Srinivas Reddy-trained Home Run had a Sunday stroll in the Gr 3 Deccan Bookmakers Welfare Association Darley Arabian Million, a terms race for three-year-olds, held at Malakpet. With 63 days of rest under his saddle, Home Run swamped his rivals in a race that looked more like a solo rehearsal than a competition. In the small field of five runners, Cherie Chevalier was the firm favourite, while Pacific Heights was next in demand. Unfortunately for both, the only thing they furnished was proof that running two races in six days is not the brightest idea for first-season runners.

Jockey Akshay Kumar, back in business on his home turf, decided to make it a no-contest by sending Home Run on a start-to-finish mission. By the time they hit the final furlong, the result was so obvious that even the bookmakers probably switched to watching a cricket match instead. Cherie Chevalier gamely struggled into second, while Pacific Heights—running on fumes—issued distress signals well before the final bend and limped home a distant third, looking like he’d been in a marathon rather than a sprint.

Darling’s Boy, meanwhile, had a redemption arc in the Common Land Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Last time out, this underdog eked out a narrow win at long odds, but this time, he decided to spare his backers the suspense. After chasing Amyra into the straight, Darling’s Boy surged ahead and clocked out with a three-length victory. The odds on him had already crashed before the race, signalling that someone had done their homework. Mix The Magic finished second, looking like he’d missed the memo on the final act.

The lower division of the Common Land Plate, however, wasn’t so straightforward—unless your idea of straightforward involves confusion, chaos, and contradicting betting trends. Rival, with a respectable last-run second, seemed like the logical pick. But then, a sudden surge of betting on Golden Gazelle, whose pedigree screams stamina over speed, threw a spanner into the works. Rival, ridden confidently by jockey Sai Kumar, raced in a handy position before hitting the gas at the top of the straight, leaving his opponents scrambling in his wake. Golden Gazelle, boxed in along the rails, finally found some breathing room late in the race but had too much ground to cover on the wide outside and had to settle for second. Happy Soul, possibly misnamed, was third, though his performance might not have left anyone particularly joyful.

Akshay Kumar started his day in style, barely breaking a sweat aboard The Pious, the shortest-priced runner of the day, in the 1200-metre Red Satin Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45. It was less a race and more a formality, with The Pious cruising to victory so effortlessly that the jockey might as well have been meditating. Inderdhanush chased in vain to finish second, while Fashion Icon made a late, modest attempt to claim third.

Donald Netto-trained First Lady followed suit with a commanding performance in Division II of the race. Heavily backed by punters, she seized control of the race from the top of the straight and made it clear she wasn’t in the mood for company. Despite Normui drawing some attention in the betting ring, the gelding found himself flat-footed when it mattered most. A belated attempt brought him second place by a whisker, just ahead of Glimmer of Hope and Sargent, who seemed to be auditioning for supporting roles rather than the spotlight.

The Red Satin Plate was so crowded with entries that it had to be split into three divisions—proof that everyone wanted a piece of the action. In Division III, long-shot Petra Act, from the stables of Magan Singh Parmar, making her debut as a four-year-old, decided to introduce herself to the racing world with flair. Under jockey Mukesh Kumar, Petra Act unleashed a jaw-dropping burst of speed from fourth position at the final bend, storming home to record a win at generous odds that probably made her backers question their eyesight. Dali’s Champion, the favourite, had to settle for second, unable to match Petra Act’s late fireworks, while Golden Inzio took the third spot. Meanwhile, the original favourite, That’s My Mission, was a no-show, leaving punters scratching their heads and the bookmakers heaving a sigh of relief.

The 1400-metre Challuri Susheela & Narasimha Reddy Memorial Cup, a race for maiden three-year-olds, served up a finish dripping with drama. G Shashikanth-trained Miss Smiley Angel pulled off a heist worthy of Hollywood, coming from nowhere to snatch victory in the dying moments of the race. NRI Blaze, the favourite and trained by Donald Netto, had already overhauled the longtime leader Konaseema by the final furlong and looked like a winner in waiting. That was until Miss Smiley Angel, piloted by H M Akshay, swooped down from the clouds on the wide outside, diving ahead on the post to stun everyone. Even the cameras may have blinked. Infinia settled for third, probably wondering what on earth just happened.

After twice flirting with victory but never sealing the deal, Nilesh Rawal-trained Uchchaihshravas finally got it right in the 1400-metre IEME Centre Rolling Trophy, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. This time, the game-changer was a bold tactical shift by jockey Neeraj Rawal, who opted for a “wait-and-pounce” strategy, keeping the favourite well off the pace before delivering the winning blow.

Donald Netto-trained Espionage, the second favourite, seemed to have a different agenda altogether. He grabbed the lead early in the straight, charging ahead as though the race was already in the bag. For a brief moment, it looked like his ambitious strategy might pay off, but then came Uchchaihshravas, slicing through the field like a hot knife through butter. Once the favourite hit top gear, Espionage was left stranded, watching helplessly as Uchchaihshravas thundered past to score an emphatic victory. Emperor's Charm ran on gamely to finish second, but the day belonged to Uchchaihshravas, who finally lived up to his lofty name with a regal performance.

Vittal Deshmukh-trained Peppi turned the 1600-metre B Vijay Reddy Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, into a one-horse show. While Always Special came in with top billing, the much-preferred runner decided to play a supporting role, escorting his stablemate into the straight before pulling a Houdini act and vanishing from contention.

Peppi in the hands of jockey Aashad Asbar seized the opportunity with glee, pouncing on his stablemate early in the stretch and bouncing clear with the kind of authority that left no room for doubts—or challengers. See My Attitude, the late-rallying favourite, came charging home with all the determination of someone who found their alarm clock five minutes too late, but the ground had already run out by then. Meanwhile, Bellingham managed to hold off a persistent Oskars Officer for third place, in what felt like a side plot to Peppi’s dominating performance.