It was a Monday at Malakpet when most of the favourites apparently decided that winning was not on their agenda. The eight-race card turned into something of a punter`s obstacle course, with surprises arriving thick and fast. An occasional favourite did oblige at cramped odds, but there were enough upsets to ensure that those who had enjoyed a winning streak with the well-backed runners were soon counting their losses.

Naturally, there would always be the odd punter who emerges from such a day claiming that everything went exactly to plan and that he had picked all the winners. That, after all, is the magic of racing: the winner is always obvious after the race.

Akshay Kumar, normally one of the more reliable names in the saddle, rode two winners as usual, but it was not all plain sailing for him, with a couple of his rides failing to deliver. To complete a rather mixed day, he also received a friendly rap on the knuckles from the authorities.

The highest-rated race of the afternoon, the 1200 metres terms event for three-year-olds and over, produced a thrilling finish, with long shot Reigning Beauty getting the better of another well-priced runner, Knight Regent, in the dying strides. Favourite NRI High Power was sluggish at the start, made up considerable ground and came wide into the straight, but could manage only third, two lengths away. The race was run under a no-whip condition.

Knight Regent looked to have the race safely tucked away when he surged ahead in the final furlong. But jockey Ismail refused to surrender and kept Reigning Beauty, trained by Nilesh Rawal, galloping all the way to the line. The persistence paid off as Reigning Beauty snatched victory in the final stride.

Prasad Raju-trained Racing Ruler provided another sizeable jolt to the betting ring by landing the 1600 metres Dr Harish Chandra Memorial Trophy for horses rated 40 to 65. The shortest-priced horse of the day, Love All, trained by K Satheesh, was beaten after jockey Akshay Kumar appeared to leave his challenge a little too late.

Special Star, who had lost some ground at the start, was quickly pushed forward to take the lead, while Racing Ruler settled around third. Love All, however, was allowed to race several lengths farther back than ideal.

Racing Ruler gradually moved up and hit the front in the straight, establishing a lead that proved decisive. Love All finally produced a flourishing finish, but by then the winning post had developed an inconvenient habit of arriving early. Authoritarian, who came from well back, finished third.

The day began with favourite Lion`s Pride, from the Raza Shehzad stable, being strongly backed in the 1200 metres Nalgonda Plate (Div I), for maiden three-year-olds.

Jockey R N Darshan wasted little time when turning for home, sending Lion`s Pride forward. The favourite hit the front by the final furlong and held on despite a late challenge from second favourite Mantle Plume, who had to settle for second. Menlo Park just got the better of Night Whisper to save third place.

If the first division had behaved itself, the lower division of the Nalgonda Plate certainly did not. At least three runners attracted substantial support in more or less equal measure, but it was long shot NRI Royal Power, trained by Donald Netto, who walked away with the spoils.

Afroz Khan sent NRI Royal Power straight to the front and the outsider showed little inclination to surrender the advantage. The filly stayed comfortably clear to beat the fancied Goddess of Light, with the late-finishing Sara taking third. My Day, who had attracted solid support, was among those who failed to live up to expectations, along with Wildstar.

Vittal Deshmukh-trained Torchbearer produced another upset in the 1200 metres Major Mir Mujtaba Hussain Memorial Trophy (Div I), with apprentice jockey S Kuldeep Singh doing the steering.

Torchbearer enjoyed a comfortable lead entering the final furlong and looked increasingly difficult to catch. Favourite Clefairy, ridden by Akshay Kumar, launched a late challenge, but the damage had already been done. Torchbearer held on by half a length, with Shoolin finishing third.

It was a race that had an open look on paper and the betting confirmed it. Apart from the favourite, the rest were allowed to go off at fairly generous odds.

The lower division produced yet another upset, this time with Dyanoosh, trained by Mir Faiyaz Ali Khan, springing a 20-to-1 surprise.

The betting had been heavily concentrated on Arthisha, but the money proved to be of little use as the favourite failed to make an impression at any stage.

Apprentice Sonu Kumar settled Dyanoosh behind Lucky Zone into the straight before pressing the button. Dyanoosh quickly swept past the opposition and went on to win comfortably. Warwick ran on late to edge out Lucky Zone to take the second spot.

The 1400 metres Nagarkurnool Plate for horses rated 20 to 45 went to fancied La Quinta, who got the better of favourite Konaseema.

La Quinta got first run on his principal rival in the final furlong and, although he looked vulnerable for a moment, found plenty more when pressed. He eventually won comfortably. Konaseema held second from Farsiris, who was beaten by just a neck for the runner-up berth.

Akshay Kumar finally had an easier afternoon aboard the short-priced favourite Evansville, trained by Prasad Raju, in the 1800 metres Twin Cities Plate for horses rated 20 to 45.

Content to bide his time in fourth until entering the home stretch, Akshay allowed Aakarshaka to enjoy a comfortable lead. But once Evansville was asked to quicken, the race was effectively over. The filly cruised past Aakarshaka inside the final 300 metres and drew away to win by four widening lengths.

Aakarshaka was herself more than eight lengths ahead of Silver Arrow, making this one of the few races on a day when the result was anything but a photo finish for the punters.