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Laxman Singh trained Vijays Dynamite fought off a resolute battle with Sea Castle to win the 1400 metres Silver Dagger Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 58 to 78, the highest rated event of the concluding day’s races of the Hyderabad Winter Season on Thursday. The lower division of the race too went the way of the same trainer whose ward Southern Promise gave an assertive performance.
Sea Castle began as the favourite when the bookmakers opened the odds but in no time, the one-sided betting on Vijays Dynamite and the confidence of the connections ensured that the latter went to the post as a firm favourite. Vijays Dynamite raced handily and shot ahead on turning for home. The lead that Vijays Dynamite built held him in good stead as Sea Castle closed with a rush but fell short. Doroteo was third. The lower division of the race saw Big Heart being supported in big measure. Big Heart led entering the straight in earnest and held the lead going into the final furlong. Southern Promise who made rapid strides from way off the pace, essayed a strong challenge and closer home, asserted her supremacy. Big Heart stayed on to finish second ahead of Ans Ans Ans. Handy Man performed below expectations.
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Star Gazer attracted significant betting to end up as a firm favourite despite La Romance too being in serious consideration for the 1200 metres Recharge Plate, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. Star Gazer who had the first run on his opponents, had what looked like an unassailable lead and La Romance who was the only nearest challenger, had an uphill task of catching up with the front-runner. However, La Romance closed with a powerful run and managed to neck out the favourite in the dying moments of the race. Starlight ran on to save place money.
Leo D’Silva trained Meka’s who had the benefit of a couple of useful outings, had it easy in the 1400 metres Cherokee Rose Plate (div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds. Meka’s stormed clear in the final furlong and went beyond the reach of favourite Tiger of the Sea who made a futile late charge. Guiding Force was third. Donald Netto trained Hukum was the betting rage in the lower division of the race. The victory of the progeny of Western Aristocrat was considered a cinch. Jockey Fergus Sweeney had Hukum dictate the pace from the start and the favourite skipped clear in the final furlong to win by a widening margin of six lengths over Wings of Angels who nosed out Musashi for the runner-up berth.
Sk Kassam trained Citi Colours brought off a long-priced win in the 1400 metres Hunter Plate, a race for horses rated 26 to 46. Favourite Charlie Brown led in earnest but in the final furlong, the complexion of the race changed. Citi Colors produced a tremendous burst of speed to go storming clear to win with a great deal of ease. Charlie Brown was lost in the crowd soon and finished down the field. Vallee Tiger made a late dash to finish second ahead of Avantika.
Laxman Singh trained Raajneeti was the shortest priced horse of the day in the 1200 metres Greener Plate, a race for horses rated 26 to 46. Shakespeare had a good lead going into the lead and he gave hopes of pulling it off but when the pressure was on, he disappeared without a trace. Raajneeti produced a tremendous burst of speed to overhaul the front-runner but was soon surprised by Vijays Delight who swamped them all with a scintillating late dash in the closing strides of the race. King David headed Sher Afgan to get the third place.
Satyanarayana trained Good Taste who had been running consistently, found her mark in the 1400 metres Gandipet Plate, a race for horses rated up to 30. Akshay Kumar had the favourite chasing Big into the straight before asking his horse to quicken. Good Taste at once accelerated and established a winning lead. Boca Grande made a late dash to take the second place ahead of New Hope in the bobbing of heads.
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Vijay's Dynamite (Kuldeep Singh up) winner of the Silver Dagger Plate (Div-I)
Meka's (Nakhat Singh up) winner of the Cherokee Rose Plate (Div-I)
Hukum (Fergus Sweeney up) winner of the Cherokee Rose Plate (Div-II)
Southern Promise (Deep Shanker up) winner of the Silver Dagger Plate (Div-II)
La Romance (B R Kumar up) winner of the Recharge Plate
Citi Colors (A A Vikrant up) winner of the Hunter Plate
Vijays Delight (Ajit Singh up) winner of the Greener Plate
Good Taste (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Gandipet Plate
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