If the conduct of horse racing by the Hyderabad Race Club (HRC) at the Malakpet racecourse over the past two days is observed closely, it appears that the sport is dying a slow death. However, HRC can take some comfort in the fact that, as a turf club, it is not alone in suffering this decline. To the administrators, horse racing seems to be nothing more than a matter of framing a race-meeting and then going through the motions of getting the equines to run in various events, before entering the outcomes as mere statistics in the record books. After witnessing the quality — or the lack of it — of the seven-event card framed by HRC on Sunday, one wonders why on earth did the Royal Western India Turf Club agree to hold its racing on Saturday. It was a sheer waste of time, painfully watching the races on both Sunday and Monday. If this is how the sport would be conducted, so be it.
 
Six out of the seven winners on Monday were prime favourites including four available at on-money odds. One of them was Exclusive Black, an effortless winner in the upper division of the PG Reddy Memorial Trophy. Exclusive Black raced close on the haunches of Best Buddy, who shot into the lead from the barriers and brought the field into the straight. Trevor Patel released the brakes on Exclusive Black (Net Whizz – Matilda) at the two-furlong marker following which the A. Imran Khan-groomed gelding cantered home. Sangreal was the runner-up ahead of Best Buddy while Federer was fourth.
 
Trevor had another assignment earlier in the day astride second-in-demand Daring Spirit, who went down fighting against the favourite and eventual winner Basilica, who was previously based in Bangalore. Daring Spirit moved up rapidly to take control of the running from leader Normui but still had to deal with Basilica, who was steadily bridging the gap. Trevor went all out on Daring Spirit to sustain the lead but found Akshay Kumar atop Basilica equally committed to his task. D. Netto-saddled Basilica (Leitir Mor – Hudson) produced a resolute performance to overwhelm Daring Spirit close home. Dream To Fly came with a late dash to finish third ahead of La Quinta.
 
At the start of the day’s proceedings, Victoria Doresaani, another recent migrant from Bangalore, made a winning appearance under trainer S. Sreekant’s charge. Victoria Doresaani raced in the rear as the bunch of no-hopers enjoyed running to the front and was alerted by Akshay when the heads turned for home. Victoria Doresaani (Western Aristocrat – Centrestage) took some time to warm up before approaching the winning post but managed to assert her superiority over the modest set of opponents inside the final furlong. Clefairy held on to the second berth by a head while Glorious Power ended third ahead of Torchbearer.
 
KSV Prasad Raju-saddled favourite Star Forever obliged in the concluding event but not before being ridden vigorously by P. Sai Kumar to quell Artisha’s resistance. The early lead was disputed by Arthisha and Calistoga, found enthusiastic support in the betting, while Star Forever raced in close attendance. Arthisha slipped into the lead and held the advantage as the field entered the home stretch. Calistoga failed to quicken and Star Forever looked sluggish when asked for an effort. But Sai Kumar was relentless in his pursuit and eventually got Star Forever (Excellent Art – Forever Glory) to defeat Arthisha by half a length. Warwick finished well to be a close third while Arion One ran fourth.
 
Trainer Magan Singh Parmar lifted both divisions of the Devarakonda Trophy through Varada and Feel The Magic, who were steered by Dhanu Singh Deora. As the starter’s flag came down for the lower division of the Devarakonda Trophy, Varada was raring to go from the word go but Deora settled her nicely behind Most Beautiful and Glimmer of Hope and made his bid when turning for home. Varada (Stardan – Alohamora) soon picked up momentum to go surging clear in the last furlong and won untroubled thereafter. Sweet Dancer was a distant second while Glimmer of Hope and Screenshot took the other two minor places.
 
Top-weighted Feel The Magic lacked early speed and raced behind the three leaders headed by December Rain. Deora made gradual progress with Feel The Magic and essayed his challenge from the outer flank in the straight. Feel The Magic (Ampere – Zazou) stepped up the speed in the closing stages of the race and wrapped the issue easily from Golden Unicorn. Windsor and December Rain faded away to be third and fourth after showing the way to the field in the early stage of the sprint.
 
Akshay-ridden Digital Empress from LVR Deshmukh’s yards was the lone on-money favourite to taste defeat. Having summered at Bangalore recently, Digital Empress was expected to carry her fitness to victory in the Royal Revive Plate, a seven-furlong race for maiden juveniles, but she failed to live up to the expectations. Digital Empress wrest the lead from Bayone shortly after the start and had Toshiro and lesser fancied Love All following her into the straight. The favourite seemed to be a spent force when RS Jodha-piloted Love All threw a challenge at her and, despite running green before overtaking Digital Empress, K. Sateesh-schooled Love All (French Navy – Grey Mist) drew away in the last furlong for a comfortable victory over Digital Empress. Toshiro ended third ahead of Evan Sville.