Thanks to some pre-monsoon showers the monsoon season started off a week earlier than planned at Malakpet, Hyderabad. With the local lot of horses having been rested for almost four and a half months the opening day attracted packed fields in all the seven races.

Trainer K.Satheesh took off to a good start with a double on day one. His 5 year old gelding King Of Pop (Noverre-Atmosphere) showed good speed to win the Okai Okai Okai Plate in a blanket finish. King Of Pop shot to lead the field right from the start. Commanding Boy was in hot pursuit all the way but failed to collar the ‘King’. Inside the last 200 metres Alameda started to find the acceleration from the outside and Western Wind sneaked in through the shortest way. The two of them closed in fast towards the final stages but King Of Pop held on gamely by a neck. Alameda had taken the second place aheadof Western Wind and Commanding Boy. Preciosa was a non-starter in the race.

Satheesh had earlier led in Columbus (Gaswar-Stunning Rose) in the division I of the Rambo Plate. Columbus whose last win was almost a year and a half ago was supported strongly to be the favourite for the sprint event. The gelding tracked Golden Angel till turning for home and taking over on top of the straight kicked on to the winning post staving off the late bid of Undu Undu Undu. Kireeti and Kiss N Chase finished third and fourth respectively. Garib Parwar was a non-starter in the race.

S.S.Faisal trained Khoshgel (Gaswar-Invitation Only) pulled off a surprise in the lower division. The favourite Act In Time was on the right course from the start leading the pack. Inside the last 300 metres Hunter’s Pride moved up to challenge the leader. Khoshgel was way behind in second last till the last 300 metres and the 6 year old burst into a gallop when shown the day light and sped past to beat Act In Time by half a length. Hunter’s Pride was third a ‘head’ adrift. Lavender filled the frame.

Veteran jockey R.J.Hannam started his second innings in India after a gap of two decades with a fluent win on L.V.R.Deshmukh’s Eternal Angel (Serious Splender-Polenta) in the Razeen Plate. The filly, a contender in the Bangalore Fillies Championship Stakes was the overwhelming favourite among the eight runners. Racing a handy third till turning for home Eternal Angel moved up from around the duo in front and grabbed the lead effortlessly. Warrior Supreme was hard ridden right through the final furlong to make a race of it but Hannam used just his hands and heels on his filly to get her safely home. Negress Pearl finished third in front of Treasure Striker.

Both the divisions of the race for 3 year old horses, the Havoc Plate went the way of upsets. Donald Netto’s Amazing Response (Lord Shanakill-Zing Wing) made it easily in the higher division. Chasing Rose Petal till the last 400 metres Amazing Response surged ahead and skipped away by a clear 3 ½ lengths in the last furlong. Free Eagle rallied on in second while the favourite Desert Moon and New State went past the post in a close finish in that order for the minor places.

Chestnut filly Sweetie Pie (Burden Of Proof-Songlark) from Srinivas Reddy’s yard was ridden confidently by C.Umesh to win the lower division. Sweetie Pie shot off to the front from the innermost draw and maintained a good lead all the way. The favourite Marina Del Rey was under pressure when asked to raise a gallop and despite jockey Trevor’s hard ride found it tough to catch the winner and managed to only beat the rest. Sweet Pistol was faraway third while Far Sight ended up fourth.

Trainer Anantha Vatsalya’s grey colt (Amorous White (Stern Opinion-Adios Meadowlake) with a good record of 3 wins and 3 seconds from 6 starts in its first season continued to shine in the Friendly Fire Plate. Rushing to the fence from an outward draw Amorous White got to the lead and made every post a winning one. Breezeofthesouth edged out Sketch Of Beauty for the second place after a keen fight. Without Makeup finished fourth.

Anupam Sharma’s Symbol Of Gold (Pinson-Saddlers Star) earned its first win on its twelfth start in the Placerville Plate. Symbol Of Gold moved quickly from an outward draw and was well up with the leader General Salute. As they came in to the last furlong General Salute faded out even as almost half a dozen runners went for it in a line. Symbol Of Gold just managed to edge out Sefarina at the wire while Avantika and Magical Skill finished third and fourth respectively in the same picture.

In a nail biting finish K.V.Srinivas trained Rose Eternal (Virtual-Aline’s Wings) spared a whisker over Penthesilea in the Riyahi Plate. Inside the last 400 metres Penthesilea took charge and Rose Eternal joined up from the outside. The two left the rest behind and began to fight for every inch of ground in the last 200 metres. The two went past the winning post locked together and the magic eye gave the verdict in favour of Rose Eternal. Vijay’s Delight and Dear Friend filled the frame in that order.