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Jockey Akshay Kumar who had consolidated his hold on the jockeys` championship drove out Smashing Blue to victory over favourite Ashwa Virat in the 1100 metres Dodla Pratap Chander Reddy Memorial Million, a terms race for two-year-olds, the concluding day`s feature event of the Hyderabad Monsoon Season. Laxman Singh pipped Hilton Sequeira to grab the trainers` championship.
The season`s first race for two-year-olds saw a line up 10 runners with two horses from Mysore travelling all the way in the hope of striking it rich. Ashwa Virat who had showed out in a mock race was made the firm favourite but close to race time there was a rush of money on Sequeira trained Smashing Blue whose odds crashed from a higher quote. Akshay Kumar took the progeny of Win Legend on a start to finish mission and Smashing Blue, sporting red silks, led all the way and held off the challenge of favourite Ashwa Virat resolutely to win by half a length. Akashima who made a hesitant start from the gates ran on to finish third ahead of Mysore challenger The Make Up Artist who ran green.
Vittal Deshmukh trained Lightning Bolt was running after a break of 120 days but nevertheless was backed strongly to have a bold show in the 1400 metres Camino Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65 on the basis of extensive preparation that the progeny of Excellent Art had been subjected to. Lightning Bolt had finished third to War Hammer in the Gr 1 Colts Championship Stakes at Bangalore during the summer season and the reason why the colt was not seen in action for a long time was the fact that he had bled on that occasion. Victory Parade went on a start to finish mission but failed to sustain the lead when Lightning Bolt essayed a strong challenge in the stretch. Lightning Bolt in the persevering hands of jockey Zervan tackled Victory Parade in the final furlong and won in a new course record of one minute 24.4 seconds bettering the existing one by fractions. Exclusive Blue was a well-beaten third.
The keen tussle for jockeys` championship between Akshay Kumar and Suraj Narredu was settled when Ace Ace Ace decisively won the 1400 metres Telangana Race Horse Owners Association Trophy, a race for horses rated 60 to 85 giving the jockey a three-point lead over his adversary with just two races left in the day. The speedy Mr Baahubali led the field from the start but inside the final 250 metres gave way to Ace Ace Ace to take charge. Ashwa Bahula had conceded a lot of leeway to the favourite and though she finished on strongly, Ace Ace Ace had enough cushion to win with a measure of comfort. Mr Baahubali held off Super Dart to keep the third position. Trainer Srinivas Reddy who saddled Ashwa Bahula got a unique distinction of being a champion of seconds, his horses finishing second best on 21 occasions, the most for any trainer this season in Hyderabad.
Satheesh trained New Comer who hadn`t won for 609 days made it in the 1400 metres Belle Dancer Plate, a race for horses rated up to 25. New Comer who was available at fancy odds, led from the start and had a good break going into the final furlong. Favourite Et Voici finished with a strong effort but it was not enough to overhaul the front-runner. All that Et Voici managed to do was to snatch the runner-up berth from Diesis Dream. Royal Avenger was a close fourth.
When it comes to horses from trainer Satheesh, one is not sure what to expect as invariably his long shots win while those in the betting rarely oblige. The betting trend is no guide. Leo D`Silva trained Barnabas was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1400 metres Angler Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45 confined to horses which had not won a race since July 1. Satheesh trained Story Teller was the second favourite while Once More was at fancy odds. Story Teller led with Crimson Fire in the chase but drifted out under pressure and faded out of contention in the final furlong. Once More came through the middle from way behind and stretched away for an easy win over Crimson Fire, with Brush The Sky finishing third. Story Teller was a tame fourth.
The last race of the season was a good parting shot for the punters who tried to spot the winner among the horses which were in the betting for the 1200 metres Vemulawada Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Long shot Top Contender from the stables of trainer Shezad Abbas came home with big strides in the final furlong to edge past On The Fire close home and then held off the late flourish of Vijay`s Empress who came from the last position. Composure who led deep into the straight weakened to finish off the frame with stablemate Patron`s Saint filling up the frame. The winner was guided by Praveen Gaddam for whom this was his only winner for the season.
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New Comer (Nakhat Singh up) winner of the Belle Dancer Plate
Lightning Bolt (S Zervan up) winner of the Camino Plate
Once More (Jitendra Singh up) winner of the Angler Plate
Ace Ace Ace (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Telangana Race Horse Owners Association Cup
Smashing Blue (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Dodla Pratap Chander Reddy Memorial Million
Top Contender (Praveen Gaddam up) winner of the Vemulavada Plate
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