Vittal Deshmukh trained Vijays Joy just about lasted out to win the 1200 metres Shri Shamlal Gupta Memorial Cup (Div II), a Category I race, the highlight of races held on Sunday at Malakpet. Vijays Joy who had always been beaten in the closing stages of the race, was confronted with a similar situation but apprentice jockey Sai Kiran on City of Dreams was not strong enough to get that bit extra which saved the day for Vijays Joy. Long shot Make Your Day won the lower division of the race at the expense of Magical Spell who too was a victim of a feeble finish on the part of apprentice Pawar.

Vijays Joy`s initial wins had come over a scurry but with the ambition of winning the bigger race for longer trips, the progeny of Stern Opinion was tried over longer trips without success. And even when he was switched back in distance, he found the wining post proving elusive. However, with the modest lot of horses that he was taking, Vijays Joy was expected to find his bearings. Apprentice jockey A S Pawar had Vijays Joy leading from the start and looked a comfortable winner going into the final furlong. However, City of Dreams who travelled wide into the straight, began to find his rhythm in the straight and devoured ground with menacing strides. However, apprentice Sai Kiran failed to add punch to his finish which saw the front runner escape to victory. Camborne too showed some zest when finishing a close third.

Super Falcon was the preferred horse in the lower division of the Shamlal Gupta Cup. However, the favourite, after being prominent, weakened to go out of sight in the straight. Parade Queen led from the start and held the lead till deep into the straight at which point, several horses charged home. Make Your Day who was picking up momentum along the rails, responded well to the urgings of Akshay Kumar and came into strong contention. Magical Spell who was loitering in the rear at the top of the straight flew home and drew level with Make Your Day but the superior finishing effort of Akshay Kumar tilted the race in favour of the long shot while the one who deserved to win but did not do so was Magical Spell. Kohinoor Thunder pipped Gaarswood for the third place.

In a dramatic finish, lesser fancied Kimono who was literally loitering in the last place, circled round the field at the final bend and came home with a stunning burst of speed which took the four year old filly past the front running Sarvagnya in the dying moments of the race to win the 1800 metres Trade Fair Plate, a Category II race. Sarvagnya had led from the start and looked the likely one to last out as on money favourite Red Rambble who was in chase, struggled to gain speed. However, Kimono`s late flurry totally changed the complexion of the race.

Vittal Deshmukh trained Masti won the 1100 metres Brave Dancer Plate (Div I), a Category III race with a successful start to finish mission. Despite coming off from the rails, Masti proved immensely superior to Symbol of Pride who too failed to keep a straight course. In Command and favourite Tricky Star finished in close order behind the runner up. The lower division of the race was won by Prasad Raju trained The Blue in dramatic fashion. Poll Promise led from the start but inside the final 200 metres, was strongly challenged by Blue Sedection who then shot ahead. However, Blue Sedection came down on her front legs causing jockey Akshay Kumar to be thrown off. In the meanwhile, The Blue who had someway leeway to cover, benefitted from the mishap in front as he rallied to cover the leeway and got the nod in the closing strides of the race. Golden Desire was faraway third. Jockey Akshay Kumar escaped unhurt.

Strangely an objection by Chary of Kohinoor Flare who was beaten fair and square from Danielle in the 1600 metres Salute Her Plate, a Category III race, found favour with the Stewards. Inside the final furlong, Danielle shot ahead with Kohinoor Flare finding her way along the rails. Danielle slightly shifted in which in no way hampered Kohinoor Flare for the race to be taken away from the winner who won with something to spare. Favourite City Tex did not find his bearings and was a beaten cause well before the race came on the boil.

Jockey Zervan drove out favourite Palisades Park to get the better of Surprise Party to win the 1200 metres Golden Plate, a race for maiden two year olds. Surprise Party led from the start and put up a dogged resistance before the favourite could overwhelm her in the final stages of the race. City of Harmony was third.

K V Srinivas trained Oathofyourdaughter who is almost running every fortnight for the last several months, proved too good for the opposition in the 1200 metres Hussain Sagar Cup (Div I), a Category III race. After letting Rocky Hill lead till the final furlong, Oathofyourdaughter tackled the front runner with minimum of effort and then sped away to win by a widening margin of four lengths. Romantic Fire necked out True Pearl for the third spot. True Friend attempted runaway tactics in the lower division of the race and very nearly succeeded in pulling it off. However, favourite Arudra who steadily gained speed in the final furlong, managed to overhaul the front runner in the shadow of the post. Golden Phoenix was a well beaten third.