Prasad Raju`s Alexina, the filly who`s been keeping her talents under wraps, surprised everyone—yet again—in the mile-long Telangana Race Horse Owners Association Trophy, the feature race for horses rated 80 and above on the closing day of the Hyderabad Monsoon Season. Despite a flashy performance last time out over a sprint, Alexina`s connections must have thought her past wins were pure luck, because she entered the race at odds of 20-1, virtually ignored in the betting ring while the top-weighted contenders hogged all the action. Making the leap from six furlongs to a mile like a true pro, she proved her worth in just her second go at this distance, striding confidently to an impressive win.

With a featherweight burden, Alexina seized the lead early and decided she was in no mood to share. Jockey Sai Kumar guided her confidently, keeping her out front while Shadow of the Moon, Siddharth, and Huntingdon tried to catch up but failed to close the gap. Despite her knack for leaving fans guessing, Alexina ran with a gusty determination, holding off her rivals in the final furlong and crossing the finish line to cap off her season.

As for Siddharth, once a dominant player, he`s now apparently joined the late-starters club, needing a good half the race to find his rhythm—a habit that doesn`t exactly help in tight finishes. Alexina, allowed a free rein up front, held her ground, shrugging off Shadow of the Moon`s last-minute attempt with a mere flick of her mane, clinching victory in true underdog style. Siddharth was a close third ahead of Huntingdon who too finished in the heap.

The season wrapped up with trainer Netto and jockey Akshay Kumar strutting away with the championship honours. Apprentice jockey Md Ekram Alam snagged the title in his category. The Dr. M A M Ramaswamy Chettinad Trust took home the award for the leading owner, showing that behind every great horse is a great wallet. Ashoka claimed the title of Horse of the Season, while Geographique took home the coveted Champion Horse of the Season title.

Racing in Hyderabad is a well-crafted minefield for punters who dare to trust their instincts—only to be blindsided by the oddball outcomes. Sure, everyone loves backing a hot favourite, and when those bets pay off, it`s all smiles and high-fives. But this is Hyderabad, where if a horse is barely mentioned in the betting ring, it might just pull off a Houdini act and stun the entire trackside. This often happens precisely when the two well-backed horses decide to take a siesta during the race.

Take the first race of the day, the 1400 metres JSK1 New Market Trophy (Div 2), a rollercoaster for horses rated 60 to 85. Maverick came with the CV—a win and a second-place finish—drawing steady support. Armstrong, the previous victor, saw its odds drift like a feather in the wind, leaving punters scratching their heads. Yet, when the gates flew open, neither of them made it even to the top three.

In a plot twist that left the betting public in shambles, Delhi Heights, trained by Magan Singh Parmar and piloted by Mukesh Kumar, appeared out of nowhere. The wide outsider burst through the homestretch, as if reminded of his job, and swept past everyone in the final furlong. Lucky Zone, who last placed somewhere in the next zip code, followed in a solid second, with another long-shot, D Minchu, placing third. This win marked the end of Delhi Heights` near 300-day sabbatical from the winner`s circle. The horses who led the pack early on decided they`d done enough by the time the serious business began, promptly vanishing from contention. Instead, it was the backbenchers—those hanging out in the distant reaches—who swooped in for the spotlight, battling it out for the spoils as if they`d only just realized they were in a race!

Hilton Sequeira`s Star of Night waltzed through the 1600 metres Sangareddy Plate like she`d been told it was just a leisurely morning jog, flattening the field with effortless style. The odds on second-favourite, Freedom Touch, spiralled downwards as Star of Night`s odds tightened—almost as if Freedom Touch had read the odds board and decided it wasn`t worth the effort.

Sure enough, Freedom Touch lumbered out of the gates like she had all day, trailing at the back and managing a modest push to grab third place by the end. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar gave Star of Night the smoothest cruise, keeping her in a comfy fourth spot while London Bells handled the thankless job of front-running. When they hit the homestretch, Star of Night flipped the switch, sailed past the leader, and thundered home with a yawning seven-length lead. Freedom Touch, meanwhile, rallied late to claim third, while the rest of the field seemed content to let Star of Night steal the show without so much as a hint of resistance.

Magan Singh Parmar`s Gatiman, who had stumbled as the favourite last time, somehow retained enough star power to start at cramped odds in the 1100 metres Major Mir Mujtaba Hussain Memorial Cup. This left the rest of the field to play the supporting cast, as it was clear they were there just to keep the track full and the betting window open.

With nothing but token resistance from the other runners, Gatiman practically had his name engraved on the trophy at the starting gate. Jockey Mukesh Kumar kept things cool, settling Gatiman in third as Challenger set a leisurely pace. But when Mukesh nudged Gatiman for a real run, the favourite kicked into gear, leaping ahead to win by over three lengths. Warwick plodded along to secure second, with Challenger clinging on for third.

In Hyderabad, this kind of one-sided affair might occasionally offer some certainty. But more often than not, trying to pick a winner here is like gambling on monsoon rain—it might happen, but only after it makes you sweat!

Imran Khan trained Kings Best finally ended his 600-day losing streak with a statement win in the GSK1 Gaming Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. The long drought left Kings Best in no mood to mess around. Jockey Sai Kumar shot him straight to the front right from the jump and enjoyed a leisurely solo tour around the track, while the favourite, Decoy, watched from a respectful distance.

Try as Decoy might to bridge the gap, Kings Best wasn`t about to surrender his hard-earned lead, storming home with a comfortable three-length victory. Ashwa Gajraj, meanwhile, took his time arriving in third, lagging another eight lengths behind Decoy—almost as if he preferred watching the action from afar.

Donald Netto`s NRI Doublepower cruised to a straightforward victory in the JSK1 New Market Trophy (Div I), a race tailored for horses rated 60 to 85, confirming his status as the punters` favourite. Jockey Suraj Narredu remained cool as a cucumber, keeping his mount settled in around fourth or fifth place while the action unfolded ahead. Blissful initially took the lead, galloping ahead with all the enthusiasm, but quickly tired out as they hit the home stretch.

As Blissful faded, Icicle took charge, only to find NRI Doublepower looming in the background like a determined ghost. With barely a flick of effort, NRI Doublepower surged past Icicle, leaving the competition struggling behind. Icicle managed to fend off a late charge from Anzio to secure the runner-up spot, but let`s be real—this race was all about NRI Doublepower`s effortless display of speed and dominance!

The dynamic duo of trainer Magan Singh Parmar and jockey Mukesh Kumar wrapped up the season on a high note, scoring their third victory of the day in the final race. Their trusty steed, Mix The Magic, drew significant support in the 1100 metres Solario Plate, a contest for horses rated 20 to 45.
Starting off strong, Mix The Magic settled into a comfortable second position as they approached the final bend. When Mukesh gave the signal, the filly sprang into action, taking the lead with ease. However, as the finish line loomed, it was clear she was running on fumes, while the less-fancied Newfound Glory crept up like a determined shadow.

In a nail-biting finish, Mix The Magic managed to hold on and crossed the line just a neck ahead. Eminency trailed behind in third, over four lengths adrift.