It was a new day and a new beginning at the Malakpet racecourse after the one-sided results last week but anyone who expected this trend to change on Saturday was proven wrong. The charge of the on-money favourites registering runaway victories continued unabated barring the exception of Cherie Chevalier, who met her nemesis in Your Unforgettable. The only piece of excitement or rather alarm, that took place after the conclusion of the day’s races, was caused by the news that jockey Varun was suspended for ten race days for “unsatisfactory riding on his mount NRI Ultrapower” in the S. Rangarajan Memorial Cup. The stewards were stirred into action by failure of the Hilton Sequeira-saddled favourite NRI Ultrapower, who went down to A. Imran Khan-schooled and P. Sai Kiran-partnered Kings Best.
 
Kings Best came in for sustained support in the betting ring as opposed to that of pre-race favourite NRI Ultrapower, creating an uneasy feeling in the minds of the punters who fancied the latter. When the gates opened for the seven-furlong journey, Kings Best was quick to grab the lead ahead of Mix The Magic and Catchme If You Can giving chase. Meanwhile, NRI Ultrapower didn’t have the smoothest of starts and raced leisurely in the mid-bunch with Varun appearing very confident that he would eventually catch up with the leader. However, Kings Best relished calling the shots and came all alone in front when entering the straight while NRI Ultrapower was still racing gingerly behind and came wide to make his bid in the final run-in. Varun showed some urgency only when the field straightened for home when driving out his mount but Kings Best (Leitir Mor – Grey Allure) kept going under the whip for a gratifying win for those who backed him. Despite all his desperate efforts in the dying moments of the race, Varun could do no better than to play second fiddle to the winner. China Town improved late to be third ahead of the tiring duo of Mix The Magic and Catchme If You Can. As it turned out to be, Varun earned the ire of the HRC stewards, who felt that he had not done enough in the saddle to give NRI Ultrapower a fair chance to win.
 
The day’s feature event, the K. Mahipathi Rao Memorial Golconda Juvenile Million, was claimed by the Bangalore challenger Your Unforgettable, who was an expensive failure during her last start but showed enough panache to defeat her three opponents including Cherie Chevalier. Ayushman took charge of the running when the starter flagged off the seven-furlong event with Trevor Patel settling Your Unforgettable on the haunches of Ayushman whilst Miss Smiley Angel and Cherie Chevalier played the waiting game. Your Unforgettable (Excellent Art – Unforgettable You), saddled by Sequeira in absence of her master SS Attaollahi, moved up swiftly to collar the leader in the final two furlongs and, after a brief tussle, assumed command and waltzed away for a convincing win over Cherie Chevalier, who made a futile attempt to overhaul her rival. Miss Smiley Angel ended third ahead of Ayushman.
 
The uninterrupted winning spree of hot favourites started with LVR Deshmukh-schooled Knight Regent in the day’s curtain raiser. The shortest priced runner of the day raced handily behind Konaseema, who set the pace over the mile journey with Pride Aside in tow. Konaseema was caught up with by Pride Aside in the last furlong and half and while they were disputing the lead, Knight Regent was set alight by Asbar. Knight Regent (Top Class – Allee Bleue) quickened well to snatch the lead and sail away for a bloodless victory. Pride Aside, Konaseema and Moonlite Rose followed the winner home. 
 
Deshmukh and Asbar were then associated with the success of the grey filly Arabeska, who completed an encore without any benefit for the common punters. Arabeska, who was available at unbackable odds, was pitted against a weak opposition and won without raising a sweat. Arabeska (Dreamfield – Connemara) was ridden in check behind My Challenge and Federer till the field came into the home stretch. However, Asbar gave her a couple of reminders following which Arabeska streaked clear of her opponents. Federer managed to place second ahead of Pride Aside and Gold Giver.
 
Neelesh Rawal-groomed Gachchatu scored the easiest victory of the day to oblige his supporters, the moneybags to be precise. Newfound Glory was keen in the initial stages of the sprint as she sped into the lead and held on till Neeraj Rawal-ridden Gachchatu pounced upon her about a furlong and half from the post to hit the front and then lengthened her strides on the way home. Gachchatu (Sanus Per Aquam – Senora Bella) thus remained unbeaten in her three career starts. Top-weighted Torchbearer was the runner-up whilst Deccan Spirit and Glorious Power managed to figure in the final frame of four. Arion One seemed to be in distress and probably pulled up lame forcing BR Kumar to stop riding at the 300-metre marker.
 
Perception (formerly named Jolly Jester) finally came good in the Shamirpet Cup, an event reserved for maiden horses four-years old and over. Eminency showed plenty of initial speed to take charge of the running with Kanta in tow whilst Perception was settled nicely behind the bunch of front-runners. With over a furlong left for the wire, Eminency was eventually tackled by Total Control with Naresh asking Perception for an effort at that juncture. Robin Reddy-nurtured Perception (Sedgefield – Providence) gained ground steadily to wear down Total Control in the last half furlong and raced away for his maiden success. Total Control kept the second place while Dream To Fly ended in the money by pegging back the long-time leader Eminency.
 
Finally, top-weighted Diablo from KSV Prasad Raju’s string made amends for his previous failure when claiming the concluding event in the hands of Sai Kumar. Diablo raced close behind the quartet headed by High Heels soon after the start with Kalki, Normui and Blissful in pursuit. Diablo covered good ground as the race progressed to range alongside the leaders when the field turned for home. Ridden vigorously by Sai Kumar, Diablo (Roderic O’Connor – Devoted Eyes) overwhelmed High Heels at the two-furlong marker and travelled smoothly thereafter to keep runner-up Kalki at bay. High Heels and Normui ran third and fourth respectively. Knight Crusader seemed to be in contention in the straight but failed to quicken to be fifth, a short-head behind Normui.