The Melbourne Racing Club Trophy, a seven furlongs terms race for fillies and mares 3 years old and over was the feature of Monday’s races at Hyderabad. The only outstation contender, Schiavone (Burden Of Proof-Sabre Dance / Kunigal Stud) coming down from Bangalore won the prestigious event with a measure of comfort. Suleiman Attoallahi trained filly was held back in last position from the start with Palm Springs calling the shots followed by Desire and Supreme Fairy. The four of them travelled in the same order till turning up for home with the pace improving a bit only after the half way mark. Desire too charge from the weakening Palm Springs inside the last 400 metres and Trevor brought Schiavone from the wide outside. The filly quickened nicely to forge ahead and spared a clear length to Desire at the finish. Supreme Fairy was third another length and a quarter behind while Palm Springs faded out to be last of them.

Donal Netto trained Parushram (Equitable-Knight Vision / A B Stud) scored impressively in the Bangalore Turf Club Trophy. The 4 year old gelding was pitched in the highest category for the first time and was sent off as the favourite at 5-2. Dandelion hurried from the outside to get to the lead within the first 100 metres. Symbol of Choice and Sheer Genius raced in close attendance with Santa Monica in fourth. Parushram was held back in fifth but jockey Akshay Kumar always had him saving the ground close to the fence. On entering the home stretch the false rails ends near the 400 metres board and Parushram made a swift move to take that opening to grab the lead. Santa Monica came with a challenge but Parushram was comfortably home by a length. Ashoka Chakra and Golden Essence finished third and fourth respectively.

Kohinoor Grace (Eljohar-Lady Counsel) from the stables of K.R.K.Raju who is in rousing form completed a hat-trick this season in fine fashion. The 4 year old was the smartest out of the gates over the sprint and led all the way from thereafter. Rock Baby Rock was struggling hard in second inside the last 200 metres and lost that placing to Rubyonrails who came in with a late charge. Mangalyaan finished fourth.

Jockey Trevor Patel rode his double on Sk. Waseem Ahmed trained Green Image (Sussex-Citi Star) in the Cordon Bleu Plate. Big Boss was the early leader and Green Image settled well to run in second position. Passing the 800 metres Brilliant Twist rushed to run second and Green Image fell back slightly but that probably did not bother Trevor who was still quite on his mount. As they came in for the final 400 metres Green Image began to move up from the outside and was already in the lead as they headed past the distance mark. Brilliant Twist rallied on to finish second while Escalante managed to edge out Big Boss for the third place.

Chocolate Greedy (Ace-Chantale) had changed stables after its last win over 2200 metres and moved to trainer Zoheb Shaikh’s yard. The 5 year old raced in new colours and was surprisingly sent off at 10-1 for the ten furlongs Prince Regent Plate. Buckshee made the early running and enjoyed a lead of about three lengths from Naamdhari. City Tex raced third followed by the others. On entering the straight Buckshee faltered out and Chocolate Greedy moved up from the outside with the favourite Fair Fax being ridden out by Trevor close to the rails and Naamdhari fighting hard to hold on to the lead. Chocolate Greedy started to hang out badly but the rider A.M. Tograllu kept him going to win it by a length and a half from Naamdhari. Fair Fax was only third.

It was a fight between Romantic Fire and Kintyre Princess in the higher division of the Star Of Stars Cup all through the 1200 metres and the latter prevailed in the closing stages. Romantic Fire set off close to the rails and Kintyre Princess (Mull Of Kintyre-Madamoiselle) rallied alongside. There was little between them as the approached the final furlong and jockey Carlos Henrique began to ride hard on Kintyre Princess. The filly travelled the better and forged ahead in the last 100 metres to wrap it up by a length and a quarter. The favourite Gun Barrel finished third.

K. Satheesh trained Kimono (Noverre-Hounds Of Love) justified the favouritism in the lower division. Golden Phoenix was in front within the first 100 metres and held forte approaching the distance marker. Kimono had worked her way from about fifth or sixth position near the final turn and came charging to challenge the leader with 150 metres left from the finish. Surging ahead with 50 metres left Kimono spared a length to Golden Phoenix at the finish. Oathofyourdaughter came in late to finish third, a neck away.       

Ananta Vatsalya trained Golden Angel (Roi Maudit-Pretty Fit) won the opener of the day, the higher division of the Nalgonda Plate. The 3 year old filly who was a maiden after 14 starts was sent off at 7-1 among the nine runners for the 1100 metres dash. Golden Angel was speedy at start to shoot to the lead from an outward draw. Inside the last 200 metres Prideofmaduranagar started to gain ground even as Yes Baby weakened out after chasing the leader till the last 300 metres. Prideofmaduranagar inched closer inside the last 100 metres but the winning post came to the rescue of Golden Angel, who made it by quarter of a length. Chandraja finished third ahead of Yes Baby.

It was Trainer T. Srinagesh’s Beauty Flash (Arabian Gulf-Seillang) who scored her maiden win in the lower division. Apprentice Praveen Gaddam pushed hard Beauty Flash to get to the front early after jumping out and made every post a winning one. Inside the last furlong Beauty Flash was beginning to shift out under pressure but still kept kicking on even as Hunter’s Pride made a vain bid. Perfection and Upon A Star finished third and fourth respectively in a close finish.