Prasad Raju's Alexina pulled off a shocker in the 1400-meter Chief Minister’s Cup, a terms race for three-year-olds and over, during Sunday’s Hyderabad races. With no form to speak of and an indifferent run in her previous outings, Alexina wasn’t exactly the talk of the town. Yet, she shattered expectations with a bold front-running performance. Bursting out of the gates sharply, Alexina took the lead from the get-go and never looked back, widening her advantage down the homestretch to secure a well-deserved victory.

Meanwhile, her stablemate Great Guns, who had attracted far more backers, decided to make a race of it a bit too late, managing only a second place finish. As for the favorite, Miss Maya, who had wowed everyone with a dominant win last time, she seemed to forget she was in a race altogether, putting in a performance that left her supporters scratching their heads and muttering under their breath.

At odds of 20 to 1, Alexina’s victory was as unexpected as it was emphatic. In her previous run over the same distance, she had been sluggish out of the gates and had finished where she started, more than 13 lengths behind the winner. But this time, she was all business, grabbing the lead right away and making it clear she intended to keep it. Neither Reigning Beauty nor Miss Maya, who had managed to keep close for a while, could maintain the pace, disappearing from contention as the race wore on. Great Guns, starting from the second-last position, made a valiant late push to snatch second place ahead of another late charger, Kancha. Miss Maya, however, never found her stride and ended up a well-beaten fourth, leaving her fans pondering what might have been.

B. Mukesh Kumar-trained The Thunder stormed to a decisive start-to-finish victory under jockey K. Mukesh Kumar in the 1100 meters Asaf Jah VII Memorial Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Right from the moment the gates flew open, The Thunder was driven vigorously to take charge in the first furlong, and from there, he never looked back. The well-fancied runner led aggressively throughout, leaving no room for doubt as he maintained his lead all the way to the finish line.

The favorite, Ragnarok, was hot on The Thunder's heels from the start but could not close the gap, settling for a well-beaten second place. Lady Danger followed behind to claim the third position. Meanwhile, the speedy Leo D'Silva-trained Adbhut found a better match in the lower division of the race. Ridden by Akshay Kumar, Adbhut sprinted to the lead right out of the gate and quickly established a significant lead. However, he soon came under intense pressure from Shadow Fax.

Despite the challenge, Adbhut dug deep and, under Akshay Kumar's relentless riding, found a second wind to pull away and win by more than four lengths as Shadow Fax ran out of steam in the closing stages. Fara came in third, rounding out the top finishers in a race where the early speedsters dominated the action.
Magan Singh-trained Amigo lived up to expectations in the 1800-meter Hidden Bloom Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Jockey Mukesh Kumar kept Amigo relaxed at the back of the field while Peppi set the pace at the front. As the field approached the final turn, Mukesh made his move, and Amigo steadily closed the gap, catching up to the front-runner by the final furlong. Amigo then surged ahead for a comfortable win over Peppi, with the rest of the field trailing far behind. Rani Ruckus finished third, nine lengths behind the runner-up.

In the 2000-meter Mahabubabad Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, Alpine Girl, under a masterful ride by apprentice jockey Shivansh, delivered a thrilling late surge to snatch victory from the favorite, While Pearl, in the dying strides of the race. While Pearl, piloted by the skilled Akshay Kumar, appeared to have the race in hand as they approached the final furlong. However, the favorite faltered in the final moments, allowing Shivansh’s tenacious drive to shine through. This determined ride paid off handsomely for trainer Jasbir Singh, as Alpine Girl, not widely favored, triumphed by just under a length. Original Sin trailed in third, more than seven lengths adrift, while the rest of the pack, lacking both stamina and preparation, faded disappointingly in the homestretch, seemingly out for little more than a weight-reducing run.

In the 1400-meter Carter Princess Plate, a contest for horses rated 20 to 45, Eminency led gallantly deep into the straight but was caught in the final stages by the favorite, Antidote. Jockey Akshay Kumar, known for his patient tactics on the expansive Hyderabad track, expertly timed his challenge, guiding Antidote from behind to seize victory for trainer Ravinder Singh. With his signature calmness, Akshay maneuvered through the long straight, giving Antidote every opportunity to win. Eminency clung to second place by a whisker, just fending off a late burst from Windsor. This victory marked Akshay Kumar's third win of the day, underscoring his dominance on the track.

Trainer Ravinder Singh’s Queen Empress appeared poised for a decisive win in the 1600-meter Mancherial Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, leading confidently until the race's final moments. However, the script took a dramatic turn when Dapper Look, ridden by the ever-determined Akshay Kumar, surged forward to clinch a narrow victory by a neck. Dapper Look had been heavily backed, and his supporters were left holding their breath as he fought hard to prevail in a nail-biting finish. Crowd Witness followed at a distant third, unable to mount any serious challenge.