Although the 24-meeting season was officially getting over on Monday, the Hyderabad Race Club authorities decided to have an extra day of racing. The biggest beneficiary of this move was trainer Hilton Sequeira, who led in three winners in the eight-race card and almost had a fourth one in the concluding event but favourite Pancho went down fighting in a three-way finish. Significantly, Sequeira did not require the services of top-flight riders to steer his three winners; he gave a much-deserved opportunity to BR Kumar and Abhay Singh to taste some success. Furthermore, the extra day also facilitated the success of D Minchu, Ampere’s Touch and Blue Brigade, who earned their third bracket this season.

D Minchu, who migrated from Bangalore last monsoon and first landed in Ananth Vatsalya’s yard before being entrusted to G. Sandeep towards the end of the racing season. D Minchu ran five times at Malakpet but was unsuccessful in finding her mark. However, there was a remarkable improvement in the mare’s performance the day Sandeep put a hood on D Minchu. The mare won two races in a row and was bidding for a hat-trick in the Leap Year Plate (Div-I), the day’s feature event. Such was her connections’ faith in her ability that D Minchu was entrusted to jockey Deepak Singh, her regular saddle partner during morning workouts. D Minchu (Kingda Ka – Renee) vindicated that optimism with a fluent win over Midsummer Star. Deepak showed no haste in making the presence of his mount felt early into the sprint but stayed in close attendance of early leader Amyra and Happy Go Lucky. The former was still in charge when Tripurari made a forward move after Happy Go Lucky started to drop back in the straight. Deepak switched lanes when the heads straightened for home to essay his challenge from the outer lane and stirred D Minchu into action. The mare stretched out well to not only collar Amyra and Tripurari but also spurned the threat of Midsummer Star, who tried hard to catch the winner. Tripurari and Amyra finished third and fourth respectively.

Sequeira-saddled Sugar, who had an educative run on debut last month, was driven vigorously by BR Kumar in the straight and put in a resolute run to shed her maiden status in a close finish. Earlier Vital Sign showed the way to the field and brought them into the straight with well-fancied Mikimoto in hot pursuit. Kuldeep Singh (Sr.) ridden Mikimoto joined the issue with Vital Sign about two furlongs from home and seemed poised to overtake the latter. Vital Sign, however, was unyielding and fought a fierce battle with Mikimoto all the way until the winning post arrived. Sugar (Dreamfield – Conceptual), meanwhile, made steady progress and swooped down on both Vital Sign and Mikimoto in the shadow of the post. She nailed her stable-mate Vital Sign, who had just managed to regain the lead, in the last stride and won sparing a neck with Mikimoto ending a head away. Favourite Desert Hero failed to quicken and ran a close fourth.

The sparingly-raced bay mare Code Blue, earned her maiden success when she outclassed her opponents in the third division of the Haveri Plate. Code Blue (Knight’s Tour – So Good) went surging into the lead from the barriers and made every post of the seven-furlong trip a winning one in the hands of Abhay Singh. The Sequeira trainee checked in well clear of See My Attitude and Special Effort. Jet Falcon ran fourth. Favourite Wandring Warrior planted in the gates and finished fifth after recovering lost ground as the race progressed. Juramento lived up to the promise shown in his previous essay when he was beaten on the post by Clefairy. BR Kumar-ridden Juramento stayed on the haunches of Red Snaper till the field had straightened for home and overhauled the leader to assume command. Juramento (Oath – Starynessey) kept going under the whip to win convincingly from Dyanoosh. True Icon improved late to take the third spot from La Mirage, who raced prominently with the leaders.

Apprentice Ajay Kumar-partnered favourite Pancho challenged leader Glimmer Of Hope, who took over the running from Reining Queen immediately after entering the home stretch, in the last furlong but failed to gain the upper hand. S. Sreekant-groomed seven-year old mare Blue Brigade (Saamidd – Paramo), who was still running in the lowest class despite two wins this season, came with a flourishing run to record her third win. Glimmer Of Hope was beaten to the runner-up berth by just under a length with Pancho ending a head away. Stoli ran thereabouts to be fourth.

Ampere’s Touch also gained his third victory this season when he lasted out to win by a neck from favourite Indian Temple. P. Sai Kumar had Neelesh Rawal-schooled Ampere’s Touch (Ampere – Pinacotheque) within striking distance of no-hopers Silver Lining and Swiss Girl till coming into the straight and soon seized the lead as they turned for home. The bay gelding stretched out well to hit the wire ahead of Indian Temple, who was given too much to do in the straight by Ajay. Dream Jewel and Silver Lining followed them home. K. Satheesh added another winner to his tally when Royal Pal cashed on his fitness as also the safe passage accorded to him by a lacklustre showing from the opposition. Apprentice Ekram Alam-piloted Royal Pal (Speaking Of Which – Violet Honey) took charge of the running after travelling about a furlong and half from the gates and was in no danger of being caught by any of his rivals thereafter. Runner-up Crimson Rose was in futile chase of the winner all the way home. Carnival Lady ran on late to finish in the money ahead of hard-ridden Desert Sultan. Favourite Sadiya refused to put her best foot forward and end of the board.

Leo D’silva-trained Sun Dancer put in a strong run in the final furlong to tackle the speedy front-runner Garnet, who had run out of fuel close home. Afroz Khan drove Sun Dancer (Ravel – Ekta Ekta Ekta) resolutely to pull off an upset win over late-finishing D Yes Boss and Clefairy, who followed him home. Garnet retired to be fourth.

The astute placement of his wards saw D’silva being declared as the leading trainer’s title with 27 winners to his credit when the season came to an official close on Monday. Similarly, P. Sai Kumar and Ekram Alam were declared leading jockey and leading apprentice rider respectively. The two riders had 18 and 17 winners against their name. Having earned stake money close to a crore rupees, Dr MAM Ramaswamy’s Chettinad Charitable Trust, represented by Dr AC Muthiah, was declared as the season’s leading owner.