Vittal Deshmukh trained High Command swamped the small field that was in the fray for the Gr 3 Deccan Bookmakers Association Darley Arabian Million, a terms race for three-year-olds, the feature event of Monday`s Hyderabad races. Trainer Vittal Deshmukh had a field day, saddling four winners while jockey Akshay Kumar booted home a treble.

High Command who had recorded an impressive debut win was quoted at money back to win the million. Encore who veered out after jumping out was pushed to take charge of the proceedings by jockey Afroz Khan. Akshay Kumar eased High Command into the second position ahead of Siddharth and NRI Sky Lab. It did not take much effort for the favourite to overhaul the front-runner in the straight. High Command had the race at his mercy well before the final furlong as the three-year-old son of Leitir Mor proved overwhelmingly superior to the opposition. Siddharth gave a chase in the final furlong but found the eventual winner too good for comfort. High Command won by a widening margin of three lengths over Siddharth who in turn was another three and half lengths ahead of the pace-setter Encore. NRI Skylab finished way behind in the last position.

Hilton Sequeira trained Anab E Shahi made a smashing debut in the 1200 metres Red Rose Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Prasad Raju trained Splendour On Grass who had the benefit of a race run was the firm favourite, with the odds on Anab E Shahi expanding close to race time. Jockey Sai Kumar pushed Splendor On Grass to take charge from the start with Akshay Kumar easing Anab E Shahi into about the fourth position. Anab E Shahi moved with a flourish on entering the straight and easily collared the front runner and went away to win the race by a widening margin of four lengths over the favourite who was hard-pressed to retain the runner-up berth from Brilliant Star. Dollar Bird dropped her jockey Aneel soon after the jump out. Anab E Shahi appears to be a good type of youngster.

The persevering efforts of jockey Akshay Kumar enabled Sequeira trained Soloist to pull off a thrilling win in the three-horse absorbing finish in the 1400 metres Gajasimha Rao Memorial Cup, a race for three-year-olds and over. Long shot Mark My Day led from the start and refused to budge from there and fought on resolutely. Closer home, Shazam tackled the front runner while the short-priced favourite Soloist who warmed up late finished with a rush. The three of them went past the post locked together. Favourite Soloist prevailed by the proverbial whisker over Shazam who in turn was a nose ahead of Mark My Day.

Long shot from the stables of trainer Vittal Deshmukh Amalfitana won the 1600 metres Rock Heaven Plate (Div I), a race for horses rated 20 to 45 in the Stewards` room after Team Player won it on the track. There was an objection by the trainer against jockey Afroz Khan who rode the winner for causing interference to his horse, cramping him and bumping his horse in the straight which cost him a certain race. Since his jockey Kuldeep Singh was an inexperienced jockey, he could not ride out fully as he was intimidated by the situation. At the top of the straight, the front-running Amalfitana slightly shifted onto Team Player resulting in the two making contact. Thereafter, the two fought out all the way in the final furlong, with Team Player prevailing by half a length. Team Player hung in badly and the jockey did his best to prevent it from going on to Amalfitana who was hugging the rails. Team Player went on to win by half a length with favourite Hero of the East finishing a disappointing third. Team Player was certainly the better horse on the day and could have won comfortably had it not been lugging in badly. The runner-up had an inexperienced jockey but had the benefit of claiming a five kg allowance. The Stewards took a long time before upholding the objection. Relying too much on the slow-motion replays can be misleading and it is also imperative on the part of the Stewards to think hard before taking down a horse which has won it on the track like in any game when the benefit of the doubt goes to the winner. Or if they want to drive home the message that they would not be tolerant of interferences, following the dictate consistently is also welcome.

Lesser fancied Cash Register, also from the tables of trainer Vittal Deshmukh won the 1600 metres Rock Heaven Plate (Div II), a race for horses rated 20 to 45, with a measure of comfort. Cash Register had run 14 lengths behind the winner whereas City Cruise who came in for good support was within reach of the winner in his previous effort. However, City Cruise who led from the start in the hands of apprentice jockey Md Ekram Alam failed to sustain the lead when Cash Register who was in the chase, put pressure at the top of the straight. Cash Register sailed ahead without any fuss and won by a comfortable margin of over two lengths showing vast improvement over the previous effort. City Cruise necked out strongly fancied Queen Blossom to keep the third position.

Winner number three for Deshmukh came through Francis Bacon in the 2000 metres Vegavathi Cup, a race for horses rated 40 to 65 where five kg apprentice Kuldeep Singh guided the horse to a start-to-finish victory. Francis Bacon enjoyed an uncontested lead and was given the luxury of going at his own pace which proved the undoing of the others. Francis Bacon came into the stretch with a sizeable lead and kept going in the front, with short-priced favourite Alabama unable to bridge the gap. Francis Bacon won by a comfortable margin of three-plus lengths. Alabama just about held off Princess Daka for the runner-up berth.

Anant Vatsalya trained China Town came in for one-sided support to win the 1600 metres Red Satin Plate, a race for horses n the lowest category and it proved to be right as the favourite went on to win with a measure of comfort in the hands of jockey Ajeeth Kumar. Seeing the gap on the inside not materialising as anticipated, Ajeeth Kumar pulled China Town out of the pack inside the final 300 metres to get a clear run. The favourite fought it out with Black Opal before gaining the upper hand in the final 100 metres to win by two lengths. Wot`s Up Jay was third.