In the prestigious Gr 2 Nizam`s Cup, the weight of history and handicaps played out as expected, favoring classic-placed horses carrying a lighter load over their top-weight rivals who had dominated previous seasons. Satish Narredu`s charge, Touch of Grey, a dual Derby winner, was widely expected to shine despite the burden of top weight. Yet, the odds seemed more influenced by hype than a realistic assessment of the weight equation, setting the stage for an upset.

Geographique, trained by veteran trainer Imtiaz Sait, took full advantage of the weight pull, coupled with the benefit of a prior race at Pune, to outshine her rivals. In a race where every detail matters, everything fell perfectly into place for Geographique. Under a tactically astute ride by Neeraj Rawal, she stayed close to the pacesetter, West Brook, before taking command in the final two furlongs. With a burst of speed, she surged ahead, leaving Chamonix and the much-fancied Touch of Grey struggling in her wake.

Chamonix, who briefly raised hopes of a challenge, ultimately lacked the finishing power to match Geographique`s pace and pedigree. Touch of Grey, meanwhile, found himself under pressure well before the final bend, fading into a distant third, a stark contrast to his Derby-winning form. The rest of the field was so far behind, they were almost out of sight.

For punters who backed Touch of Grey based on his impressive performance at Bangalore, the result was a harsh reminder of the impact that weight differences can have in races of this caliber. Classic winners often enjoy only a marginal superiority in open company, and when burdened by significant weight, that edge can evaporate, as it did here. Geographique, having faced stiffer competition in the past, was well-positioned to capitalize on this, and any lingering doubts about her chances were put to rest with a commanding performance.

In the early stages of the race, West Brook set the pace, with Geographique biding her time just behind. Chamonix held third, ahead of Touch of Grey, while the rest of the field struggled to keep up. As the race reached its decisive moments, West Brook, having done her part as a pacesetter, faded away, leaving Geographique to seize the lead. Despite Chamonix`s efforts to challenge, Geographique skipped clear in the final furlong, proving her superiority. Touch of Grey could only manage a distant third, with the others finishing well behind, underlining the day`s tale of weight and strategy.

Sulaiman Attaollahi`s once-promising gelding, Elpenor, has become a source of frustration for punters, repeatedly failing to live up to the early hype that surrounded his career. Despite the glory of his Gr 1 Poonawalla Multi-Million victory, a significant setback sidelined him for an extended period. Since his return, he has raced six times, mostly as the favorite, but has consistently fallen short of expectations. After a promising start with two consecutive wins, Elpenor has struggled to regain his winning form.

In the 1600-meter Brown Jack Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 85, the Bangalore challenger Elpenor was once again backed as a strong favorite. However, he failed to live up to his billing, finishing a lackluster third against a modest field of local competitors. The long shot Lucky Zone took the lead as the field turned for home, holding his advantage deep into the straight. Elpenor attempted to rally along the inside but lacked the acceleration needed to challenge the front-runner, ultimately proving a beaten cause.

Meanwhile, Fly to the Stars, who was positioned seventh as the field entered the straight, unleashed a powerful late burst of speed. Under the guidance of jockey Neeraj Rawal, the Raza Shezad-trained runner surged past the leaders, winning impressively. Both Fly to the Stars and Lucky Zone were quoted at generous odds of over 10 to 1, making the result a pleasant surprise for those who took a chance on the outsiders, while Elpenor`s backers were left counting their losses yet again.

Leo D`Silva`s Hurricane Bay lived up to expectations in the 1600 meters Telangana and Andhra Sub Area Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Guided by jockey Afroz Khan, Hurricane Bay was perfectly positioned at the final turn, and when urged, the favorite surged ahead with a powerful burst down the final furlong. Although Nightmare mounted a serious challenge, closing in with a strong run, Hurricane Bay had built enough of a lead to secure a comfortable victory. Barbet delivered an impressive forward run to finish third, while second-favorite Alpine Girl struggled to keep up with the pace and only managed to clinch fourth place.

In the 1200 meters Doncaster Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds, Ravinder Singh`s highly-regarded Arion One fell short of justifying the strong support. With jockey Sandesh aboard, Arion One led the field from the start but faded in the final furlong. Pleasant Star, with jockey Akshay Kumar at the reins, capitalized on the opportunity, surging ahead to establish a decisive lead. Clara made a valiant effort to close the gap but couldn`t catch the front-runner, finishing second, while Arion One had to settle for third.

In the Gadwal Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45, Donald Netto`s Noble Heart emerged victorious after a strategic run. Despite the strong backing for Just Incredible and last-start winner American Flame, it was Noble Heart who shone. Eminency set the pace early, with American Flame close behind, and Likith Appu positioning Noble Heart just a few lengths away in third. As American Flame began to fade in the final furlong, Eminency tried to hold on, but Noble Heart responded with a powerful burst under Appu`s urging, overtaking the leader with ease to secure a commanding win.

In the lower division of the Gadwal Plate, Ravinder Singh`s Ashwa Gajaraj delivered a strong performance at generous odds. Leading from the front with jockey Gaurav Singh in the saddle, Ashwa Gajaraj appeared vulnerable as Federer drew level in the final furlong. However, Ashwa Gajaraj dug deep to regain the lead, and despite a late challenge from Crown Witness, held on resolutely to claim victory by a neck. The second and third-placed horses were heavily backed, with Federer being the favorite.