Satheesh trained Snow Bird, the best performed as well as stoutest stayer competing in the 2400 metres Deccan Chronicle Cup, a Category I race, the feature event of races held at Malakpet on Monday had no issues en route to a bloodless win over three other rivals. The fields have been thin ever since a significant number of horses stationed here were affected by laminitis and contests have been significantly one sided.

Snow Bird`s last effort of finishing second to Qinhuangdao was suggestive of an early success. Such a belief got firmed up when Snow Bird was entered to run over a mile and half which suited the five year old mare to the fullest. She was left to take on modest performers, the best among them being Super Duper who hasn`t made a mark over a staying trip. As such, Snow Bird was only expected to complete the formalities of completing the 2400 metres without suffering any hiccup. Jockey Anil had Snow Bird settled behind pacer maker Vijays Champ followed by Super Duper and Sweet Candy. Anil waited till entering the homestretch before pushing Snow Bird to take over the running. The progeny of Oath had no problem in immediately establishing a vice like grip over the race with Super Duper in futile chase.

It has been raining favourites in Hyderabad. Whichever horses gets one sided support, they are winning with no bias of requirement of a good jockey. Apprentices have been ruling the roost with the leader in the jockeys` championship stakes at this point of time being Akshay Kumar. Sequeira trained Jack Sparrow received one sided support to win the 1200 metres G Sudhakar Reddy Memorial Cup (Div I), a Category II race. Queen of the Stars led deep into the straight before Jack Sparrow was vigorously pushed by apprentice Deepak to take over the running. The favourite did so without much fuss and then was stretching away when Flames of Forest and Golden Arrow came home with late burst of speed. The lower division of the race saw an engrossing contest with Noble Citizen holding the initiative till the final stride of the race. Pradeep Chouhan`s relentless use of the whip saw faovurite Lips Locking get the nod by a whisker.

Donald Netto trained Fruit Roll Up who had gone done narrowly in her last outing made amends in the 1100 metres Paradis Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three year olds with a comprehensive win. Jockey Imran Khan had Fruit Roll Up dictate the terms from the start and the progeny of C P West kept on expanding the lead in the straight to check in well clear of Green Olive and True Pearl. The lower division of the race too went the way of Netto`s another ward Flower Roll Up with the only difference being the jockey. Kuldeep Singh was astride this lesser fancied runner. Flower Roll Up too had things her way from the start and gave no chance whatsoever for favourite Symbol of Choice to catch even her shadow as she skipped away in the final furlong to win with great comfort.

Anupam Sharma`s Lopamudra was strongly backed to win the 1400 metres Red Blaze Plate, a Category III race. The favourite cruised into the lead with two furlongs left in the race and was not extended to win with ease from Transition and Red Ramble.

In a departure from the trend, Leo D`Silva trained Romantic Fire won at nourishing odds of over 4 to 1, the 1100 metres Almanac Cup, a Category III race for three year olds rated up to 50. Romantic Fire successfully went on a start to finish mission like many of the winners of the preceding races and had no problem in containing the challenge of favourite Western Express who warmed to the task when the race was in the safe keeping of the front runner.

N Rao trained Novaya Zemlya brought off a big upset in the 1800 metres Kitty Bank Cup, a Category III race where favourite Vijay Viashnavee struggled to pick up speed from the beginning and was a lost cause well before the race came on the boil. Citi Supreme and Novaya Zemlya fought out the final furlong and both drifted out under pressure. The latter managed to get stronger close home and landed the spoils.

Though apprentice jockey Sai Kiran failed to keep favourite Swift Arrow glued to the rails, the five year old mare obliged huge expectations by easily winning the Sweet Memories Plate (Div II), a Category III race. Swift Arrow kept going wide in the final stages but was so superior to the opposition that she could spare four lengths at the finish to The Da Vinci Code who rallied along the rails.