A month and half following her debut win, the Leo D’Silva-nursed filly Kenaf (Dali – Dallaah) made another winning foray when she lifted the Nari Reddy Memorial Million, Sunday’s feature event at Malakpet. Afroz Khan-ridden Kenaf, who was lesser fancied than only Siddharth, went sailing into the lead as the gates opened and showed a clean pair of heels to her four rivals. Siddharth went in chase of Kenaf on entering the home stretch but it was in vain. Clare ran on from the rear to take the third spot ahead of Reigning Beauty.

D’Silva achieved a hat-trick as he led in both winners of the remaining two events to increase his day’s tally to four. Winning Streak gave D’Silva his third winner and was ridden by apprentice Ekram Alam to a confident win over the mile trip. After travelling a furlong from the start, the D’Silva trainee was brushed up by Ekram to take charge of the running and subsequently scampered home for an easy victory. Akshay-ridden Nugget toiled hard in the straight but to no avail and suffered the ignominy of losing the runner up spot to stablemate Painted Apache, who was lying last at the turn and came through the shortest way to finish an unintended second. In what turned out to be a fruitless effort, Just Incredible finished on the fastest as usual only to end a short-head behind Nugget.

Afroz competed a treble when he partnered rank outsider Only My Way to a half-length win over favourite Juramento. Only My Way, who had never won a race beyond six furlongs, led initially before being over taken by Candy Girl about two furlongs from the start, which gave him a breather. Afroz then challenged Candy Girl in the straight even as Akshay-partnered Juramento essaying his challenge on the outside. Only my Way (Smuggler’s Cove – Winning Fortune) went towards the rails after switching lanes and then fought it out with Candy Girl and Juramento. D’Silva’s ward gave a gritty display to knock out both Juramento and Candy Girl in the shadow of the post.

Earlier in the day, D’Silva had sent out the juvenile Adbhut (formerly named Hemping Vazra), who graduated from the maiden ranks in a close finish. Afroz hit the front with the second favourite shortly after the race was flagged off and came into the straight with a lead which proved to be a cushion at the wire. Akshay Kumar-steered favourite Sangreal found her rhythm a bit late and had to play second fiddle despite producing a strong run in the last furlong. Adbhut (Dali – Dysnomia) prevailed by half-length over Sangreal. Great Giver ended in the money once again and had N R I Fairy finishing a length behind.

The most impressive success of the day was recorded by four-year old filly Beauty Blaze, who not only defied the heavy impost on her back but also overcame the hurdle of being drawn on the widest in the fourteen-horse field contesting for the Mceme Rolling Trophy. N Rawal-groomed Beauty Blaze (Top Class – Lucy In The Sky) made gradual progress from the gates to race in a striking position behind The Thunder who flattered to deceive as he led in the initial stages of the sprint. Akshay eased the filly into the lead in the last furlong after tackling the submissive second favourite and kept her going to record a facile victory. Malibu, Above The Law, Garnet and The Thunder were involved in a blanket finish for the minor places and ended thus.

The on-money favourite Splendour On Grass obliged the punters but not before being hard ridden in the closing stage of the sprint. Entrusted to lesser known jockey P Sai Kumar, the KSV Prasad Raju saddled Splendour On Grass lacked early speed but warmed up as the field was brought into the straight by Happy Soul. Sai Kumar drove Splendour On Grass (Kingda Ka – Bullseye) with fervour in the final lap and wore down his opponent close home. Debutant Final Judgement ran a faraway but easy third ahead of Fly Me.

Divine Destiny, after placing third in both his appearances this season, graduated from the maiden ranks in an encounter with weak opponents in a mile and half contest. LVR Deshmukh’s ward waited to pounce on the leader Protocol till approaching the final turn and stormed into the lead when the field straightened for home. Ashhad Asbar drove out Divine Destiny and left his rivals stranded as he won by a widening margin of over eight lengths. Voice Of A Dream pipped Sucker Punch at the post to finish second while Alpine Girl ended fourth.

It was a case of third time lucky for MS Parmar-schooled Coming Home (Stardan – Super Sonic), who had played bridesmaid in both her previous outings. DS Deora raced Coming Home in close attendance of the front-runners headed by Star Medal till the turn and stormed into the lead when the field spread out after turning for home. The mare sprinted away to claim her maiden win keeping Shubrak at bay. Star Medal and Muaser followed them home. London Bell caused a lot of money to go down the drain as he flopped badly despite being in close touch of stable-mate Star Medal till the final bend.