Hilton Sequeira-trained Miss Maya seemed to have left her magic wand at the starting gate itself, failing to cast any spell in the 1200 metres Donegal Plate—a terms race for three-year-olds and older, the feature event of Monday`s races held at Malakpet. Instead, Miss Maya`s performance was more “abracadud,” backed heavily to restart her winning streak, only to stumble at the beginning. Despite a rapid recovery, it was clear she`d drained her energy tank right when it counted.

Miss Maya had dazzled before, giving punters enough reason to wager she`d do it again. But Monday wasn`t her day. While she lagged at the start, Laxman Singh trained Proud Mary—one of the crowd`s second-favourites—bolted from the gates like a cat that caught a glimpse of a cucumber. Even when Miss Maya found her stride and tried to close the gap after being urged to do so by jockey Akshay Kumar, Proud Mary remained composed, quickening her pace to win without breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, NRI Sport made a quiet climb to third, with Amyra watching the action unfold from fourth place.

Laxman Singh, fresh off a forgettable monsoon season, appears to be thriving in the winter glow. Dali`s Destiny, who hadn`t seen a winner`s circle in over 300 days, turned up looking sharper than ever and treated the race as if he were the only contender. Positioned a comfortable sixth, Dali`s Destiny was moving so smoothly that jockey Deepak Singh kept a respectful distance from the rest, swinging wide at the bend. The favourite, a progeny of Dali, picked up speed like a champion on a mission, blasting past Lights On and winning with all the ease of a leisurely gallop. Federer eventually claimed second, with Pinatubo, Lights On, and Power Ranger trailing in close order.

Trainer Sreekant`s horses have a habit of knowing when they`re supposed to perform, especially when there`s cash on the line. Dali`s Champion, who couldn`t have been less interested in competing a month ago, was backed as if the gods themselves had whispered the outcome. In the 1200 metres Own Opinion Plate, Dali`s Champion took off like it was a one-horse race, seizing the lead and galloping unchallenged to a comfortable win. Mauser followed suit, while Anahita secured third. Meanwhile, trainers continue to play the age-old game of adjusting distances to keep handicaps “mysterious.” Call it strategy or call it art—either way, it seems the officials are none the wiser.

B Mukesh Kumar-trained The Inheritor decided he`d had enough of underperforming and stunned the racing crowd in the 1200 metres Hyderabad Cup for horses rated 40 to 65. Previously just another hopeful in the pack, The Inheritor finally stepped into his namesake`s shoes, leaving the rest of the field scrambling to keep up as he clinched the race by an impressive eight-length margin. Not a bad day for a horse that`s been more “overlooked” than “overachieving” since his move from Bangalore to Hyderabad.

In this whip-free race, the odds reflected the crowd`s ambivalence—punters were hardly rushing to place bets, perhaps seeing more risk than reward in the lineup. Even so, The Inheritor went to the post at a tasty 8 to 1. For those who dared, he proved worth the gamble. After tracking in a cozy position around the bend as Divine Connection led the pack, jockey Gaurav Singh got him rolling in the homestretch. By the final furlong, The Inheritor had claimed the race, widening the gap like a sprinter at the finish line. Behind him, Malibu barely fended off Runlikethewind for second place, likely wondering what just happened.

Vittal Deshmukh`s Linda redeemed herself in style, delivering a late surge that finally set things right after a narrow miss last time. In the 1100 metres Democracy Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, Linda left it until the last possible moment to overtake Opera Queen, clinching victory with a flourish and a hint of drama.

Newfound Glory led the charge early, with Opera Queen hot on her heels while Linda trailed a few lengths back, biding her time. Meanwhile, race favourite Shooting Star looked more like a “Shooting Snooze,” lacking the early speed and quickly fading out of contention. In the final 100 metres, Opera Queen surged ahead of Newfound Glory, setting up what seemed like a decisive lead. But Linda, piloted by jockey Aashad Asbar, wasn`t done yet. In a bold, forceful finish, she gobbled up the ground, catching Opera Queen in the last few strides to snatch victory in the dying moments.

In an absorbing finish, Satheesh-trained Get Lucky, fresh from an eye-catching third in the Deccan Derby, validated his status as the favourite by claiming the 1600-meter Himalaya Plate, open to horses rated 40 to 65. Jockey Mukesh Kumar sent Get Lucky to the front right from the start, setting the stage for a gripping homestretch showdown.

Under intense pressure to maintain his lead, Get Lucky faced fierce challenges from Pleasant Star, who was chasing a hat-trick, and Uchchaihshravas, who surged forward with power. Meanwhile, Secret Saint, hampered by a wide trip and a delayed opening, finally found room and stormed in late.

Despite looking vulnerable, Get Lucky dug deep, clawing back the initiative to win by a neck over Pleasant Star, with Uchchaihshravas and Secret Saint nearly in a line behind, separated only by a neck, head, and another head in a thrilling four-horse finish.