With the Hyderabad Race Club framing extra race-meetings as the winter racing season conducted at Malakpet drew to a close, it turned out to be a free for all with regards to the outcome especially on Thursday, when the curtains came down on the season. Race-goers were left to grapple as horses made repeat appearances within the short span of four days. Besides that, the roller coaster performance of fancied runners continued unabated.

Be that as it may, the five-year old mare Malaala was expected to repeat the impressive show she gave when scoring an easy win over six furlongs early last month. Malaala went out as the favourite but she couldn’t reproduce that winning performance. The mare now saddled by RH Sequeira was settled in rear bunch as no-hoper Char Ek Char showed the way and packed up after bringing the field into the straight. With Ice Berry, Star Racer and Top In Class, who were in pursuit of Char Ek Char, unsuccessful in stealing a march, apprentice Santosh Raj brought City Of Blessing with a big run to take charge. N Rawal-saddled City Of Blessing (Excellent Art – Accessorize) zoomed ahead and managed to carve a narrow win over both Miss Marvellous and D Yes Boss, who looked menacing in the final stages of the race. N R I Sport ended fourth ahead of Malaala, who came wide into the straight and almost collided with D Yes Boss before being steadied. Malaala lost precious ground in the process and failed to recover despite moving well in the closing stages.

Following her two previous outings where she finished runner up, Srinivas Reddy-schooled Classical Music was backed down to favouritism in a maiden set. However, the filly ridden by Gaurav Singh seemed to be in distress soon after the start as she trailed the field and failed to raise a fluent gallop. Meanwhile, jockey Deepak Singh hit the front with Exclusive Luck and was a winner all the way except at the post where he was upstaged by DS Deora ridden Delhi Heights (Stardan – Alohamora). The MS Parmar trainee was ridden all out in the final stages to register his maiden win. Inderdhanush and Shubrak completed the judge’s frame. The Hyderabad Race Club stewards have reportedly opened an enquiry into the running and riding of Classical Music the outcome of which is awaited.

With the field contesting for the upper division of the Rafah Plate reduced to six after the withdrawal of Yaletown and Track Blazer, G Shashikanth’s ward The Hambone carried the public purse and duly obliged. Apprentice Sonu Kumar settled The Hambone (Mull Of Kintyre – Instinct) behind Creative Art and Saint Emilion till the last furlong and half and swept past the leaders for an easy victory. Saint Emilion finished second, far ahead of Pancho and Creative Art.
 
K Satheesh-saddled juvenile Ice Blue produced a sparkling run in the home stretch which cut short the winning bid of Santa Barbara close home. Apprentice RS Jodha gave a confident ride to Ice Blue (Saamidd – Icy Grey) and won convincingly from his stable-mate Toffee, the favourite who woke up late to her task. Santa Barbara had snatched the lead from Smart Striker shortly after entering the straight but failed to repel the onslaught of Ice Blue and ended third ahead of Decoy.

Blast In Class, who was knocking at the doors of success recently, finally managed to score and that too at nourishing odds. KSV Prasad Raju-groomed Blast In Class (Speaking Of Which – Brushed Aside) was a handy third and within striking range of Sea Of Class and Fatuma till the last two furlongs. Blast In Class spurted well when alerted by Santosh Raj and went surging clear of his rivals with little over a furlong from home. Favourite Quality Warrior’s late bid could only fetch him the runner up berth ahead of Sucker Punch and Good Tidings.

Spectacular Cruise with G Naresh in saddle put in a resolute gallop to snatch victory from Royal Pal and leader Amalfitana and went on to register the biggest upset of the day. The Anant Vatsalya trainee raced well up with the pace behind Amalfitana and Royal Pal and got going in the last furlong. Spectacular Cruise (Total Gallery – Artempo) however had to wage a fierce battle with the leaders but got up just in time to pip Royal Pal in the shadow of the post with Amalfitana finishing three-parts of a length behind and Aerial Combat a neck away.

An equally surprising victory was achieved by Shashikanth-schooled N R I Sun when jockey Abhay Singh brought him with a spectacular run from virtually the last position at the bend to stun Angelita on the post. Favourite See My Spark flattered to deceive as she went pillar to post but her spark vanished in the last 100m and was overtaken by the unfancied runners. Pinatubo and Angelita led briefly after See My Spark relinquished the lead but N R I Sun (Saamidd – Maid Of Artois) was simply unstoppable and went on to gain a neck verdict. Morior Invictus, Pinatubo and Wallop And Gallop finished in a line behind Angelita. Jockey Rafique Shaikh astride Sun Dancer, who was in strong contention in the last furlong, seemed to have suddenly lost balance and suffered a nasty fall right in the middle of the course.
   
Earlier in the day, P Sai Kumar-partnered Top Diamond finally had his say after he collared Power Ranger close home. RS Jodha-steered Power Ranger tackled leader Golden Forza opposite the stands and went all out but failed to thwart the challenge posed by MF Ali Khan’s ward Top Diamond (Top Class – Yokumoku). Keep Faith, the winner’s stablemate, was denied a clear run in the final stages and ended a good third ahead of Protocol.

Robin Reddy trained Life Is Good claimed the concluding event of the season with a runaway victory in the hands of jockey Md Ismail. Top-weighted Life Is Good (Saamidd – Illaunslea) raced in the mid bunch as Jack Daniel and It’s My Life showed the way to the field over the mile journey. Ismail produced Life Is Good on the outer lane in the home stretch and snuffed out the challenge of Jack Daniel in the last furlong and half. The bay gelding cantered home thereafter for his maiden success. Jack Daniel ended second while It’s My Life and Janasu were involved in a dead heat for the third place.