Vittal Deshmukh trained Yesterday who has proved his credentials as a solid stayer time and again, overwhelmed the opposition in the 2400 metres T Chandrashekar Reddy Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Saturday’s Hyderabad races held at Malakpet.

Jockey Ajeeth Kumar confidently took Yesterday to the front and he had no one challenging him in front. Yesterday enjoyed her foray in the front. The only time he looked vulnerable was when NRI Superpower came within reach in the final furlong. However, Yesterday had enough reserves and when the jockey asked for more, the favourite responded readily and eventually won by a widening margin of five lengths. NRI Superpower was second while Super Angel who was troublesome at the gates, ran on to take third place.

The defeat of on-money favourite Miss Maya in the first race of the day was perhaps an indicator of the shape of things to come as the trend continued in the next two races as well. Miss Maya from the stables of trainer Hilton Sequeira was backed to the exclusion of the rest as the filly had the benefit of a good forward run. Golden Gazelle who is by Epsom Derby winner Authorized was available at long odds despite the fact that the filly had the benefit of a race run as the distance of the Khammam Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds was just six furlongs and it was reckoned to be short considering her breeding. However, Golden Gazelle showed enough speed to go storming clear from the word 'go’. Miss Maya was in about the fifth position till the final turn and could not make much impression on the front-runner. Golden Gazelle kept going in the front and despite an all-out effort by Akshay Kumar on Miss Maya, the front-runner comfortably stayed in front in the hands of jockey Aashad Asbar. Huntingdon was half a length behind the runner-up.

Stag’s Leap and Bangor On Dee were the market fancies who cornered all the betting in the 1200 metres Indian Navy Rolling Challenge Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Bangor On Dee and Stag’s Leap were involved in an intense battle for supremacy all the way in the stretch. Even as Bangor On Dee was getting the better of Stag’s Leap, Above The Law in the hands of five kg claimer Ajay Kumar, came home with raking strides to collar the battling duo in front in the shadow of the post. The winner is trained by Robin Reddy Kondakalla and was available at the ring at long odds. The five kg allowance jockeys are having a big say in the races as the drop in weights is making a significant difference to the fortunes of these horses.

Magan Singh Parmar trained Its On came in for one-sided betting in such a manner that it ended up running at very cramped odds in the 1200 metres Yadadri Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. In the hands of apprentice jockey Sonu Kumar, Silk who was at nourishing odds made a good rally along the rails to storm clear in the final furlong and won with a measure of comfort from Its On who failed to find an extra gear. Pedro Planet was third. Ravinder Singh trained Stay Smart won by the skin of his teeth to break the trend of favourites losing in the lower division of the Yadadri Plate. Five kg claimer Shivansh took Stay Smart on a start-to-finish mission and appeared set for an easy win when Protocol got into his rhythm and charged home with a big effort only to find the front-runner escape to victory. Deccan Ranger was third.

Once again, Satheesh trained Sporting Smile who was at big odds, shocked the field in the 1200 metres Jangaon Plate, a race for horses rated up to 25, with a powerful finish which got the seven-year-old mare to get the nod close to home. After Paree led initially and dropped back abruptly in the stretch run, Pancho got the better of Saint Emilion and looked good enough to win. However, Sporting Smile came home with a flourish in the hands of apprentice jockey R S Jodha to snatch the race in the dying moments of the race. Saint Emilion was third.

The concluding race of the day went the way of favourite Hero of the East from the stables of trainer Sequeira. Hero of the East dominated the proceedings right from the start and won with a great deal of ease, the 2000 metres Suryapet Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Akshay Kumar who rode the winner had a lone success to show for his efforts. Carnival Lady and Exclusive Spark finished behind the winner some lengths adrift.