King of Hearts did the job of making the pace, with Cedros and Khaleels Pride racing in close attendance of each other while Live Legend, after a slow getaway, was brushed up to be in touch with the front-runners. When King of Hearts began to weaken, it looked as though Cedros would take charge on the wide outside but before he could get into his rhythm, Khaleels Pride had shot through along the rails. The son of Young Senor quickened nicely and went away from Cedros for a comfortable win. Nordic Star was third ahead of Romantic Getaway. Diamond Hunter looked gross in the paddock parade and it was clear that he would not be in the fighting line considering his lack of preparedness. The price on Celtic Princess was generous under the circumstances and the daughter of Placerville, despite not bouncing out of the gates from the inside draw to take charge, steadily moved up and sailed clear on turning for home to win the Justice P. Medappa Memorial Cup in splendid fashion. Panchakshari had the fitness to finish second ahead of Seriously Dangerous while Diamond Hunter finished down the field. A big gamble was landed when Smarty, assigned to jockey Raja Rao who is more famous for being on horses who are out for airings, winning decisively the lower division of the Diablo Plate. Smarty was so superior that ante-post favourite Pizzazz was left flat-footed. Smarty was the controversial horse on which jockey Prakash had escaped the wrath of the Stewards last year despite his lackadaisical efforts. The upper division of the race went the way of Janasheen who won at the expense of favourite Caramel and a late-finishing Vishnupriya. Trainer Padmanabhan opened his account when Confluence bolted to the front at the start of the nine furlong race and stayed put to win at the expense of favourite Royal Falcon. Magic Touch was third but both these runners should profit from this outing. Prasad Raju’s Royal Flyer who was the highest rated horse in fray in the Red Divine Plate (Div I) came from way off the pace to win in a tight finish from Amazing Look, Dunfanaghy and Turbo Babe. The lower division of the season went the way of She’s A Melody who won as she pleased from Hyderabad challengers Barcelona and Don Vinton. Forza who was showing out in the workouts, burst clear of the field in the final furlong to win in great style from Azraff. Fancied Apache Desert disappeared without a trace after showing out at the top of the straight.