Moonveil, trained by Sulaiman Attaollahi, won the Gr 3 Coromandel Gromor Deccan Fillies Championship, the first classic of the season, but the filly may have to send a thank-you note to jockey Trevor Patel. The victory owed as much to Patel`s tactical nous as to Moonveil`s finishing ability, while Madante`s Akshay Kumar appeared to run out of ideas precisely when ideas were most needed.

Moonveil prevailed by a head over a fast-finishing Madante, who had to change course in the final 150 metres and surrendered precious ground in the process. What looked increasingly like a winning run consequently turned into a gallant defeat. Vortex, after a solid effort, was third, just under a length away, while Moon Oracle, who had done the hard work in front, completed the frame. The first four finished in close order, providing a finish worthy of the first classic of the season.

The betting suggested that there was very little to choose between the first three, with Moonveil only marginally ahead in the public estimation. Sprezzatura went merrily into the lead and, having spent freely in the process, handed over to Moon Oracle, who had been stalking her throughout. Moon Oracle fought on gamely before finally giving way.

Patel, meanwhile, was playing a rather more cerebral game. He brought Moonveil around the outside of the four runners and, apparently knowing that Akshay Kumar`s preferred route to a clear run is usually towards the outside, effectively shut the door before the need for a door arose. Akshay did not persist with the opening along the rails and, instead of angling Madante out, checked him. The interruption cost Madante his stride just when momentum was becoming priceless. By the time he switched out and launched his final assault, Moonveil had already acquired the one commodity that mattered most: a winning head. Madante finished with tremendous determination, but the race had already been decided by then. Bangalore-based horses consequently had plenty to celebrate.

Echoes of Time, trained by Aravind Ganapathy and racing in the colours of his father S Ganapathy, perhaps the first horse ever owned by the former trainer, returned to the winner`s circle with a narrow victory over Perception in the 1400 metres Bhagyanagar Million for horses rated 80 and above.

Echoes of Time has always possessed considerable ability, although physical niggles have repeatedly prevented the talented colt from displaying the full menu. Jockey Ashaad Asbar kept him handily placed before taking charge from African Gold, whose principal claim to fame remains his Gr 1 Colts Championship Stakes victory two years ago. Since then, however, the former star has been running rather more in the shadow of his reputation. He opened up a useful lead, but Perception, the Hyderabad challenger, finally remembered that the finish line was somewhere ahead and produced a tremendous late burst. Unfortunately for him, the clock was less impressed than the effort. Perception ran out of ground, leaving Echoes of Time to scrape home. Cherie Chevalier edged out African Gold for third.

Majestic Legacy, trained by Darius Byramji, treated the 1800 metres Belmont Prince Plate for maiden three-year-olds almost as an exercise in public relations. The betting ring had been cornered by James McKeown`s Tipped Off and Lysia, but the latter apparently had other plans and pulled up lame to finish last.

Tipped Off did not exactly inspire confidence either. He was under pressure well before the final bend and required vigorous persuasion from Vivek, eventually managing only third behind Digital Empress. Majestic Legacy, by contrast, travelled comfortably with the field and appeared to know considerably earlier than everyone else that the race was his. He was hailed the winner a long way from home and spent the remainder of the journey merely confirming the announcement.

Darius Byramji had considerably less to celebrate in the 1800 metres Carter Princess Plate, where his Mandate went off as a short-priced favourite but failed to deliver the expected dividend. Sulaiman Attaollahi`s Theos, ridden by Trevor Patel, stole a march early in the straight and was driven out strongly to resist Mandate`s challenge. Mandate faltered in the closing stages and went down by a little more than a length, with Sugriva taking third. It was one of those races where the favourite arrived with the money and left with the explanation.

A king-sized gamble landed spectacularly when B Mukesh Kumar`s debutant Win Me Over was backed to the exclusion of virtually everybody else in the 1100 metres Director General Artillery Cup for horses rated 20 to 45. The money, on this occasion, clearly knew something. Win Me Over came home in raking strides and swept away from the opposition in the straight to win by a distance. Konaseema was a remote second, with Faizah third. The betting coup was executed with the sort of efficiency that leaves bookmakers checking their arithmetic twice.

Bangalore challenger Solara, from the Sulaiman Attaollahi yard, was the early favourite in the concluding event, but the money began migrating towards Robin Reddy Kondakalla`s Stars Envied as race time approached. Basilica did the front-running work for a long way and looked set to collect the reward, but Stars Envied produced the stronger finish to justify the late betting confidence. Solara arrived rather late to the party but did enough to neck out Basilica for second.

There was another successful betting operation in the following contest, this time involving Laxman Singh-trained Authoritarian. Deshmukh-trained Knight Regent was the firm favourite and briefly appeared to have matters under control when he took the lead entering the final furlong. Authoritarian, however, had saved his best for the business end and produced a finishing flourish that turned the race decisively in favour of the well-backed runner. Disciple came with a late run to secure third.