It was a day of close finishes on Monday at Hyderabad. The first three races were bagged by horses finding favour in the betting but outsiders started firing from the fourth race onwards and the diehard punters had to run for cover not knowing what hit them. There were no claimants even for the runner up Jackpot Pool.

Leo’s Khaleels Pride, available at nourishing odds, lifted the R.M.Reddy Memorial Cup, the feature event of the day. Vijayraaj had shot into the lead on the straight and Champ Forever along with Coral Gables were trying to make a race out of it when Khaleels Pride was brought through the field, by Mukesh, with a sustained run and got the better of Vijayraaj at the post. Champ Forever and Coral Gables filled the frame in a close finish.

Deshmukh’s Commander Moial put in a stunning performance to grab the Sardar Mohan Singh Bagga Memorial Cup, giving the trainer a well earned double. Carte Blanche was considered to be the day’s best betting proposition by most of the tipsters, vanished into thin air after being prominent in front till the final furlong. It would be prudent not to wager on this four year old gelding till he shows some winning form. Rudolph Valentino and King Size began their fight passing the distance post and both were overhauled by Commander Moial who flew in on the wide outside.

Canopus towards the rails, Cannon Hunt in the centre and Global Star on the far side fought out the final 300 metres in the Rishikonda Cup run over a mile and a half. Cannon Hunt surged ahead towards the closing stages and held on from Global Star’s vain bid.

The opening race witnessed the odds on Vijaysiddanth emerging victorious after a tough fight with Vijays Famme for a long time on the straight. Jockey Harish was vigorous on the winner and Jodha’s natural style of riding was missing.

Copertina came into the paddock as an odds on favourite at 10 to 7 in the Might is Right Plate. The filly was observed to be in season during the pre-race parade and as the news spread, the odds began to creep up winding up at 5 to 4 against, with the bookmakers eager to make an extra buck. Copertina made them cough up, as she won the race beating Mizna with a sustained run on the straight.

The Mountain Lilly Plate was divided into two races. The lower division was a handicapper’s delight with the first six places finishing within a length and a half. The favourite Amstel had taken charge and was clearly in front approaching the distance marker when she began to bleed through her nostrils and vanished from the scene. Rank outsider, Navija slipped in along the rails and held on by the shortest margin from Prohibition who flew in from an impossible position. Southern Spice, Embattled and Easy Touch finished behind them in a close finish.

Birdie clinched the higher division with a tremendous burst of speed in the last 150 metres. Colourful in front was busy staving off Al Jadeed’s challenge on the straight when Birdie galloped with gigantic strides and sped past the entire field.