Strategic Command (Flitch-Tololing), the property of Col. S.B. Nair, trained by L.V.R. Deshmukh, lifted The Delhi Race Club Trophy, the main event of Monday’s races at Hyderabad. Having found one better in her two runs this winter, Strategic Command made his move at the right moment on the straight and staved off the strong challenge of Royal Embassy. Entering the home stretch, Scamper was the first to surge ahead while P.S. Chouhan pulled out Strategic Command to give her a free run. Suchiman and Royal Embassy were a further two and a half lengths behind. The hard riding of Chouhan enabled Strategic Command to get the better of Scamper.

Royal Embassy came very fast with a sustained run in the last 100 metres but failed to collar the eventual winner, losing out by a ‘short-head’. Scamper finished a close third, half a length behind. Imran Chisty, who had lost out on Royal Embassy won his two other mounts with ease, to complete a double. Vijaysena (Libor-Simply Sensual) had come down considerably on the scales over the last two seasons and was ready to strike as evinced by his morning track work. Opening as an ‘odds on’ favourite at 10 to 7, the odds drifted towards race time closing at almost double the opening price.

This upward movement in odds had no bearing on Vijaysena’s run as he moved quickly to hit the front and drew away on the straight to lift Tthe Jockey V. Rajasekhar Memorial Cup. Kohinoor Fairytale finished second beating Garrison Chief. M. Sathyanarayana’s Iceland (Royal Gladiator-Callisto) was ridden to an easy victory by Chisty, in The Might Is Right Plate. Sent into the race at cramped odds, Iceland never gave any anxious moments to his connections. Paris Time was the best of the beaten lot, finishing second after a lethargic start. The day started with Laxman Singh’s Lalaczar (Serious Spender-Abish) winning the lower division of The Best Of Fun Plate from start to finish. Hail The Star came to challenge on top of the straight but Lalaczar skipped away with a fluent run in the hands of Ch. K. Chary. The higher division was won by J. Silvester-trained The Parliament (Burden Of Proof-Indian Endeavour).

Jockey A. Ashhad Asbar brought The Parliament with a good run on top of the straight and went past the front running Royal Sword. First Spot, Sharp Single and Trail Blazer finished second, third and fourth respectively. The three-year-old Pavan (Emerald Cat-Justicia) made an impressive debut, winning The Northern Dancer Plate. Yours Truly was the first to show up on the straight after leading from the beginning, closely tracked by Spanish Conquest and Pavan. Approaching the 250 metres, Yours Truly faltered while Pavan moved rapidly to take charge. The favourite Spanish Conquest had to bite the dust, finishing second. M.V. Narayana Rao’s Guiding Light (Itaquere Power-Courbette) was the most impressive winner of the day. Mystical Knight took the shortest way along the inner rails to surge ahead with Vijays Famme in the centre and Sterling Cruise being ridden out on the far side.

Mystical Knight opened a gap of about two lengths over his nearest rival and was looking good when Dashrath Singh brought the public fancy, Guiding Light, with a flash from the rear, to cover almost eight lengths and sizzle past. The turn of foot of Guiding Light was so smashing that the filly was a clear three lengths in front of Mystical Knight at the finish. Shehzad Abbas’s Blazing Asian (Razeen-Slickchic) literarily set the track ablaze, romping home with a seven-length victory in the higher division, the concluding race of the day. Alpine Girl and Phar Lap fought on to finish second and third respectively.