Padmanabhan trained Hall of Famer showed quantum improvement while relegating classic winner La Donna to the second place in the Gr 2 Golconda 1000 Guineas, the first classic of the Hyderabad Monsoon Season on Monday at Malakpet. The fast improving daughter of Win Legend won the race despite going wide and clocked a fast time of one minute 37.46 seconds which was fractionally slower than the record set by Diego Rivera.

La Donna had won the Mysore 1000 Guineas and had also placed a close third in the Gr 1 Fillies Championship Stakes at Bangalore during the summer season. The credentials of La Donna were impressive and it was no surprise that she went to the post as on money favourite. On the other hand, Hall of Famer had won two races, the last one in open company at Mysore albeit in an excellent timing. Her performance indicated that she was on the upgrade and an improved performance could be expected in the classic. If anyone looked for a horse to beat La Donna, Hall Of Famer was the one to back. The others in the fray did not impress much.

Space Ship set the pace with Hall of Famer eased in about the third or fourth position along with La Donna who was ridden in restraint this time. Cataleya who displaced the pace setter approaching the final turn, fought on resolutely in the straight before being overhauled in the final furlong. La Donna improved places rapidly in the straight and surged ahead in the final furlong. Hall of Famer, as is her wont, began to veer out alarmingly but jockey David Allan did not panic, gathered her and pushed her strongly to produce a renewed effort. Hall of Famer quickened well and for all the problems which were self-inflicted, she won by a shade over a length. La Donna was a disappointing second considering her awesome reputation while Mumbai challenger Cataleya stayed on to take the third position. The local challengers Likewise and Awesome Approach who were widely believed to have the class to be in contention, however, found themselves out of depth.

This was the classic number 91 for trainer Padmanabhan who is steadily marching towards the magical 100 mark. His strike rate in classics has been consistent in the last decade. Jockey David Allan continues to enjoy a good run in the Indian classics. The local talent in the classics was disappointing with the four places in the race occupied by the outstation challengers.

Leo D`Silva trained Queen of the Stars brought off a big upset in the Mauritius Turf Club Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 60 to 90. After Shamrock Lady expended her energy running freely in front, Net Champ through along the rails to come into strong contention. However, Net Champ could not carry the lead to the post as Queen of the Stars loomed large on the outside and managed to surge ahead in the final moments of the race to win at long odds. Kimono ran on well towards the close to take the third place. Laxman Singh trained Vijay Sakhi prevailed in the lower division of the race. In what appeared an open sort of an affair, City of Dreams had the first run on his opponents with Vijay Sakhi hot on his heels, with Vista hanging about in about the third position. The duo fought out a keen battle, with Vijay Sakhi getting the upper hand in the shadow of the post to eventually win by half a length. Vista was third.

The run benefit had helped Prince Caspian who had run green in his debut run but finished an eye-catching third to Clarissa. Now quoted at unbackable odds, Caspian Sea was relaxed in the rear even as Treasure Striker set a frenetic pace in the 1200 metres Brave Dancer Plate, a race for maiden two-year-olds. Jockey Pradeep Chouhan brought Prince Caspian on the wide outside and the progeny of Excellent Art picked up speed without fuss to draw clear to win as he pleased from Escobar and Tootsie Roll.

Prime Time along with Avantika were the market fancies to land the spoils in the 1100 metres Salute Her Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 26 to 50. Even as Prime Time was getting the better of Yes Baby along the rails, Avantika came up with a flourishing run in the hands of Bouzelin Louis to seal the issue. Yes Baby was relegated to the fourth position in the closing moments of the race by late rallying Hard Fought. Favourite Negress Pearl was subjected to veterinary check at the gates before being allowed to run in the lower division of the race. Sefarina and Ikigai were disputing the lead all the way in the final furlong when Negress Pearl swooped on them with a powerful effort from behind and sailed past them close home to record a comfortable win. Ikigai took the runner-up berth.

Srinath had to really strive hard on Tiger to get the lesser fancied runner Dahlois to clinch the 1800 metres Windscale Plate, a race for horses rated 46 to 70. Dahlois put up stiff resistance all the way in the straight before surrendering near the post. Limitation who lost significant ground at the start steadily bridged the gap and finished on strongly only to miss the runner-up berth by a whisker. A good start would have seen a different result accruing.

Favourite Dolce fought for a while with front-running Bouncer in the straight before asserting her supremacy in the 1200 metres Original Vel V Balsubramani Memorial Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 26 to 50. Apprentice jockey B R Kumar was quite forceful on the winner. Romantic Fire occupied the third slot.