Satheesh-trained Candy Girl, who`s made a habit of doing all the hard work upfront only to fizzle out before the finish line, finally decided it was time to stretch that lead to the winning post. The long shot, known for her surprise tactics, led from start to finish, saving just enough energy for the final furlong to fend off Alexina and pull off an upset victory in the 1200 metres Bold Venture Plate, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the highest rated event of Sunday`s races held at Malakpet. Donald Netto`s Ashoka, who was aiming for his fourth straight win of the season, found his stride halted—not just by the ten kilos he was lugging, but also by Candy Girl`s stubborn spirit. Alexina claimed second place, leaving Ashoka to settle for third, while the second favourite Miss Maya trotted in fourth.

Ashoka`s class was supposed to shine through, but even a game performer struggles when forced to concede a whopping 10 kilograms to Candy Girl and even more to others. For the record, Candy Girl has now chalked up nine career wins, while Ashoka remains stuck at seven. Despite the heavy backing, Ashoka was ultimately no match for the weight he had to carry, while the support for Miss Maya was lukewarm, closing at 3 to 1. The rest? Well, you could`ve asked for just about any odds you fancied.

Jockey Md Ekram Alam put Candy Girl on a bold, start-to-finish mission, and despite pressure from Alexina, she dug deep into her reserves to pull away for a determined win. Ashoka`s speed was no match for the burden of expectations—or the literal burden on his back—as he laboured home in a tame third.

Hilton Sequeira`s NRI Superpower dominated the 1600 metres Smt Teegala Sulochana Reddy Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 60 to 85, proving why she was the second favourite. Jumping out cleanly, she settled into a comfortable second position behind the pace-setter Last Wish. Apprentice jockey Shivansh timed his move early in the straight, taking charge and cruising ahead of Last Wish in the final furlong for an easy victory. Delhi Heights who was in the vicinity followed along to grab third.

Meanwhile, the favourite Hurricane Bay seemed to have missed the memo on showing up. Stuck at the back, jockey Afroz Khan, confronted with a wall of horses in the straight, panicked and swung Hurricane Bay the widest of all. This detour cost precious ground and ensured a forgettable fourth-place finish—an outcome that fell far short of the hype given his stellar season so far.

Donald Netto`s Espionage pulled off an undercover operation in the 1400 metres Hyderabad City Police Commissioner`s Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Meanwhile, King`s Best, who hasn`t found the winning post in close to 700 days (that`s nearly two years of missed opportunities, for those counting), was once again made the favourite. And, as if scripted by fate itself, he flopped. Again.

Ironically, it was Espionage, the owner mate of King`s Best, who showed up for duty, cruising to an easy victory with a four-length cushion—no drama, no fuss, just a casual jog in the park. Rolls Royce initially took the lead, setting a pace that was more “sedan” than “sports car,” with Espionage right behind and King`s Best lounging in third. As they hit the final 300 metres, jockey Kuldeep Singh decided it was time to drop the pretences, and Espionage surged past Rolls Royce like a turbocharged engine, leaving the field (and the punters) in no doubt about who was in control.

King`s Best? Oh, he gave it his best shot—but “best” turned out to be just a step above sluggish. Out of nowhere, Detective came flying from the second-last position, making a mad dash to tie with King`s Best in photo finish for second place.

If you`ve been watching the races closely over the past month, you`d notice a pattern that`s more predictable than a rerun: it`s always the second or third favourites coming through, while the so-called “favourites” keep flopping spectacularly. One might say the bookmakers have been leading punters on a merry dance, baiting them into believing the hype. Moral of the story? Don`t trust the labels; the real winners are hiding in plain sight.

Faisal Hassan`s That`s My Mission must have had the punters sweating in the 1100 metres Peddapalli Plate (Div I) for horses rated 20 to 45. The betting battle saw That`s My Mission share favouritism with the original market darling, Linda. Jockey Mukesh Kumar wasted no time, sending That`s My Mission straight to the front like he had somewhere else to be, while Vittal Deshmukh`s Linda trailed a few lengths back, playing the patient game.

As they approached the final furlong, That`s My Mission seemed to have everything under control with a nice cushion over the rest. But, like an actor in a thriller, he decided to make things dramatic. The front-runner started to falter, and suddenly, it was a cavalry charge—Linda, Newfound Glory, and Life`s Journey all made late, strong bids, determined to spoil the show.

In a finish that felt like it was straight out of a suspense novel, That`s My Mission barely held on, crossing the line just in time to spare a neck to Linda. Newfound Glory and Life`s Journey followed close behind, looking like they were just one stride away from rewriting the script. It was a photo finish that left the favourites` backers relieved, while the rest were left shaking their heads at another almost-but-not-quite moment.

Trainer Vittal Deshmukh finally caught a break with Gloria in the lower division of the Peddapalli Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Gloria, initially the crowd`s darling, saw her limelight stolen by Shooting Star as bettors flipped faster right before post time. The other contender getting a lot of wallet love was Magan Singh Parmar`s Mix The Magic.

The race began with Opera Queen doing her best impression of a sprinter, leading the way, while Shooting Star and Mix The Magic jostled for position. Gloria, apparently taking her sweet time, hung back a few lengths behind. But then, just when the audience wondered if she was napping, she decided to join the party, rapidly closing in as they neared the final bend.

Now, here`s where things got interesting. Jockey Aashad Asbar, while trying to rev up Gloria, seemed to think a little drifting was part of the plan—because why run straight when you can spice things up by veering and inconveniencing your rivals? Gloria shrugged off the drama, surged ahead, and had to fend off a late (but futile) rally from Mix The Magic to claim victory. Shooting Star, after all that early hype, fizzled out to a humble third. For Vittal, who once ruled the roost as a champion trainer but has been struggling this season, Gloria`s win marked only his fourth of the season.

Laxman Singh`s Proud Mary, who was thrashed by 17 lengths over nine furlongs in her last outing, shrugged off that dismal performance and bounced back with a vengeance in the 1200 metres Venus De Milo Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. The longer distance wasn`t her jam. This time, the punters backed her with confidence, and she didn`t disappoint.

Guided by jockey Sai Kumar, Proud Mary tracked Wind Sprite into the straight before unleashing her true form, leaving the rest gasping for air in the final furlong to win by over five lengths. Shadow Fax snatched second place, narrowly edging out Wind Sprite, who put up a brave fight with a second wind after being overtaken. As for the Final Judgment from Vittal Deshmukh`s stable, despite the money that poured in, the support was entirely misplaced—it seems not all judgments are final, or correct, for that matter.