The top saddle artiste Umesh and leading trainer B Suresh emerged champions at the end of the Udhagamandalam racing season on Saturday. Umesh who is a force to reckon with on this tricky track at the Nilgiris and Suresh, who enjoyed his campaign at the Blue Mountains after he struck a bad patch in the Chennai season provided a silver lining to what many knowledgeable opined was a good competitive season. The double classic winner Something Royal from Sebastian's yard was adjudged the champion horse and the talented filly, who remained unbeaten from her three starts including two classic victories provided a shot in-the-arm for the local owners considering the fact that the classy filly beat the Bengaluru mainhope Knotty Charmer in the blue riband of the season, The Nilgiris Derby run over a mile.

After losing out on the penultimate day, the railbirds adopted a cautious approach on the concluding event and that helped the racing buffs return home evens-stevens after the curtain was brought down on Saturday. Four favourites much to the satisfaction of all the big bettors justified favouritism in the final eight-event card and that included the public choice Glorious Grace, who donkey-licked the opposition in the Madras Race Club Cup, the plum event run over a distance of seven furlongs. After the lead changed hands quick and fast before the eight contestants negotiated the final curve, champion pro Umesh guiding the fortunes of the top performer stole a march at the top of the straight and the Game galloper galloped home in style to pick up the final plum. This was Glorious Grace's third victory this season and all credit to Sebastian for sending out the in-form winner spot on for the big clash. Windermere finished a creditable second while Golden Marina looking to register a hat-trick found this company too hot to handle and only managed to complete the frame.

After Albinus' no show, the well-backed Andorra brought the smile back on the face of McKeown winning the upper division of the Kingman Handicap in the hands of Umesh. The public choice looked a picture of fitness at the parade ring before romping home to register her second straight success to the delight of the followers of form. The lower division of event stunned the punters, the 15 to one shot Katahdin from Saddam Iqbal's yard showing a clean pair of heels to her nine rivals. Priceless Beauty from Deepesh Narredu's yard gained the runner-up berth ahead of Wonderful Era, who found the sprint trip a trifle short for her liking. The overwhelming favourite Admiral Shaw raced in patches and eventually finished in the ruck.

Earlier, Deepesh Narredu and jockey Ashhad Asbar combined effectively to post a shock victory in the Hurricane Lane Plate run over a distance of seven furlongs. Kallipos garnered the maximum support in the event, but the Uthaiah failed in her mission to produce her best and that cost her supporters dear. Rinello finished a game second ahead of Flurry Heart. The runner-up appears to have improved most and it will pay to keep an eye on this Suresh trainee in the Chennai season.

Anzio from Suresh's yard and The Rebel from the stables of Mandanna produced their best on the final day. The former had it easy in the Tattersall Handicap, while The Rebel after a couple of eye-catching efforts earned his cornbill, coming up tops in the Ascot Handicap.

The judiciously prepared Ready Player One from Anil Kumar's yard edged out the second in demand at the betting ring Royal Mayfair in a thriller in the opening event, the New Market Handicap run over a sprint. The well-backed winner in the hands of Kaviraj despite shifting out badly in straight stormed up to snuff out the challenge of Royal Mayfair close home.