Laxman Singh trained The Healer who has been a prolific performer, overcame a sluggish start and got up in the nick of time to get the better of Shamrock Lady to win the 1200 metres C R Bhoopal Reddy Memorial Cup, a Category II race, the feature event of Friday`s Hyderabad races. Advocate General won the other Category II event of the day, the S S Cardmaster Memorial Cup with a comprehensive start to finish dash.

The Healer had remained unbeaten during the last season in winter. The four-year old`s only loss had come at Chennai during the Invitation Cup weekend races where he had finished third to Captain Courageous but ahead of Castle Key who subsequently won back to back races at Bangalore during the ongoing Summer Season. On the basis of his imposing record and the performance at Chennai, The Healer was predictably offered at a short price. However, The Healer did not win the way the odds suggested. The Healer was sluggish at the start and looked beat as Shamrock Lady appeared to have a winnable lead going into the final furlong. However, The Healer produced a strong finishing effort which helped the favourite to neck out the front runner in the dying moments of the race. Commanding Boy was a well-beaten third.

Vittal Deshmukh trained Advocate General has been fair performer thus far in his career. Despite the wide outside draw, he looked the best in the 1200 metres S S Cardmaster Memorial Cup, a Category II race. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan rushed Advocate General to the front but the effort did not cause any hiccup to his chances as the speedy son of Stern Opinion cruised into the straight a few lengths clear of the rest and maintained it till crossing the winning post. Gayle Force ran on to take the second position out of Tinsel Town.

Quite a few new apprentices have been licensed by the Hyderabad Race Club. They lack the experience and there is a need to initiate them into racing in a gradual manner. However, the club believes in the policy of rushing them and throwing them at the deep end. In the past, there were limitations as to the kind of races that these apprentices could ride without the requisite number of rides to their credit but now all restrictions have been removed. So much so that three raw apprentices were riding in a crowded field of 16 runners. The Hyderabad track has been tricky and quite harsh on jockeys lacking in experience and good reflexes. Three apprentices came a cropper in the 1200 metres Fond Hope Plate, a Category III race for lowest rated horses. Apprentice Ismail on Man of the Series lost his balance at the final bend and hit the turf. The fall happened in front of a crowded field of horses coming behind. The mishap caused the fall of Rafiq who had begun his first day in racing with a win on Thursday and riding Steyn Memories. Rohit Kumar who was riding War Dancer did not have the experience or the expertise to get out of the way and he too hit the turf hard. The accident looked bad but luckily all the jockeys reportedly escaped serious injuries and are under observation at a hospital. Rohit Kumar is reported to have suffered a collar bone fracture. For the record, long shot Gun Barrel, from the yards of Satyanarayana won at the expense of Hunters Pride and Dorian. There is a need to have a re-look with regard to the races that apprentices can ride till they get sufficient experience failing which accidents as the one that one witnessed can become par for every race day.

Vittal Deshmukh trained Paprika`s only run was at Chennai during the Invitation Cup weekend where she found herself out of depth and had finished about eight lengths adrift of Ghoonj, the winner from Bangalore. Though Paprika opened at short odds, the inspired support for Elegant Simplicity resulted in the former`s odds expanding dramatically in the Nizamabad Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds. In the race itself, there was no such drama as Chouhan took Paprika on a start to finish mission. Paprika was not tested by any of the other runners as she checked in by a widening margin of five lengths over Batur and Patron Saint. Elegant Simplicity was not sighted. MonteRosa was withdrawn from the fray on veterinary grounds. Prasad Raju trained Ruby`s Gift had no problem in winning the lower division of the race, keeping the challenge of heavily supported Nazailla at bay.

Netto trained Sweet March had imposing credentials having finished a close second behind Aika Aika Aika despite conceding chunks of weight. Sweet March was quoted at very cramped odds to win the 1200 metres Nirmal Plate, a Category III race. Sweet March sported bandages on her forelegs and racing boots on the hind legs and did not justify the price tag on her. The filly had been operated for the treatment of right fore tendon breakdown and more often than not, horses with such serious physical condition rarely regain their prime form. Sweet March appeared to be in distress from the start and was beaten from the word `go`. She also returned lame. Top Contender who was a well-backed second favourite was hard-driven to get the better of Without Makeup. Magna Carta was faraway third.

On money favourite Gorgeous Lady played up at the gates and bolted without the jockey and was withdrawn from the fray in the 1400 metres Agostini Plate, a Category III race. City of Wonders made a strong bid to win by shooting ahead in the final furlong but was strongly pressed by Gangadhar. Augusta Bombshell who was loitering in the second last position, improved places swiftly along the rails and was angled out get a clear run between the front-running duo. Augusta Bombshell finished on powerfully to win with something to spare in the end. Gangadhar snatched the runner-up position.

The well backed Bouquet from the yards of trainer Sequeira just about managed to scrape through in the 1100 Subash Chandra Bose Plate (Div I), a Category III race. Bouncer led from the start but came under pressure in the shadow of the post from the eventual winner and Racing Ikon. The last named could have pulled through but drifted out under pressure and the jockey had to correct the drift. This cost Racing Ikon a winning chance as Bouquet managed to put her head in front. Anupam Sharma trained Symbol of Pride managed to prevail over Wind Zoom in a tight finish. The inability of apprentice jockey Sai Kiran to change the whip hand cost the favourite the winning chance as the horse was lugging in and the jockey was inadequate to the task. Aware reared up when the start was given and the handler was perhaps unable to take off the blindfold. The horse jumped out from the gates with the blindfold on. The Stewards who held an enquiry into the start, declared Aware as a non-starter and ordered for the bets made on him to be refunded which was an appropriate decision.