Arjun Mangalorkar trained Royal Crystal stretched himself to the limit to neck out Consigliori to win the Gr 1 Golconda Derby Stakes, the Blue Riband of the Hyderabad Winter Season at Malakpet on Sunday. Royal Crystal is owned by Dr Suresh Chintamneni and was ridden with great commitment by jockey S John.

David Allan took Consigliori to the front from the start and dictated a comfortable pace. Royal Crystal and Ruletheworld were in proximity with Paso Robles in about the fifth position while Vijay Singham was in the penultimate position. The ordered remained the same even when the runners took the final turn. Consigliori battled on resolutely in the stretch under a relentless pressure applied by Royal Crystal on whom John rode as one possessed. The progeny of Western Aristocrat got the better of Consigliori in the closing strides of the race. David Allan did his best to keep his horse in front with an all-out effort, but Royal Crystal proved better in the end. Paso Robles who was outpaced in the stretch took time to warm up and ran on to take the third position ahead of Vijays Singham.

For trainer Arjun Mangalorkar the triumph was something to rejoice because he had come frustratingly come close to winning many classics this season but invariably found better. This time the jinx was broken. This was his second success in this event after Spreadeagle. I am thrilled to be winning the Derby on my home turf said an elated Dr Suresh Chintamneni.

David Allan drove out Vittal Deshmukh trained Lombardy to victory in the 1200 metres Vijay Textiles Juvenile Multi-Million over Mumbai challenger Air Blast. Lombardy showed plenty of speed to lead the field from the start. Though Air Blast looked like he would put up a big challenge, the front-runner had enough legs to win with a measure of comfort as David Allan rode the Leitir Mor horse aggressively to retain the supremacy. Allabouther headed Flameoftheforest to get the third position.

Vittal Deshmukh had the fourth winner of the day through Prince Valiant who trounced the opposition in the 1400 metres Madras Race Club Cup, a race for horses rated 75 and above. Prince Valiant had lost in his previous effort over a mile but was back over the suitable trip of seven furlongs where he has proved too superior every time he has run. Backed to the exclusion of the rest, Prince Valiant made rapid strides along the rails and went past the front-running Mr Baahubali in the final furlong to win by a widening margin of five lengths. Pradeep Chauhan was astride the winner. Chouhan who was once the local champion rarely rides in Hyderabad these days. Isabella finished on to take the second position ahead of a cluster of horses who almost finished in a line. Highly Acclaimed got the third position in a tight finish.

The wrong ‘un from the stables of trainer Laxman Singh, The Great Gatsby won the 1800 metres Sharvan Kumar Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65 with the heavily backed favourite from the stable Beyond Limits finishing a tame third. Jockey Ashhad Asbar took The Great Gatsby to the front and stayed put there with City of Wisdom in the chase. The order remained the same even at the finish as The Great Gatsby spurted clear in the final furlong. Beyond Limits made little progress in the stretch and could only take the third slot. The Great Gatsby`s last run was poor and as such, he was quoted at long odds but his juvenile form had been excellent and he had beaten the likes of Paso Robles during the monsoon season.

Vittal Deshmukh trained Good Connection made a winning debut in the 1400 metres Bangalore Turf Club Cup, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Good Connection was the strong favourite. This half-sister to Well Connected was taken on a start to finish mission by jockey David Egan and Good Connection maintained a healthy lead all through to win with a great deal of ease from Queen Daenerys and Ice Berry.

Ashwa Arjun`s last three runs were so bad that it was hard to expect him to win the 1400 metres Mysore Race Club Cup, a race for horses rated 20- to 45. In what was an open type of betting, His Excellency was the marginal favourite. The fancied Delphina was withdrawn from the fray on veterinary grounds. Ashwa Arjun had the control of the race all the way in the stretch to eventually win by two lengths over Wood Bridge in the hands of apprentice jockey Abhay Singh. Sea Castle who came in for noticeable betting close to race time just about managed to head Royal Dynamite at the post to save place money.

Golden Fortune from the stables of Vittal Deshmukh did not have encouraging racing form to win the 1800 metres Telangana Cup, a race for horses rated 60 to 86 with all the betting attracted by Exclusive Blue to record an encore. Golden Fortune who was in the rear of the field moved up midway through the straight to be a handy second behind pace-setter Mark My Word before asserting her supremacy in the stretch in the hands of jockey Ajeeth Kumar. Galloping Gangster rallied from behind with a flourish but found the front-runner slip away. Exclusive Blue never gave hopes and finished a tame third.

Imran Chisty drove out long shot Sun Dancer to a resolute win over the fancied Halo`s Princess in the 1400 metres Prince Pradeep Plate, a race for horses rated up to 25. Halo`s Princess led the charge in the final furlong but close home, Sun Dancer who had made rapid strides on the wide outside managed to nail the front-runner. Hopscotch covered ground in the end to take the third position.

Trainer Satheesh`s horses almost always go on a catch me if you can tactics and last start winner Happy Together was ideally suited for such an effort in the 1100 metres Royal Western India Turf Club Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Happy Together bolted in the hands of jockey Jitendra Singh and had a big lead going into the final furlong which the others in the fray were not capable of covering. Celeritas who chased the front-runner from the start stayed on to take the second position ahead of Esteva while favourite Soviet Pride who was bidding for a hat-trick was never in the hunt.

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Golden Fortune (P Ajeeth Kumar up) winner of the Telangana Cup

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Sun Dancer (Imran Chisty up) winner of the Prince Pradeep Plate

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The Great Gatsby (A Ashhad Asbar up) winner of the Sharavan Kumar Memorial Cup

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Good Connection (David Egan up) winner of the Bangalore Turf Club Cup

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Ashwa Arjun (Abhay Singh up) winner of the Mysore Race Club Cup

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Happy Together (Jitendra Singh up) winner of the Royal Western India Turf Club Cup

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Lombardy (David Allan up) winner of the Vijay Textiles Juvenile Multi Million

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Prince Valiant (P S Chouhan up) winner of the Madras Race Club Cup

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Royal Crystal (S John up) winner of the Golconda Derby Stakes (Gr.1)

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Gazebo (B R Kumar up) winner of the Bhagmati Cup

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