Trainer Ravinder Singh`s runners have a knack for winning at nourishing odds—perhaps because they rarely receive the kind of betting ring thrust that transforms them into market darlings. Staying true to that pattern, Calista Girl claimed top honours in the 1100 metres K Srinivas Reddy Memorial Cup, the feature event of Tuesday`s Hyderabad Monsoon Season card for horses rated 40 to 65.

With no clear standout, punters were left fumbling for clues. Romantic Grey and She Can emerged as lukewarm favourites more by default than conviction, but both were conspicuous by their absence when it mattered. The 8/1 shot Calista Girl, partnered by jockey Gaurav Singh, tracked Pontefract into the straight before surging ahead with ease. She drew away impressively in the final furlong to win untroubled, leaving Pontefract and Shadow Fax to pick up the pieces.

Hyderabad-based horses who summer in Bangalore tend to return with an edge, and Petaluma proved just that in the 1400 metres Godavari Cup for horses rated 20 to 45. The Leo D`Silva trainee had already impressed with a smashing win in Bangalore and was expected to dominate, but strong support for Mystical Dawn and Ayushman diluted her odds to generous levels.

Ayushman seized the initiative two furlongs out, but Petaluma, under a confident ride by jockey Vivek G, wore him down with a strong finishing burst. The daughter of Deauville looks one for the longer trips—she took her time to hit top gear but finished with purpose.

Vittal Deshmukh`s newcomer Arabeska looked a picture of readiness in the 1400 metres Royston Rock Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. With jockey Ashhad Asbar in the saddle, Arabeska effortlessly reeled in the front-running Pride Aside in the final furlong to win going away. Honey Luna ran on to take third. Most of the field looked like they were out for a lung opener—Arabeska, in contrast, came to race.

The 1400 metres Firecrest Plate (Div I) for horses rated 40 to 65 saw Detective, trained by Srinivas Reddy, produce a rousing run to win at attractive odds. Favourite Linda was well-positioned turning for home but found nothing when asked. Detective, meanwhile, swooped from the rear and had the race in his pocket a furlong from the finish. Sugar finished strongly to take second but left herself too much to do. Star Forever ran third.

The lower division saw a more predictable result with Get Lucky, the public choice, justifying his name and odds. Md Ekram Alam sent him to the front early and managed to cling on despite a powerful late charge by NRI Ultrapower. Only My Way finished third.

One of the day`s biggest upsets came in the 1200 metres Malakpet Plate (Div I) for horses rated 20 to 45. Shadow Baby, trained by Imran Khan and guided by Md Ismail, tracked front-runner Rolls Royce before taking over in the final furlong and holding off the late challenge of the favourite Shooting Star.

The lower division also belonged to the lesser fancied as Vital Sign, trained by Hilton Sequeira, finished powerfully to overhaul Star Medal and draw away for a convincing win. Hot favourite Petra Act floundered in the straight, finishing sixth. Exclusive Luck was third.

In the 1100 metres Fairway Plate, a race for the lowest rated horses, debutant Natu Natu attracted one-way traffic in the betting but failed to justify the hype, never getting into contention. Instead, it was Bien Pensant, from Vittal Deshmukh`s yard, who shot clear in the final furlong to land a blow at long odds. Genie finished a distant second ahead of Fortune Art.