When form goes topsy-turvy in horseracing, it’s the gullible punters who are found to be at the receiving end. But it was a different story at Malakpet racecourse on Saturday when a couple of form horses took a beating but punters still ended up on the winning side as they followed the market trend and backed horses who had smart money was flowing their way in the betting ring. 

Take the case of the five-year-old gelding Yesterday who was defeated twice over a mile and quarter by N R I Superpower in both their encounters, the last one less than two months ago. Not only the current form, the handicap too was loaded in favour of the latter as Yesterday was carrying 2.5kg more than what his rating required. To be ridden by his regular saddle partner Akshay Kumar, N R I Superpower was the obvious ante post favourite to win the T Chandrasekhar Reddy Memorial Cup. But come race time and the odds against trainer RH Sequeira’s candidate expanded and it was LVR Deshmukh’s ward Yesterday who was tasked with carrying the public’s purse on his back.

Leaving nothing to chance, jockey Ajeeth Kumar embarked on a start-to-finish mission with the on-money favourite and made every post of the mile and half trip a winning one. N R I Superpower went in pursuit of Yesterday after travelling half a mile from the gate and looked well poised to challenge her rival as they entered the home stretch. But the four-time winner N R I Superpower looked shorn of the brilliance she had previously displayed as Akshay toiled hard only to find Yesterday (Ampere – Yemen Desert), who had graduated from the maiden ranks just recently in October, romping home when Ajeeth spurred him in the last furlong. N R I Superpower ended a good five lengths behind the winner and was followed home by stable-mate Super Angel and owner-mate Kesariya Balam in a procession of submissive contenders.

A similar fate was suffered by Akshay ridden juvenile Miss Maya at the start of the day when the Sequeira schooled filly caught a tartar in Golden Gazelle, who ran true to her name. Expected to make amends for her narrow loss on debut. Miss Maya was backed to the exclusion of her rivals but Srinivas Reddy saddled filly Golden Gazelle (Authorized – Deauville Diva) exhibited remarkable improvement to show a clean pair of heels to her rivals. Akshay went flat out astride the on-money favourite Miss Maya in the last furlong but was no match for Ashhad Asbar ridden Golden Gazelle. Huntingdon, the second favourite, finished a close third ahead of Miracle Mary.

Bangor On Dee, who had the services of Akshay in the saddle on this occasion, was enthusiastically backed to claim the Indian Navy Rolling Challenge Trophy as the betting support for original favourite Stag’s Leap started to wane. But the Leo D’Silva trainee and DS Deora piloted Stag’s Leap were both shocked by Robin Reddy’s ward Above The Law. Classy Dame made the initial running and brought the field into the straight before being collared by Stag’s Leap who was soon challenged by Bangor On Dee. Just as these two were fighting for supremacy, Above The Law, who lacked initial speed, improved gradually and picked up momentum in the last furlong and half. Apprentice Ajay Kumar drove Above The Law (Surfrider – Melinda) confidently to swoop down on his fancied rivals and taste his maiden success by humbling two experienced jockeys. 

Jockey Deora had the dubious distinction of being associated with the biggest flop show of the day when It’s On, the shortest priced runner of the day, bit dust. The MS Parmar saddled favourite had obliged punters early last month when shedding her maiden status in Deora’s hands and was expected to give an encore in her subsequent run but she failed to do so following which her jockey B Nikhil earned the stewards’ ire, not for losing the race but for ‘failing to exercise greater control’. Only God knows or Parmar and Deora know whether the ironically named It’s On ran true to her name or not. Regardless, it was another rookie rider’s turn to earn a bracket.

Pedro Planet showed the way to It’s On and Silk till entering the home stretch where, unlike what the race commentator called, it was not the favourite but friendless Silk who was cruising alongside the leader. Offered a dream run towards the inner rails, apprentice Sonu Kumar propelled Silk to assume control even as It’s On refused to put her best foot forward and ran erratic when asked for an effort by Deora. G Shashikanth schooled Silk (Saamidd – Mini Cooper) meanwhile surged clear and was beyond the reach of It’s On who ended second. Pedro Planet and Eastern Blaze completed the judge’s frame. Lights On ran below par but her performance is best ignored.

Deora achieved a hat-trick of losers astride ante post Euphoria whose fate appeared sealed even before the gates opened. Last-outing winner Stay Smart (Ivory Touch – Lopamudra) was the cynosure in the betting arena and it was a one-way street as far as the money flowing in the direction of the Ravinder Singh saddled colt was concerned. Apprentice Shivansh got Stay Smart to hit the front as soon as the gates opened and rode him out purposefully to escape the clutches of the fast finishing Protocol, who fell short by the proverbial whisker. The assistance received in the saddle by Euphoria from DS Deora was too predictable and not surprisingly did she fade out after racing close on the heels of Stay Smart till the race came to a boil. General Atlantic ran a fair third ahead of Apex Star, who seems to be improving with each run.

Almost two years after winning in Class III, K Satheesh nurtured Sporting Smile reached the lowest class after a prolonged weight-reducing exercise. The bay mare produced a sparkling run when alerted by apprentice RS Jodha in the straight to stun Pancho at the winning line. Paree got straight to business as the gates opened but the mare suddenly dropped out and stopped galloping soon after entering the final run in and was trotting lame before being pulled up by her rider. Saint Emilion took charge immediately but was engaged in a keen duel by Pancho, who gained the upper hand close home. Pancho’s lead didn’t last long as he was pipped on the post by Sporting Smile (Net Whizz – Darayka), who just flashed past the post for a stylish victory.

In a case of better late than never, both Sequeira and Akshay finally had a winner when Hero Of The East won the last race of the day in a common canter and proved to be the saving grace for the professional duo. Sequeira’s decision to use a hanging bit in place of the basket bit seems to have done the trick for the winner. Bred as half-brother to the classic mare Temerity, Hero Of The East (Ampere – Narmina) stormed into the lead as the gates flew open and relished his front-running role as he sauntered home for a convincing victory over Carnival Lady, Exclusive Spark and Voice Of A Dream, who were all futile chase of the winner all the way home.