Racing in Hyderabad continues to be as predictable as a cat on a hot tin roof. It’s not that horses are growing invisible jet packs or that the ones supposed to have wings are too lazy to flap them. No, it’s just that racing here is evolving into an enigmatic art form where the professionals play their game, the Stipes scratch their heads in bewilderment, and everyone else shrugs it off as "part of the charm." The result? A delightful chaos where punters occasionally hit the jackpot but more often end up feeling like they've bet on snails in a footrace.

The Bonzer Cup perfectly encapsulated this delicious madness. Lady Danger, the long-shot assassin from trainer Magan Singh Parmar’s yard who had finished 15 lengths behind the field on the last occasion, decided to play the villain and knock everyone’s socks off by winning at astronomical odds of 15 to 1. This, of course, came at the expense of Rival, a horse that hadn’t sniffed victory in a staggering 518 days but somehow found itself the toast of the betting ring. Who knew punters were such romantics, backing a horse to rise like a phoenix after what feels like an eternal vacation?

Adding to the confusion was another Parmar trainee, First Class, and the intriguingly named Kenaf, both of whom had enough support to spark debates at the betting counters. But in the end, those who dared to trust the so-called "fancied" runners were left tearing up their tickets and possibly reconsidering their life choices. Lady Danger lived up to her ominous moniker, swooping in from the clouds to obliterate the favourite with the kind of disdain reserved for villains in an action movie.

The drama unfolded as Wind Sprite—a name that sounds more like a breezy afternoon drink than a racehorse—led the field into the straight. Rival briefly teased with a spirited effort, but Lady Danger, ridden to absolute perfection by jockey Nikhil, unleashed her inner diva on the wide outside, soaring past everyone with the swagger of a horse that had clearly been saving her best for this very moment.

First Class, heavily backed and presumably carrying the hopes of the Parmar stables, chugged home in third, looking about as "First Class" as an economy seat on a budget airline. Meanwhile, the punters who pinned their hopes on her were left muttering under their breath, likely cursing everything from the alignment of stars to the decision to bet on something other than Lady Danger.

In the end, the Bonzer Cup didn’t just produce an upset; it handed out a masterclass in unpredictability. Perhaps the racing gods are just having a laugh, leaving the rest of us to marvel, groan, and—let’s be honest—prepare our wallets for another round of delightful chaos.


If ever there was a race that doubled as a therapy session for punters, the aptly named Wishful Thinking Plate (Div I) was it. The 1200-metre sprint for horses rated 20 to 45 had hopeful bettors indulging in—you guessed it—wishful thinking. With a lineup that promised more confusion than clarity, the punters were left clutching their tickets like horseracing’s answer to prayer beads.

Planet Super, a horse that had previously finished a staggering 23 lengths behind the winner (yes, twenty-three), somehow found itself among the fancied runners. Perhaps someone thought the horse had rediscovered its mojo in the stable. Meanwhile, Hoping Star, who had at least flirted with respectability by finishing closest to a winner, garnered maximum support. Adding to the chaos, a smattering of other hopefuls picked up stray bets, as punters valiantly tried to will a winner into existence.

But alas, it was the audaciously named Catchme If You Can—a serial heartbreaker from trainer Magan Singh Parmar’s yard—who yet again left punters questioning their life choices. Ridden with a dash of flair by jockey Mukesh Kumar, the dark horse stormed home to shock the field and, unsurprisingly, the betting public.

Planet Super, who had managed to lead the field into the final furlong (and for a brief, fleeting moment gave punters hope), was swiftly obliterated by the blistering late charge of Catchme If You Can. True to its name, neither its rivals nor the punters could catch it—or even see it coming, for that matter.

Adding a pinch of irony to the proceedings was Battle On, a habitual late starter who for once decided to join the party on time. While this newfound punctuality earned the horse a respectable second place, it still wasn’t enough to derail the Catchme If You Can express. Meanwhile, Planet Super clung to third place, proving that while wishful thinking can keep dreams alive, it rarely pays off in cold, hard cash.

