Aravind Ganapathy trained Faith of Success pulled off an exciting win in the Gr 1 Golconda Derby, the biggest event of the Hyderabad Winter Season, at Malakpet on Sunday. Faith of Success showed good improvement since winning the Oaks a fortnight ago on the same track when beating a more accomplished lot en route to a win in a three-horse absorbing finish. Jockey Neeraj Rawal displayed a fine big race temperament with a perfectly executed job.

Sulaiman Attaollahi trained Teresita who had won the Bangalore Oaks beating dual classic winner Alicia was widely perceived to be the horse expected to land the spoils. The aura of Teresita was somewhat diminished when Alicia failed in her bid to win the Oaks at Chennai.

However, Teresita was made the firm favourite on the basis of her Oaks win at Bangalore ahead of Faith of Success who had made remarkable progress during the last month. Stockbridge and Fire Power were the others who were expected to have a say at the finish. Teresita was off-colour as she stayed stuck in the rear and took a long while to change gears in the stretch and was out of the reckoning well before the race came to the boil.

Neeraj Rawal got everything right and was not perturbed by the danger of being blocked for a clear run at a crucial stage of the race and managed to force his way through the narrow gap between Painted Apache and Fire Power with about 300 metres left in the race and drove out the filly with all the resources at his command to down Stockbridge in the closing strides of the race. Fire Power too finished powerfully and was a close third.

Visiting jockey Oliver Richard took Prithviraj trained Karanveer to the front within the first furlong followed by Stockbridge, Icicle, Painted Apache, Fire Power, Count of Savoy, Ashwa Raudee, Faith of Success, Teresita and Buckley. The serious action began to unfold when the horses approached the final bend. Karanveer who is yet to win a race put up a good show keeping the lead deep into the straight before Stockbridge shot ahead inside the final furlong. Faith of Success showed a good turn of foot after extricating from a difficult position and managed to collar Stockbridge and put her neck in front at the finish. Fire Power also finished aggressively but had to be satisfied with the third position while Karanveer did well to get the fourth position. Teresita had to be pulled wide as she ran into a wall of horses early in the straight as the pace was not collapsing as anticipated. The spark displayed at Bangalore too was missing as the favourite took her own time to warm up and could only finish a disappointing sixth.

Trainer Aravind Ganapathy who was struggling for winners till the beginning of this year has seen a sea change in his luck since the new year thanks to the super filly from the Hazara Stud who herself won three races in a short span of time. ``I am feeling on top of the world. The new year has been a good one for me for it has changed my fortunes and given me the confidence to win big races. Faith of Success is a very genuine filly.``

Neeraj Rawal said that he was not too concerned when he was in a bit of bother for a clear run early in the stretch. ``My filly had an amazing turn of foot and I was sure I will shoot through,`` he said. The Hazara Stud Farm bred daughter of Saamid is now headed to Mumbai to take part in next Sunday`s Indian Derby as a final entry said Aravind Ganapathy. It has been a month to remember for the trainer who from struggling for winners won two classics including the Derby besides having the privilege of having a runner in the Indian Derby.
Lagos and Market King both had good credentials to fight for the spoils in the 1200 metres Kamareddy Plate, a race for horses rated 60 to 85. Lagos had gone down narrowly to Market King and was better placed in weights. Both were equally well supported but, in the end, it turned out to be an easy win for Lagos. Jockey Suraj Narredu got the first run on Market King at the top of the straight and the progeny of Gusto showed tremendous speed to go sailing clear and go beyond the reach of Market King who despite an aggressive ride by Trevor Patel could not bridge the gap. Watch My Stride ran on to take the third position.

Donald Netto who saddled Lagos to victory had another emphatic winner through Knotty Dancer in the 1400 metres Khammam Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Knotty Dancer had run fair races in the classics over a mile long trip but since his forte is speed, he failed to extend his domination to a mile. Now back to racing over a more suitable trip of seven furlongs, Knotty Dancer toyed with the opposition and ran out an easy winner. Keystone who did the pace-setting stayed on to take the second position ahead of NRI Sport. Blue Origin who had finished ahead of Knotty Dancer on the last occasion over a mile, found the eventual winner speedy and in fact, finished poorly vis-à-vis his last effort.

Srinivas Reddy trained The Image was quoted at a very short price to win the 1200 metres Rock Heaven Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. It was clear that The Image was more forward than the rest as the favourite ran away from the rest inside the final 200 metres and won by a widening margin of three lengths over Star Medal and Voice of A Dream in the hands of jockey Ashhad Asbar.