Pesi Shroff`s rising star, Psychic Star, made light work of the competition in the Gr 2 HPSL Golconda 1000 Guineas, blasting down the Hyderabad straight with all the grace of a freight train – fast, unstoppable, and leaving everything else in the dust. This precocious filly, a progeny of the legendary performer on the Indian track Multitude, was all business in the final furlong, delivering a devastating turn of foot that surely left rivals pondering if they`d entered the wrong race. With this effortless triumph, Psychic Star didn`t just win; she stamped her claim as the season`s first classic victor, much to the delight of Usha Stud Farm`s ever-growing classic roster.

Local hopefuls Maigira and Star of Night were left scrambling for second and third places, respectively, while the supposed Bangalore “challenger” Inspire appeared to be anything but inspiring, fading well before she could make any real impact. For a horse that was billed to “spice things up,” she was about as flavourful as a bland bowl of soup.

In a field peppered with unproven runners, Psychic Star enjoyed the spotlight as the favourite, with Mother`s Grace from Mumbai trying to claim second-favourite status. But when it mattered most, jockey Vivek G – whose stock is rising faster than the odds on race day – showed why he`s becoming a trusted partner in the saddle. Navigating around a bustling inside track with the poise of a seasoned pro, he found clear running space in the final stretch. With daylight ahead, Psychic Star needed no further invitation; she blazed her way past the post, leaving spectators and competitors equally breathless.

Maigira held off Star of Night to take second, but Nyx, the early front-runner from Bangalore, could only watch the action unfold from afar as her legs turned to jelly in the lengthy Hyderabad home stretch, eventually finishing fourth. And Inspire? Well, let`s just say she`ll need more than a name change to live up to her pedigree.

Trainer Vittal Deshmukh, who endured a monsoon season as dry as toast, seems to have finally cashed in on the `merit drop` his horses earned from those lackluster efforts. Enter Lashka, who, having slid down a category, delivered a confident victory in the 1200 meters Lingapur Cup, for horses rated 40 to 65. Ariette, trained by Nilesh Rawal and gunning for a hat-trick after a romp through lower-class fields, was the betting favorite – though perhaps she didn`t read the script on this one.

Jockey Trevor Patel, sensing Ariette`s need for speed, took Lashka to the front early as the field hit the straight. She cruised past to a decisive lead, leaving the favourite Arlette scrambling for traction. A late surge from Ariette managed to salvage second place ahead of Exclusive Black, who barely nosed out Burgundy Black to collect some pocket change for third.

Over in the 1600 meters Royal Tern Plate, it was Detective who grabbed the spotlight, though one might wonder why it took 475 days for this horse to finally crack the win column. Nonetheless, backed with the confidence of an unbeatable favourite, Detective was held back patiently by Trevor Patel, loitering at the rear like a sleuth gathering clues. As the race hit the homestretch, Detective swung wide, effortlessly gobbling up ground and leaving the field looking as if they`d signed up for the wrong race entirely. By the time the dust settled, Detective had won by an emphatic five lengths, leaving Trishul and NRI Ultrapower to battle for the runner-up spots.

With this kind of form, one hopes Detective doesn`t go back into hiding. After all, this investigator seems to have cracked the case – now, here`s hoping for fewer `cold case` performances in the future!

Laxman Singh`s My Challenge, touted as the next big thing after her explosive win last time, left punters scratching their heads and pockets as she faded in the 1400 meters Himayat Sagar Cup (Div I). Despite being the darling of the betting ring and carrying cramped odds, My Challenge led boldly under Trevor Patel, only to hit a wall in the final furlong, her legs turning to jelly just when she needed them most. Perhaps the filly wasn`t a fan of her short price – or just the furious pace she set for herself.

In the end, it was Emperors Charm who had the last laugh, making a dash along the rails to swoop past the fading favourite, leaving My Challenge to cling to second. Gloria, relentless in her pursuit, kept the pressure on, but had to settle for third.

Trainer Donald Netto`s Annhilator, another short-priced favourite, lived up to the hype with a thrilling repeat victory in the Himayat Sagar Cup (Div II). Park Lane looked ready to spring an upset as she sprinted ahead, carving out a hefty lead. But Annhilator, with Kuldeep Singh in the saddle, had other plans. The three-year-old son of Gusto closed the gap in a flash, charging past Park Lane to secure a comfortable win. City Cruise finished third, rounding off a race where the favourite delivered.

Trainer Sreekant`s Clara made light work of the competition in the Himayat Sagar Cup (Div III), confirming her status as the favourite with a commanding performance. Vital Sign led by a generous margin early on, but as they say, all good leads must come to an end. Guided by Akshay Kumar, Clara covered ground effortlessly, overpowering the front-runner to win by an impressive five lengths. Mauser, fresh off a heartbreakingly close defeat last time, managed to salvage third place by edging out Reiging Queen.

The first race at Hyderabad, there was heavy backing of Taaliyah, Mir Faiyaz Ali Khan`s latest hope, had punters all-in, lured by the siren song of a too-short price. But anyone who`s ever watched this particular trainer`s win rate knows his horses` victories are more like rare solar eclipses than certainties.

Jockey Mukesh Kumar, meanwhile, seemed in a hurry – perhaps rushing to beat Hyderabad`s traffic rather than the competition. Bolting forward from an outside draw, he burned up the track in a flurry of early speed, giving Taaliyah a lead wide enough to look like a done deal. But sprinting to glory in a six-furlong race isn`t quite as easy as outrunning common sense, as Mukesh soon discovered. By the time they hit the final furlong, poor Taaliyah looked like she was ready to wave a white flag.

Then in strode Robin Reddy-trained Politics, subtly and shrewdly handled by Md Ismail, sneaking up with a perfectly timed challenge. Politics proved itself more than just a name here, as it swiftly unseated the frontrunner, leaving punters scratching their heads and perhaps reconsidering their political allegiance – at least to Taaliyah.

Exponent, that Satheesh-trained enigma who usually charges like a lion in front, decided today was the day for subtlety, lurking behind the pack only to launch a dramatic final charge. While it wasn`t quite enough to steal the show, Exponent`s late surge gave everyone a scare, and as for Taaliyah, she was left nursing her wounds in third.

Vittal Deshmukh`s Zuza, with the advantage of a previous race under her belt, took charge of the 1200 meters Windscale Plate, a race for two-year-olds and never looked back. From the jump, the two-year-old filly showed impressive maturity, making the job easy for jockey Aashad Asbar, who only needed to guide her forward as she breezed home unchallenged. Running as straight as an arrow, Zuza proved that experience counts, looking sharp and focused as she crossed the finish well clear of the rest.

Bestie, though still a bit green and figuring things out, managed to hang on for second, fending off a late charge from Corte Madra, who surprisingly attracted a lot of last-minute support in the betting ring. But there was no catching Zuza – she came, she saw, and she conquered, leaving her rivals playing catch-up in what was nothing short of a one-filly show.