L.V.R.Deshmukh trained Racing Ahead (Shamardal-Rah Wa) won the Major Mir Mujtaba Hussain Memorial Cup, which featured the nine races card on Monday at Hyderabad. The well bred 3 year old which is improving with every run completed a hat-trick. Racing Ahead had scored its maiden win at Bangalore in the S.N.Harish Memorial Trophy. After returning to Hyderabad he started off by convincingly beating his five rivals in the Turf Club Cup. Racing Ahead, a “late bloomer” in the words of its trainer Deshmukh was pitched in this seven furlongs trip for horses in category II after avoiding the Colts Championship Stakes on Sunday.

Racing Ahead took a good jump from the outermost draw and headed towards the inner path swiftly to race a close third behind Street Magic and Crown Castle. Entering the straight for the final run Racing Ahead moved around the two in front to take charge passing the two furlongs pole. Always Bullish started to offer a challenge inside the last 100 metres but P.S.Chouhan nursed Racing Ahead well to keep going and be a length in front at the finish, in a fast timing which fractionally was better than the existing course record.         

On a day dominated by fancied runners, jockey P.S.Chouhan continued to be at the helm with a quadruple. Two of these came from Sk.Kassam’s stables while the other from the yard of S.S.Faisal Hassan. The only other professional to score a double was trainer K.S.V.Prasad Raju.

Faisal Hassan’s Any Given Day (Sharp Attack-Randomness) was ridden tactfully by Chouhan to cling on to the lead and score its maiden win in a pulsating finish in the higher division of the Akkanna Plate, a 1200 metres sprint for maiden 3 year olds. Tracking the leader The Da Vinci Code till midway up the straight, Any Given Day forged ahead. Suraj Narredu brought Belva Queen with a big challenge and the two started were engaged in a strong duel with the ‘Queen’ inching closer with every stride. Any Given Day touched the wire a ‘nose’ in front to win the race. Magical Punch was third faraway behind.   

Suraj Narredu rode K.S.V.Prasad Raju schooled Golconda King (Hymn-Access Speed) to a facile win in the lower division, which was the opening race of the day. Suraj took Golconda King to the lead at start and came into the home stretch clear over the rest. Moving away from the field, Golconda King increased the lead to almost six lengths. True Haven ran erratic under pressure to finish second.

Trainer Sk Kassam saddled a double with Smashing Beauty and Star Experience. The 5 year old Smashing Beauty which had remained a maiden after a dozen attempts finally made a successful bid in the Classic Style Cup. Yours Truly was on a start to finish bid with Smashing Beauty in chase. Into the last furlong Smashing Beauty started to veer out when asked to quicken but Chouhan gathered her well and rode out to surge ahead by a neck at the wire. Dakshayani finished third.

Star Experience (Ontario-Pledge) which had found one better in its last two runs came good under P.S.Chouhan to win the higher division of the Star Haven Cup. Improving to be a close second behind the front running Carson Troy, Star Experience headed to the lead inside the last 300 metres and stretched out well to win by a big margin. Sugar Deal moved up inside the last 100 metres to beat Kohinoor Pride for the second place.

Anupam Sharma trained Mukhtar (Duja-Athlone) won the lower division of the race. Settling easily along the inner fence behind the leader Golden Adagio, Mukhtar rushed forward to take charge on top of the straight. The favourite Ziglar came charging in the last 100 metres but apprentice M.Mukesh Kumar kept moving his hands vigorously to have Mukhtar well ahead at the finish.

D.Netto trained In Reality (European-Grand Destiny) which has hit a purple patch completed a hat-trick in the Red Rufus Plate. Ace Star got to the front at start and came in to the final straight about three lengths in front of the nearest runner. In Reality which had fallen back to run fourth after tracking Ace Star for a short while, started to improve and get closer to the leader. Hard ridden by Imran Khan In Reality got past Ace Star inside the last 50 metres and won well.

The 3 year old filly Tejaswini (Princely Heir-I Have A Dream) completed an encore in the Goa Plate. Rushing to the front from draw one, Tejaswini raced ahead of the rest all the way with Kianoosh in chase. Entering the straight for the final run, Tejaswini surged forward to extend the leeway and win despite running erratic towards the finish. Maths Professor improved to be second ahead of Nano Pride.

Trainer K.S.V.Prasad Raju completed his double through Commanche Gold (Black Cash-Little Cinderella) in the Red Satin Plate, the concluding race of the day. Hidden Destiny set out on a start to finish mission over the 1000 metres dash and was looking to pull it off when Commanche Gold came flying from the rear under P.Sai Kumar to snatch the verdict in its favour in the shadow of the winning post.