Nilesh Rawal saddled the first classic of his career when the unbeaten Gachchhatu decided to prove that winning on the “local circuit” wasn`t just a warm-up act. The progeny of Sans Per Aquam had been sprinting like her tail was on fire, and stretching to a mile in the Gr 3 Coromandel Gromor Deccan Fillies Championship Stakes, the season`s first classic at Malakpet, held on Sunday, turned out to be an easy task. Brother Neeraj Rawal rode with the confidence of a man who knew the script — sit fourth, watch Northern Waves drift like a distracted driver, and then coast home by more than two lengths.

Northern Waves did her trademark wobble in the last 100 metres ruined Moon Star`s hopes of saving place money at least. Meanwhile, Mountain Jewel, who yet again treated the starting gates like a hotel lobby, lost a heap of ground before storming home to grab third — just a nose behind the wandering Northern Waves. Srinath, aboard Moon Star, tried his luck with an objection, but the Stewards, as usual, weren`t buying it.

The Hidden Bloom Plate (1400m, horses rated 60 to 85) turned into a tragicomedy. Pleasant Star, winner of five of her seven outings and the hot favourite veered out at the start, dumping Akshay Kumar, and leaving punters speechless. The odds had drifted, and apparently, so did her sense of purpose. While her reputation took a knock, Donald Netto`s Decoy nearly pulled off the perfect con job, shaping to win before Sugar — sweet to Netto`s brother-in-law Hilton Sequeira but bitter to the rest — arrived late to snatch victory by a neck at long odds. As if the chaos wasn`t enough, another outsider, Encore at 20-1, chimed in for third, leaving form followers muttering about the futility of logic.

Netto`s other runner Star of Opera at least restored order in the Pakhal Lake Cup (Div I, 1200m, horses rated 20 to 45). Having thrashed rivals by six lengths last time, she repeated the act with Mukesh Kumar giving her the easiest ride of the day — hit the front early, switch to cruise control, and win by daylight. American Flame and Top In Class merely followed her shadow. The lower division, however, reminded punters why short-priced favourites can be hazardous to wallets. Stars Envied, the hot pick from Robin Reddy`s yard, fizzled out to finish third, leaving Calabasas to cash in, winning by six lengths under Akshay Kumar. Mexican Move ran second while Stars Envied, true to the name, had little to envy about the performance.

Satheesh finally got some cheer winning through hot favourite Misty Night who delivered in the Nearco Plate (1400m, horses rated 40 to 65). The short-priced favourite didn`t even break a sweat, cantering away to win in “solitary isolation.” Behind her, Federer and Normui staged a private duel, with Federer`s late lunge grabbing second.

In the Belager Plate (1600m, horses rated up to 25) — a category that usually tests the patience of saints — Shubhrak decided to behave for once and bag an encore. Trained by Mir Faiyaz Ali Khan, the gelding chased Amboseli before storming past, opening up a cushion that just about survived a fast-finishing Politics. The Deepak Singh-ridden runner clung on by half a length, while Amboseli faded into faraway third.

The day had started with a surprise in the Mahabubabad Plate (1100m, maiden three-year-olds). Srinivas Reddy trained Quick Bay Fox, sent off at nourishing odds, zipped to the front and stayed there, despite Divine Faith looming large before running out of steam in the final strides. Akshay Kumar guided the winner, with Faizah plugging on for third. The Fox, clearly, had more bite than bark.