Hilton Sequeira trained Life`s Song recorded an encore in style in the 1200 metres Independence Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, the feature event of races held at Malakpet on Monday. Favourite Blue Origin led all the way and gave hopes of living up to expectations, but closer to home the finishing burst of Lifes Song and the late rally of Kingston saw Blue Origin being relegated to the third position.

Blue Origin who hasn`t won a race for a longish period of time was backed strongly on the basis of impressive preparations. The odds offered on Life`s Song who had the performance to back her credentials expanded. Jockey Mukesh Kumar had Blue Origin in the front and the favourite had the lead deep into the final 100 metres but began to falter under pressure. Life`s Song who swung wide at the turn came home with raking strides under a strong ride by Kiran Naidu and collared the favourite in sight of the post. Kingston rallied late to push Blue Origin to the third slot.

Donald Netto trained Tiger Mountain trounced the opposition in the 1400 metres Doncaster Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. The last run of Tiger Mountain did not indicate that she was ready for this kind of performance but the progeny of Top Class showed amazing improvement to run above expectations. Yaletown who had run third to Pleroma was backed to the exclusion of the rest. Tiger Mountain was at big odds. The favourite, in the hands of jockey Akshay Kumar, raced in earnest and took charge at the top of the straight but in the next one furlong, Tiger Mountain had not only surged past the favourite but drew clear to win by a whopping margin of seven lengths. It was indeed a top-notch performance by Tiger Mountain. Resurgence was third. Akshay Kumar did not ride after the first race possibly due to an injury sustained at the gates.

Vittal Deshmukh trained Starwalt hammered the opposition in the 1600 metres Kamareddy Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Jockey Nakhat Singh kept Starwalt in the rear group as Isra raced ahead with favourite Ice Berry in close attendance. Starwalt covered places in the straight under a strong drive and by the final furlong, had bounced clear of the field to record a facile win over Gurbaaz and Isra who finished in close order. Ice Berry never gave hope.

The forward run had done a world of good to Magan Singh Parmar whose ward Black Onyx readily obliged expectations in the 1200 metres Ananthagiri Hills Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Black had finished behind Baudelaire on the last occasion and was confidently backed to win by the punters. Black Onyx moved with raking strides inside the final 300 metres in the hands of jockey Dhanu Singh Deora and quickly assumed command to eventually win by a widening margin of four lengths over Indian Temple and Blazing Jupiter.

Galwan was hard-pressed to win the 1600 metres Devarakonda Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65. Last outing winner Lamha from the stables of trainer Hilton Sequeira was the favourite while Galwan who had finished second best in her last effort was well fancied despite running after more than 200 days. Beauty Flame led the field but ran out of steam after bringing the field into the straight. The Vittal Deshmukh trainee Galwan who was in proximity then took charge and surged ahead and opened up a useful lead in the hands of jockey Ajeeth Kumar. Mukesh Kumar went all out on Lamha who inched closer but found the winning post coming a wee bit early. Char Ek Char finished with a big effort to be an eye-catching third.

Sreekant trained Golden Forza who was running in the lowest category came in for sustained support to win the 1100 metres Three Wishes Plate, a race for horses rated up to 25. Jockey Kuldeep Singh took Golden Forza on a start-to-finish mission. The favourite was so superior to the field that he could enjoy an uncontested lead and extend the same to six lengths at the finish. NRI Secret was faraway second finishing ahead of Inside Story.