Donald Netto trained Kalinda who attracted smart betting in the ring lived up to the expectations by resolutely battling it with Columbus and then putting her neck in front at the all-important end to win the 1400 metres Raja Mehboob Karan Memorial Cup, a race for horses rated 42 to 62, the feature event of Monday`s Hyderabad races. Jockey Akshay Kumar was successful on two Royal Green and Vallee Tiger.

Prasad Raju trained Strengthandbeauthy had performed well in her last outing to be considered as a strong candidate to win the race. Close to race time, the odds dropped on Kalinda indicating that money was smartly placed on Kalinda to have a bold show. Lesser fancied Columbus led the field well into the straight with Strengthandbeauty making a serious bid while Kalinda was some lengths behind looking to get a passage on the inside. Columbus was not inclined to give up the lead even as Strengthandbeauty made no significant headway. Jockey Deepak Singh angled Kalinda out to get a clear run and the progeny of Gaswar picked up great momentum to measure the front-runner in the waning yards of the race. Strengthandbeauty was third.

Waseem Ahmed trained On The Fire won the 1200 metres Hyderabad Veterinary College Diamond Jubilee Cup, a race for horses rated 26 to 46 at long odds. Fancied Ashka Ashka Ashka and On The Fire were engaged in a stiff battle for supremacy in the final furlong while favourite Vancouver was struggling to gather steam. On The Fire finally asserted her supremacy and skipped clear in the closing stages of the race. Vancouver ran on to finish a tame third.

Satyanarayana trained Pentagon blasted out of the gates and had a good lead over the rest from the start which held the four-year-old gelding in good stead as he managed to comfortably thwart the bid of fast-finishing Vallee Spectre and Celtic Queen to win the 1200 metres Karimnagar Plate, a race for horses rated 42 to 62. Pentagon looked every inch a winner through the closing up of the gap in the end only served to spice up the proceedings.

S Hassan trained Valee Tiger justified the favoritism in the 2200 metres Ballo Plate, a race for horses rated 22 to 46. Valee Tiger got a useful lead of a few lengths going into the final furlong and this helped in the end as the late-rallying Shivalik Arrow could only settle for the second spot despite a powerful surge. Royal Hero was third.

Srinivas Reddy trained Heaven Can Wait swamped the opposition in the 1100 metres Royal Tern Plate, a race for horses rated up to 30. Super Grey was widely backed to have it easy going by the on-money quote despite the fact that jockeys were not allowed to carry whips in this race. Super Grey was lethargic at the start and thereafter it was futile to search where the favourite was placed because he was not in the bunch. Heaven Can Wait produced a powerful gallop down the final furlong to easily collar long shot Pride And Shot and skip clear for a win by a widening margin of three lengths. Vallee Peak was third.

Royal Green, trained by Ravinder Singh, was strongly in betting and the fancied runner did not disappoint in the 1200 metres Malvado Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds. After Aerofil led the field and packed up approaching the final furlong. Takisha then took the charge but failed to sustain the lead to the winning post as Royal Green pounced on the front-runner and sped away for an impressive win. Cymbal produced a strong effort to snatch the runner-up berth from Takisha. Favourite Wannawin struggled to pick up speed and was a disappointing fourth. Prasad Raju trained Starlight won the lower division of the race at long odds. Favourite Limousine led in earnest with 200 metres left in the race but in the face of a strong challenge from Starlight, could not produce anything extra and was relegated to the second position. Fancied Good Strike had all the chances but plodded when he should have found an extra gear and had to be satisfied with the third position.

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Kalinda (Deepak Singh up) winner of the Raja Mehboob Karan Memorial Cup

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Royal Green (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Malvado Plate (Div-I)

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Starlight (N Rawal up) winner of the Malvado Plate (Div-II)

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Valee Tiger (Akshay Kumar up) winner of the Ballo Plate

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Pentagon (Md Sameeruddin up) winner of the Karimnagar Plate

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On The Fire (Rafique Sk up) winner of the Hyderabad Veterinary College Diamond Jubilee Cup

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Heaven Can Wait (Abhishek S Pawar up) winner of the Royal Tern Plate

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