Trainer Anant Vatsalya has a knack for squeezing results out of a limited string, and on Sunday he showed once again that smart placement can sometimes do the job of a big string. His star pupil Imperia proved her consistency wasn`t just statistical trivia, but the real deal.

Stepping up in the 1200 metres Governor`s Cup, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Sunday`s Hyderabad races, Imperia weathered some mid-race turbulence and then stormed clear for her seventh win from just 15 starts. Barring one hiccup, she has always finished on the board—something most punters wish they could say about their betting slips. Apprentice P Ajeeth Kumar threaded the mare through the tightest of gaps between a fading Decacorn and a tiring Lashka, producing the kind of finish that makes jockeys heroes. Imperia got the better of Vivaldo, with Lashka running out of puff for third. As for Decacorn, the Mysore challenger showed plenty of early aggression, but folded too quickly for comfort.

Before diving into the rest, a quick gripe: the Hyderabad Race Club and RWITC can apparently agree on everything from stewards` rulings to dishing out suspensions in perfect harmony—but ask them to coordinate race dates and suddenly it`s like expecting Parliament to run on schedule. The result? Two big centres clashing on the same Sunday, leaving fans with just one meeting when they could have had two. A little mutual consultation would benefit everyone—clubs, punters, and even the bookies` wallets. But alas, turf authorities seem to believe that ego is a performance-enhancing drug, and no one`s willing to kick the habit.

The 1400 metres Bhupalpally Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, was split into two divisions, and favourites held sway—though not without drama. In the upper division, punters nearly spilled their chai as Perception, the hot favourite, looked well and truly beaten by My Challenge, who set off on a start-to-finish mission with alarming intent. Just when it seemed the bookies would throw a party, jockey Naresh summoned a final burst from Perception to snatch a neck victory. Catch The Worm trailed in for third, aptly named since he arrived late and empty-handed.

The lower division was the opposite: no drama, no suspense. Divine Secret, at unbackable odds, delivered an unmissable sermon by galloping away to win by seven widening lengths. Elegant Lady and Classical Music played second fiddle, strung out as if they had attended a different race entirely.

The 1600 metres Silver Phantom Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds, doubled as free shock therapy for punters. Ravinder Singh`s Pride Aside was backed like tomorrow didn`t exist, only to live up to half her name—she left her pride aside and finished a sorry fifth. The honours instead went to outsider Onslaught, who blasted off from the gates under R N Darshan and simply refused to surrender, even when La Quinta came breathing down her neck. Aptly named, Onslaught bullied his way to the wire, with Real Thalaivaa running on for third. As for Ravinder Singh, his short-priced runners losing is less of an upset and more of a house specialty—punters really should know the menu by now.

The 1200 metres Hill Fort Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category, was another banana peel for punters. Debutante Natu Natu hogged the betting, but it was long shot Shubhrak, pushed ahead by jockey Vikrant inside the last 300 metres, who ran away with the spoils. Most Beautiful ran on without conviction for second, while Aos Si nicked third.

In the lower division, however, punters finally got a breather. Safala, the second favourite from Magan Singh Parmar`s yard, gave a polished display under Mukesh Kumar, demolishing the field in the final furlong to win by daylight. Cape May and Ilene completed the frame. As for the favourite Flashing Memories, he followed the Satheesh yard`s time-tested tradition—run poorly when fancied, win when ignored.

The 1100 metres Salar Jung Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, saw Dubai Touch land an encore. Rolls Royce tried to live up to his flashy name by tearing away in front, but like the car itself, his mileage gave out quickly. Dubai Touch produced a decisive late dash to win easily, with High Heels charging late for second and Exclusive Black filling the frame.

The 1400 metres Northern Dancer Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, turned into a straight duel. Favourite Noble Heart looked home after collaring Armstrong, but just when punters relaxed, NRI Ultrapower arrived late and wide to settle matters, winning comfortably. Noble Heart settled for second, while NRI Sport finished third—proving once again that when multiple NRIs run, one usually takes the remittance home.

The 1200 metres B Mrideshwara Rao Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, saw Prasad Raju`s Star Forever was backed as if defeat were impossible. The gelding obliged without fuss, Sai Kumar taking him to the front and staying there. Glorious Power and Warwick filled the minor slots, but the result was never in doubt. Star Forever had all the answers, even if punters didn`t.