Unlike the lacklustre brand of horseracing witnessed during the current season, the climax of the Nizam’s Gold Cup (Gr.2) was worth going a mile to watch. The exhilarating finish of the main event which eventually decided the winner in a photo-finish was indeed a treat for the racegoers. The grey filly Pyrite hailing from the yards of trainer S. Waheed, the professional from Western India, got up just in time to claim the feature in a four-way finish. With only a solitary win to her credit, it was a case of ‘so near yet so far’ for Pyrite as she played the role of bridesmaid to Ranquelino in the Indian Derby and later to Dyf in the CN Wadia Gold Cup at the Mahalaxmi racecourse but she finally had her moment in the sun on Sunday. Pyrite was bred at the Poona Stud and is co-owned by Messrs Ketan S. Wakkar, Amit V. Menda, Chirag V. Shah, Anil V. Poduval, Rajiv Tinaikar, Suresh Pitale, Nihar Pitale and Mrs Minal Pitale.
 
Jockey A. Sandesh played the waiting game atop Pyrite as Rise And Reign started to dictate terms to her six rivals with Galahad and Victor Hugo not too far away. Yash Narredu-piloted Rise And Reign brought the field into the straight with Galahad and Victor Hugo starting to make their bid. Pyrite also started to make gradual progress, which looked painfully slow when she turned for home. It appeared that Rise And Reign would scrape through as Yash had her going under the whip even as Galahad, Victor Hugo and Pyrite started to close in. But as a nail-biting finish unravelled, Sandesh’s persistence with Pyrite paid off as she got into her stride in the last hundred metres and produced a sparkling run to nail Victor Hugo, Rise And Reign and Galahad in that order as they breezed past the winning post. The first four finishers were each separated by a head, shorthead and a head respectively. 
 
Donald Netto-mentored Nonpareil unleashed a terrific run to claim the Telangana & Andhra Sub Area Gup, a mile event for horses in Class II. K. Mukesh Kumar eased off Nonpareil after jumping out smartly from the gates to race behind Brooklyn Beauty and Get Lucky, who led the field of ten. Get Lucky tackled Brooklyn Beauty when turning for home but found Nonpareil coming with a smooth run on his outside. Nonpareil (Dali – Bravia) slipped into the lead at the two-furlong marker and Mukesh Kumar drove him out to make it four in a row. Get Lucky retained the second place ahead of Trevor Patel-ridden Secret Saint, the on-money favourite who failed to quicken when the race came to a boil. Dali’s Destiny ran far behind to be fourth.
 
Last-outing winner Racing Ruler achieved an encore in mile and half long Colonel B. Santosh Babu Memorial Cup. Newfound Glory dashed into the lead with another no-hoper Challenger racing alongside with Racing Ruler racing last but one in a closely bunched field. KSV Prasad Raju-saddled Racing Ruler made steady improvement as the field travelled towards the entrance of the straight to range alongside the leaders and went effortlessly into the lead as soon as the field entered the final stretch. P. Sai Kumar gave a tap or two to Racing Ruler (Leitir Mor – Qawaafy) before the bay colt lengthened his strides to win in taking style. Black Dust and Freedom Touch finished second and third respectively whilst the even-money favourite Dapper Look ended a poor fourth.
 
At the end of the day’s proceeding, Prasad Raju and Sai Kumar were associated with the success of favourite Cherish The Lady, who lasted out to win from her main adversary, Fashion Icon. Swiss Girl grabbed the lead as the big field of fourteen runners took off for the six furlong sprint with Great Giver and Star Medal in pursuit while Cherish The Lady raced in the mid bunch. Cherish The Lady (Excellent Art – Heiress) gained places as the field moved towards the turn following which Sai Kumar manoeuvred his way through the middle to establish a two-length lead. Akshay Kumar brought second-in-demand Fashion Icon with a strong run to challenge the leader but Cherish The Lady held on gallantly to win by a neck. Swiss Girl stayed in the money ahead of Sargent.
 
Earlier, at the start of the day, Netto led the half-money favourite NRI High Power, who went on to make amends for his failure last month. NRI High Power (Gusto – Keevah) went straight down to business with Akshay in the saddle and had a commanding lead when coming into the home stretch. The dark bay filly strode out well to win comfortably from Emerald Touch, who made a vain attempt to catch the winner in the straight. Foxy Girl and Shreshtra ran far behind to take the minor places on the judges’ board.
 
G. Shashikanth-groomed Take A Breath (earlier named Oskar’s Officer) duly obliged as a favourite to win over the nine-furlong trip for the Gadwal Plate. Apprentice Ajay Kumar-ridden Take A Breath (Top Class – Vallee Secrete) took charge of the running soon after the start and was never headed thereafter. The five-year old maiden extended his lead in the last furlong to beat his nearest rival Silver Arrow by a distance. Federer finished third with Nkalanzinzi taking the fourth spot.
 
M. Faiyaz Ali Khan’s ward Taaliyah failed to beat Most Beautiful on the track but was declared as the winner after her rider Deepak Singh lodged a successful objection against Most Beautiful, who had the services of Akshay in the saddle. Most Beautiful seized the initiative from the word go and had If You Like and Taaliyah in pursuit. Most Beautiful was the first to enter the straight but drifted out alarmingly under pressure taking along Taaliyah who was making her bid on her outside. Most Beautiful won sparing a length to Taaliyah (Arazan – Commelina) but was relegated to the second spot in the stewards’ room. Bien Pensant and Noorian finished third and fourth respectively.