Srinivas Reddy trained Ashwa Bahula claimed the 1200 metres Jurala Cup, a race for horses rated 58 to 78, the feature event of Monday`s Hyderabad race with authority. The winter season concluded with the next weekend being the Invitation Cup weekend races which is not part of the regular season for purpose of deciding the champions of the season. Hilton Sequeira and Akshay Kumar were declared as the leading trainer and jockey respectively with the apprentice jockey title being shared by newly licensed apprentice Afroz and Md Ismail.

Indian Pharaoh who won the Golconda Derby and placed second in the Golconda 2000 Guineas was declared as the champion horse of the season. Sharmila Padmanabhan and S Padmanabhan who owned the horse jointly in partnership with Byram Jeejeebhoy were the leading joint owners of the season.

Ashwa Bahula had been strongly fancied to win on the Derby day but the progeny of Mull of Kintyre had found both the underfoot conditions and the top-notch performance of Be Sure too hot to handle. Backed spiritedly to win the race with confidence by the connections, jockey Imran Chisty kept Ashwa Bahula in a handy fourth position till turning for home and the favourite easily bounced clear in the final furlong despite lugging in a bit. Ashwa Bahula swiftly established a three-length lead and had the race sewn up a long way from home. Ashka Ashka Ashka ran on to take the second position ahead of the fancied Aragonda Princess.

The lower division of the Jurala Cup was won by lesser fancied Southern Crown from the stables of trainer Faisal Hassan. Southern Crown had things falling in place and jockey Nakhat Singh who replaced Akshay Kumar in the saddle rode a percentage race, racing up with the field and spurting ahead with about 250 metres left in the race. New Port essayed a strong challenge, but the front-runner found post before he could be overhauled. Top Link got into a spot of bother, not getting a clear run at a crucial part of the race. Top Link finished with a rush after being pulled out and was a close third.

The 1100 metres Astonish Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 42 to 62 proved eventful with apprentice jocke3y R S Jodha being tossed out of the saddle. Shakespeare led by many lengths from the start and had a good cushion all through the race. Riddari who was in the rear group was pulled out to make a run by jockey Akshay Kumar. The horse stumbled inside the final furlong and the jockey checked the horse abruptly causing a chain reaction behind. With Riddari coming right in front of him, Southern State ran into Riddari resulting in Jodha`s fall. Akshay Kumar did not too ride after this incident. Shakespeare easily held off Rahil who managed to nose out Flying Spaghetti to get the second place. The lower division of the race too saw the eclipse of favourite Arc of History who led deep into the final furlong before the horse burst its blood vessels and fell back. Vallee Sceptre came from way off the pace to win the race from another latecomer Your Grace while Running Fire who was in contention was relegated to the third position.

Favourite Paso Robles obliged in the 1200 metres Onnu Onnu Onnu Plate (Div I), a race for maiden three-year-olds. Trevor Patel brought Paso Robles with a well-timed run in the final furlong to take charge and win with a measure of comfort. There was a close finish for the minor placings with Buzz Light Year getting the second spot ahead of Kintsugi and Ayur Shakti. Laxman Singh trained Zamora won the lower division of the race at long odds. Linewiler and City of Blossom saved place money by taking the second and the third positions while favourite Spiritual was not seen at the busy end.

Satyanarayana trained Magic Street was backed to the exclusion of the rest in the 1200 metres Greener Plate, a race for horses rated up to 30. Magic Street was taken on a start to finish mission by apprentice jockey Rohit Kumar and the favourite had control of the race without having to be ridden out. Super Act was a length behind in the second position while the third-placed Agilis was more than eight lengths behind in the third position.

The day`s highest-priced winner also came from the stables of Satyanarayana where City of Ayaansh led all the way and had enough cushion to win the 1200 metres Brave Hunter Plate, a race for four-year-old maidens. Hurricane came up with a late bid to get the better of the fancied Bombastic for the runner-up berth. Favourite Moka was not sighted to have any chance.

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Vallee Sceptre (Md Ismail up) winner of the Astonish Plate (Div-II)

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Paso Robles (Trevor Patel up) winner of the Onnu Onnu Onnu Cup (Div-I)

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Zamora (A Ashhad Asbar up) winner of the Onnu Onnu Onnu Cup (Div-II)

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Shakesphere (Afroz Khan up) winner of the Astonish Plate (Div-I)

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Southern Crown (Nakhat Singh up) winner of the Jurala Cup (Div-II)

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City Of Ayaansh (Rohit Kumar up) winner of the Brave Hunter Plate

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Ashwa Bahula (Imran Chisty up) winner of the Jurala Cup (Div-I)

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Magic Street (Rohit Kumar up) winner of the Greener Plate

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