Racing resumed after a fortnight at Malakpet, with the action shifting over to the Winter track. In a packed card of nine races, The A.P. Commemoration Cup was the feature of the opening day’s races, attracting 14 runners, for the seven-furlong run. L.V.R. Deshmukh’s Vijay Damini (Elusive City – Kabubina) garnered all the support in the betting, being installed as an ‘on-money’ favourite.

The three-year-old filly took the trip all by herself, going start-to-finish and proved that she was a class apart from the rest. Caligatae chased the winner till the closing stages but surrendered the runner-up berth to Mussion Chief. The leading combination of the Monsoon season, Deshmukh and P.S. Chouhan, started the new season with a double, having won on Young Sapper, in the lower division of The Nagarjuna Sagar Plate.

Chouhan made a quick move on Young Sapper (China Visit – Run For The Crown) on entering the straight and stayed a clear two lengths in front of The Himalayas till the wire. The favourite, Original Gladiator ended up a tame third. Leo’s Petradura (Inhabitant – Pettalumma) started the day, claiming the higher division of the Nagarjuna Sagar Plate. Drayton had established a good lead entering the final furlong and looked to wrap up the race but that was not to be, as Petradura picked up great speed and with jockey S. John guiding his mount to take the path along the inner rails, sped past Drayton.

The first race for two-year-olds this year, The Beginners Plate, was won by a daughter of Burden Of Proof. Surya Lakshmi led all the way from the start to the finish. Jockey Ravinder Singh rode the winner. Silver Lid started to cover ground in the last 100 metres but could only land up to be second. Notredame and Star Value filled the frame. Trainer M. Sathnyanarayana led in a double with his wards, Hard kingdom and Hundred Flowers emerging victorious in their respective races.

Assisted by some spirited betting, Hard Kingdom (Diffident – Roman Eagle) wound up as the firm favourite in the lower division of The Welcome Plate. Hard Kingdom galloped majestically in the hands of Jockey Ravinder Singh to emerge clear. Da Xia chased the winner throughout the straight to finish second while Dixie Bell took the third spot. Hundred Flowers (Duja – Backburn Rocket) lifted The Aberader Plate, the concluding race of the day. Indian Brave Heart led till the last 150 metres and gave up.

Ziglar was quick to surge ahead but Hundred Flowers accelerated well to give apprentice J. Vikas his first career win. With apprentice G. Sai Vamshi pulling out Cheetah Hi Jeetha (Mr Mellon – Clemenza) in the final furlong, the 5-year-old gelding responded well to speed past the front-running Grey Shot and emerge clear in the higher division of The Deccan Star Cup. Nandanvanaa, who was loitering in the second last position till the last 200 metres, came with gigantic strides to snatch the runner-up berth from Grey Shot. Trainer Faiyaz Shaikh picked up a lucrative double on the opening day. Unleashing a run in the final 100 metres, True Fashion (White Crown – Aberlady) upset the applecart of the well-fancied Standing Ovation, in the lower division of The Deccan Star Plate.

After a stirring duel between Flash of Emerald and Genius Empress throughout the home stretch, with both the riders going all out, the latter fared better by half a length at the finish, to give her trainer, Faiyaz a double. Inclement Weather Halts Races on Monday Cyclone ‘Jal’ took its toll in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh but the effects were felt even at Hyderabad. With rains lashing Hyderabad on Sunday night and the weather remaining wet for most part of Monday morning, the going was on the softer side for the day’s races.

Two races went through and after that the jockeys gave their opinion that the track was shifty and the going was not safe enough for them to ride. The Stewards then decided to call off the rest of the seven races. Classic Dancer (Don Micheletto – Golden Tinsel) relished the wet underfoot conditions and ran away with the lower division of The Moment Of Glory Plate, the first race of the day. Kohinoor Magic and Mighty Power fought out for the minor placing while the favourite Max Baby was never in the hunt.

Vijay Monarch (Diffident – Post Impressionist), who had finished fourth to Xisca in the Derby, made a smashing appearance in The Mir Fazilath Hussain Memorial Cup. Golden Queen and Royal Embassy were in tow and finished in that order behind the winner.