Vittal Deshmukh trained Racing Ahead recorded an encore by staving off the spirited bid of favourite Always Bullish to lift the 1600 metres Ghulam Ahmed Memorial Cup, a Category I race, the feature event of races held at Malakpet on Sunday. The day`s races ran cruelly for chasers of favourites as almost all of them played truant.

Racing Ahead had beaten Always Bullish when they met on the last occasion but the latter was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the belief that the handicap difference this time out would have a bearing on the result. Quite often, winners prove their intrinsic worth even at a disadvantage of weight. It proved so as Racing Ahead who chased the front running Always Bullish deep into the straight, managed to overhaul the favourite inside the final 100 metres and spare a length at the finish. Brahmani was third.

Favourite Star Player ran way below his surface form when finishing dismally in the 2400 metres Andhra Sub-Area Cup. Backed to the exclusion of the rest, Star Player was never in the hunt and he was a beaten cause well before the runners approached the final furlong. Silver Cruise attempted to win start to finish but closer home was overhauled by Fairy Emperor who took a smart jump from the gates and shadowed the front runner. Fairy Emperor then broke clear and held off the late rally of Westminster. Ice Barrier ran on to finish third ahead of stablemate and favourite Star Player.

Prasad Raju trained Sprint Legend who was expected to record an encore in the 1200 metres Zoom Zoom Plate (Div I), a Category III race was a victim of circumstances. Sprint Legend reared up at the start and jockey Saikumar looked imbalanced in the saddle but he managed to collect his nerves and improved places swiftly. Sprint Legend took over the running inside the final two furlongs and went storming clear. But the need to cover up the leeway after missing the jump without wasting time took its toll on the favourite who closer home slackened. Green Olive showed lot of speed in the end to edge past the tiring favourite. The lower division of the race too saw the eclipse of favourite Humraaj who was not spotted to have any chance right through the race. Lesser fancied Always Together took the final bend very wide and took Eva also with her but nevertheless travelled strongly to win the race easily from Wind Zoom. Eva finished third.

From a handy fourth position at the final turn, lesser fancied Island Bird slipped into the lead along the rails and then bounced clear to win the 1200 metres Chaitanya Ratham Plate, a Category II race for maiden two year olds. Princess Rose made a good rally in the end but the front runner had gone beyond her reach at that point. Favourite Ice Crystal raced flat.

The heavily supported Strides of Luck made an aggressive effort in front and had no problem in winning the 1400 metres Tribute Plate (Div I), a race for lowest category horses. Danielle finished well towards the close to end up an impressive second. In a tight finish, Concours just got up in time to edge out Classic Emerald and Well Wisher to land the spoils in the lower division of the race. The jockeys were not allowed to carry whips in both these races.

Faisal Hassan trained Power Planet looked a lost cause when the five year old had allowed too much of lee way to the front running Aventus in the 1400 metres Gajasimha Rao Memorial Cup, a Category II race but he produced a strong gallop in the final furlong to measure the front runner in the closing stride of the race to oblige as a favourite by the proverbial whisker.