In the end, the aptly named race served as a reminder that in Hyderabad racing, the only thing predictable is the unpredictability. The punters might keep wishing and hoping, but the horses and trainers clearly have other plans.

The lower division of the Wishful Thinking Plate provided a rare breather from Hyderabad’s usual roulette wheel of surprises. But even here, the odds-on favourite Colt Pistol decided to stay true to its metaphorical name and misfire spectacularly, leaving punters scratching their heads and muttering unprintable words under their breath.

The race ultimately belonged to NRI Dheera, a last-start winner who clearly decided to show that lightning can strike twice. Trained by the ever-reliable Donald Netto and ridden with laser focus by jockey Kuldeep Singh, NRI Dheera delivered a no-nonsense performance. The pair tracked the front-running Eminency like a heat-seeking missile before taking charge in the final 100 meters, sealing the deal with a confident flourish.

Meanwhile, Colt Pistol, the odds-on choice, ran more like a water gun that ran out of pressure halfway through. Aiming for the top spot, it settled instead for a distant third, leaving its backers looking as deflated as a popped balloon. Perhaps the pistol needed a bit of warming up—or maybe just a trip back to the shooting range.

Eminency, for its part, put in a brave effort to lead the charge but couldn’t withstand the relentless pursuit of NRI Dheera. Still, the runner-up finish ensured some consolation for its supporters, even if their hearts broke just a little in those final moments.

Imran Khan-trained Swiss Girl decided to stage her own 500-day resurrection in the Gangotri Plate (Div I), a modest 1200-metre dash for the who’s who of the 1-to-26 rating bracket. With a field as uninspiring as a Monday morning, the punters were left scratching their heads trying to spot anything remotely resembling "form." Secret Option walked into the betting ring as the favourite—likely more by default than design—but it was Swiss Girl who had her Cinderella moment.

Jockey Deepak Singh wasted no time, sending the daughter of West Virginia straight to the front. She clung to her lead like a miser clutching his wallet, holding off Amboseli’s relentless pursuit to win by just under a length. Desert Sultan sauntered in third, content to watch the drama unfold three lengths behind.

In the Gangotri Plate (Div II), Sreekant-trained Golden Unicorn found herself in the unenviable position of being the public fancy, despite having recently trailed the pack by a laughable 20 lengths in a higher category. Clearly, some people mistook her drop to the lowest class as a sign of impending greatness. With the odds on most runners generous enough to fund a small holiday, the only serious challenge was Club Queen, who, let’s face it, wasn’t exactly crowned for brilliance either.

Golden Unicorn ran keen but jockey Ajay Kumar wisely held her in check, keeping her in third behind Most Beautiful, who set the pace, and Smart Boy, who stayed within striking distance. At the final bend, Golden Unicorn took the scenic route, veering wide, while Smart Boy coolly slipped through on the inside to leave Most Beautiful gasping in his wake. Waseem Ahmed’s Smart Boy lived up to his name, streaking past the post with a swaggering three-length lead despite briefly deciding that running in a straight line was so overrated. Golden Unicorn was a distant second, doing little to justify her overwhelming support, and Club Queen completed the frame.

Amidst the carnival of upsets and long-shot miracles dominating the six-event card, Donald Netto-trained Nonpariel decided to throw the punters a lifeline in the Twin Star Cup. The 1400-metre race for horses rated 20 to 45 was one of the few moments of clarity in an otherwise hazy day of racing, as the strong favourite delivered in style.

It wasn’t without a touch of drama, though. Inside the final furlong, Nonpariel looked more like “Not-gonna-win,” trailing by what seemed like a chasm behind the front-running The Pious. The latter, with a name that suggests divine intervention, appeared ready to ascend into racing folklore. But jockey B R Kumar, channelling his inner gladiator, urged Nonpariel into overdrive. The response? A turn of foot so blistering it left the rest of the field looking like they were in a slow motion race. Meanwhile, Gloria and My Challenge had their own little skirmish for the minor placings. In the end, it was Gloria who held off My Challenge for the third spot.