Prasad Raju trained Blossom measured the front running favourite Vijays Joy in the closing strides of the race to win the Dr Harish Chandra Memorial Cup, a Category II race, which highlighted the races held on Monday at Malakpet. The fact that Vijays Joy has been tried over too many trips too soon seemed to have blunted her sharpness as she got beat over a sprint which was her biggest strength.

In the past, jockey Pradeep Chouhan was capable of adding a few lengths to the value of a horse by his riding but at this point of time, he lacks confidence and is gripped by nerves as he has too many sills in the last one year. He is no longer the aggressive jockey that he was and he is finding winners hard to come by at a centre of where he was the king. Even trainer Vittal Deshmukh too is struggling to find winners which he got as matter of right all these years. Vijays Joy had proved her brilliance over sprint but in an effort to get her to perform her over the mile for the Fillies Championship, both her speed and spirit had been blunted. In the Fillies Championship, she finished poorly, surely showing her dislike for the extended trip. For those who expected her to be the force that she was in the sprint were in for disappointment as the daughter of Stern Opinion struggled in the straight to go clear of the opponents so much so that Blossom was able to cover plenty of leeway and won with fair degree of comfort. Baazigar was third.

Jockey Trevor Patel is on a song. His mere presence is sure to inspire confidence of the punters. Surely he added value to Matica`s success in the 1100 metres Sweeping Success Cup (Div I), a race for maiden three year olds. Trevor pushed Matica into decisive lead inside the final furlong and even as Vivek on favourite Karromshade was held up between two horses for a clear run, the front runner established a good cushion which held him in good stead. Karromshade closed with a big effort only to find the front runner escape to victory under the forceful riding of Trevor. Tricky Star was a well beaten third. Faisal Hassan trained Legacy Machine who was the firm favourite to win the lower division of the race, achieved the target easily. Jockey Akshay Kumar had the three year old son of Arazan out of Risada dictate the pace from the start. City of Destiny who had been quietly fancied, cut pace with the front runner which was to prove her undoing as in the end, the former, endowed with greater stamina, pulled away in the final 100 metres to record a convincing win. Golden Desire and The Blue finished with purpose pushing City of Destiny to the fourth spot.

Lesser fancied Morning Miracle enjoyed the pull in weights and successfully went on a start to finish mission in the1400 metres Prince of Berar Trophy, a Category II race. Favourite King of the Pop was in touch with the front runner but failed to accelerate when the race picked up momentum and fell behind at a crucial stage. It was left to Rock Baby Rock to go in futile pursuit of the front runner. Great Warrior necked out King of the Pop for the third place.

Satheesh trained Delta Force travelled a handy second behind runaway leader Bharat King into the straight before cruising ahead to win the 1200 metres Goa Plate, a Category III race with great ease. The odds drift in the ring had no bearing on the performance of Delta Force who looked a winner even at the top of the straight as he was travelling powerfully without having to expend too much of energy. Princess Hina ran on to finish second ahead of South Lake while favourite My Choice made no show. Island Bird was a non-starter in the race.

The chances of Big Boss were spoilt because apprentice jockey C S Vikrant could not prevent the outward drift of the lesser fancied runner from Leo D`Silva`s stable. The one to benefit from the waywardness of Big Boss was stablemate Par Excellence who improved places steadily in the straight and finished marginally ahead of Big Boss. Big Boss attempted runaway tactics and appeared to be on course but for rolling out from a straight course. Kintyre Princess finished ahead of favourite Pakat Pakat Pakat. Zoheb Shaikth trained Olympic Gold came in for big support close to race time and the progeny of Mathematician did not disappoint shooting into a decisive lead inside the final furlong and winning with comfort from True Friend and Goldie. Classic Emerald who came in for sustained betting was not ideally positioned to make an impact and his late dash could only fetch him the fourth position ahead of favourite Ein Ein Ein who overcame a sluggish start but lacked the necessary fire power to pull it off.

Laxman Singh trained Vijays Grandeour had the command of the 1000 metres Red Satin Plate, a Category II race, all the way in the straight and managed to thwart a strong bid by favourite Midnight Paris. The latter surely found the five furlong trip sharp for comfort, being a progeny of Multidimensional. In a cluster finish for minor places, Noble Citizen was ahead of Coral Springs and Pacific Star for the third slot.

The 1600 metres Red Rufus Plate, a Category III race for horses rated 25 and below had mostly non-performers in the fray and the mantle of favouritism fell on Satheesh trained Junior who had the benefit of a forward run. Junior led from the start in earnest and led deep into the straight but when Ananth Vatsalya trained Nano Class swooped on him, he had no answer. The latter swept away for a comfortable win by over three lengths perhaps landing a good touch.