Trainer Vittal Deshmukh`s High Command delivered an imperial performance in the Heritage Plate (1800m), the feature event for horses rated 80 and above at Malakpet on Monday. If there was ever a lesson in domination, this was it—High Command toyed with the opposition before storming home in majestic fashion.

The betting public, ever the optimists, once again backed Siddharth—a horse whose race strategy seems to be “arrive late, miss out.” With Akshay Kumar in the saddle, the usual script played out: a delayed challenge, a desperate late rally, and a third-place finish—this time just a neck behind NRI Superpower.

Meanwhile, High Command was in no mood for theatrics. Jockey Aashad Asbar let him cruise behind pace-setter Shadow of the Moon before unleashing the Leitir Mor progeny in the straight. High Command surged forward, leaving the rest floundering like bewildered tourists, eventually winning by a ridiculous five-length margin at nourishing odds.

NRI Superpower was a distant second, while Siddharth and Shadow of the Moon finished in a tight cluster behind. For High Command, there was never a moment of doubt as he left his opponents gasping.

In what was billed as an open race but turned into a classic case of "expect the unexpected," the Mossy Bank Plate (1200m) for horses rated 60 to 85 saw Ragnarok—completely overlooked in the betting—turn the tables in emphatic fashion.

Trainer Hilton Sequeira`s She Can, who hadn`t won in over a year, was somehow still fancied, though she seemed more interested in sightseeing than racing. Best Buddy, true to his name, set out to be everyone`s pacemaker, tearing to the front from the get-go. Meanwhile, She Can displayed all the urgency of a horse contemplating retirement, lingering at the rear with no apparent plans of making a move.

As Best Buddy gamely held onto his lead deep into the straight, Ragnarok, trained by Donald Netto, decided enough was enough. Sitting fifth at the final bend, he unleashed a powerful charge under jockey B R Kumar, storming past the leader as if he`d just remembered what he was there for.

Pontefract, who briefly threatened in the final furlong, did enough to hold off The Thunder for second, while Best Buddy clung on for a minor spot, probably wondering what more he had to do to get some respect. She Can, true to form, never really could.

Decoy continued living up to his name, tricking punters into believing—yet again—that this would finally be the day. But after five successive runner-up efforts, he stuck to the script, proving once more that consistency and success aren`t always the same thing.

The lower division of the Mossy Bank Plate saw Faiyaz Ali Khan`s Darling`s Boy, bidding for a hat-trick, emerge as the next best-backed option. Runlikethewind set the pace, with Decoy and Darling`s Boy lurking close behind. But when the moment of truth arrived, Decoy did what he does best—disappoint.

Jockey Neeraj Rawal pushed Darling`s Boy ahead, and the gelding responded with authority, striding clear for a comfortable win. Runlikethewind barely held onto second, fending off Calista Girl by the slimmest of margins.

As for Decoy? He graciously stepped back to fifth place, proving once more that winning is simply not his thing. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar, who piloted yet another beaten favourite, might be wondering if Lady Luck has filed a restraining order against him.

It almost seemed like the field had a gentleman`s agreement not to inconvenience the favourite Annihilator in the P Veereshwar Rao Memorial Cup (1400m), a race for horses rated 40 to 65. With one-sided support at the betting ring, the competition was more symbolic than serious—perhaps a friendly gesture to ensure Annihilator had a smooth ride to the winner`s circle.

Sure, the Donald Netto-trained runner had the form, having put Knight Crusade in his place last time out, but the ease with which he dictated terms was almost comical. Jockey Kuldeep Singh kept him in a cozy third as Great Giver and Just Incredible set the pace, though only as long as Kuldeep allowed it. Once he decided enough was enough, Annihilator did what he does best—obliterate the opposition.

Just Incredible followed him home in second, while Great Giver at least had the consolation of making the frame. As for the rest? They seemed preoccupied with bigger existential questions—perhaps mulling over the upcoming summer heat rather than engaging in any real racing. With the season wrapping up on Wednesday, they might just be saving their energy for their next career move: professional spectators.

Living up to his rather weighty name, Hanumanmahabala flexed his divine muscle and obliterated the opposition on debut in the 1200-metre Time And Place Plate (Div I), a race for three-year-old maidens.

NRI High Power, from champion trainer Donald Netto`s yard, had suffered a narrow defeat last time out and was widely expected to make amends. And for a good part of the race, it looked like he might just do that—bounding to the front and striding along as if he owned the track. But then came Hanumanmahabala, from the stables of Nilesh Rawal in the hands of his brother Neeraj Rawal, channelling his inner celestial force. The Planetaire progeny started eating up ground with the inevitability of a deity descending to right all wrongs, closing in with a menacing surge.

With 100 metres left, Hanumanmahabala made his move, gave NRI High Power a polite nod (probably a farewell one), and soared past with minimal fuss to win with ridiculous ease. Sharanga finished third, while Authoritarian was left pondering who exactly was in charge here.

The Osman Sagar Cup (Div II), a race for horses rated 20 to 45, had all the excitement of a foregone conclusion. With none of the opposition looking remotely interested in spoiling the script, it was essentially a victory parade for Cosmico, trained by Magan Singh Parmar.

Stablemate Shoolin played the role of a dutiful chaperone, leading the way well into the straight before stepping aside like a well-trained butler, allowing the overwhelming favourite to waltz past. Cosmico, having received one-sided support at the betting ring, didn`t have to break a sweat as jockey Vivek G coasted home in what was more a formality than a race. The rest of the field seemed to have read the script in advance, staying so far behind. Amboseli eventually wandered in for third, though by then, Cosmico had long since wrapped things up. If there was ever a race that screamed ‘non-contest,` this was it.

The Republic Plate (Div I) (1200m) was the kind of race that could drive even the most optimistic punter to question their life choices. With a field so out of form that backing any horse required the risk appetite of a daredevil, this was less of a betting opportunity and more of a financial hazard.

Anagha, the inexplicable favourite despite lacking any form or credentials, lived up to expectations—by dashing them completely. Veering out at the start, he effectively eliminated himself from contention before the race had even begun.

Meanwhile, Mirzeta, from Mir Faiyaz Ali Khan`s yard, did what no one else seemed inclined to do—run straight and lead the field. He looked home and dry until Lucky Fiero appeared out of nowhere to mount a challenge. But as her name cruelly suggested, luck is fickle, and her hopes disintegrated just when victory seemed within grasp.

Enter Most Beautiful, trained by Faisal Hassan and ridden by Shivansh, who swooped in late to snatch an unlikely but thrilling win. In a race where certainty was non-existent, at least one thing was clear—this was a survival of the least unreliable.

One had to wonder where Blue Brigade had been hiding all that talent for the past year—perhaps in a secret vault, only to be unleashed when the odds were just right. Backed with unshakable confidence in the lower division of the Republic Plate, the gelding suddenly decided that running fast was, in fact, an option.

Under jockey B Nikhil, Blue Brigade produced a monstrous gallop in the homestretch, blasting past rivals and winning by a proverbial street for trainer Sreekant. The transformation was almost magical—just last time out, he had finished a dismal 14 lengths behind the winner. This time, he reversed the script and won by a big margin, all while somehow evading any uncomfortable post-race inquiries.

Taaliyah finished a well-beaten second, while early pace-setter Master Touch had a front-row seat to the spectacle but could do little beyond keeping a minor share of the spoils. For Blue Brigade, the sudden awakening was nothing short of miraculous—one only hopes he doesn`t slip back into hibernation.