Apprentice jockey Likith Appu skilfully guided Shashikanth trained Ashwa Morocco to maintain her peak performance and successfully thwart the spirited challenge posed by the equally impressive Malaala in the 1400 meters R Raghupathi Reddy Memorial Cup. This race, programmed for horses rated 80 and above, took centre stage during Monday`s Hyderabad races at Malakpet. Despite being a strong contender in the betting, Candy Girl, aiming to extend her winning streak, compromised her chances by setting a blistering pace at the front and running out of steam when the race reached its crescendo.

The top three contenders in the betting – Candy Girl, Ashwa Morocco, and Malaala – had formidable racing forms, making it a tough decision for punters to pick the winner with conviction. Ashwa Morocco no doubt stood out, having triumphed over well-performed competitors. Ashwa Morocco strategically held the third position, while Candy Girl dictated the pace, closely followed by Malaala.

The intense speed set by the front-runners was destined to impact those racing ahead. In this crucial moment, Ashwa Morocco, positioned conservatively in third place, demonstrated superior reserves in the final stages. Candy Girl faded early in the stretch, allowing Malaala to surge ahead. Although the offspring of Kingda Ka exhibited showed speed, Ashwa Morocco, despite gong wide under pressure, displayed greater resolution to overtake the front-runner in the last 50 meters. True Icon made a late charge from behind, securing the third position ahead of Soloist, while Candy Girl visibly weakened, finishing in fifth place.

Hilton Sequeira`s Anab E Shahi had been held in high esteem since his debut. Despite being a strong contender, the progeny of Leitir Mor entered the 1400 meters Zurbaran Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 65, with generous odds due to the stable`s recent underperformance.

The betting favourites, NRI Doublepower and Clare, captured the attention, even though the former had not exhibited early speed and had shown lethargy from the gates on occasion. Setting the pace was Hard To Toss, followed by The Akhanda and Reigning Beauty, with Anab E Shahi positioned around sixth or seventh.

Deep into the straight, Hard To Toss maintained the lead, but in a powerful surge and with a ground-saving effort guided by jockey Hindu Singh, Anab E Shahi overwhelmed the competition, securing victory with ease in the closing stages of the race. The Akhanda stayed on to claim the second position, leaving Hugh Capet in third, while Hard To Toss lost momentum and settled for fourth place.

Following a notable performance, where the five-year-old gelding Ok Boss secured a fourth-place finish against Doe A Deer, his subsequent two outings were rather unremarkable. However, Ok Boss found himself in the 1200 meters Tribute Plate (Div I), a race for horses in the lowest category and the Faisal Hassan trainee ran with a pair of wings.

Adhering to the prevailing pattern of horses dropping down a category and winning despite lacklustre performances in higher categories, Ok Boss garnered significant betting attention. The weight of the money proved well-placed as jockey Kuldeep guiding Ok Boss took a sizeable lead of over 15 lengths by the final furlong. By the time the other competitors woke up, Ok Boss had established an insurmountable advantage, ultimately winning by a substantial margin of six lengths. Park Lane made a late rally to secure the second position, with Inderdhanush finishing third ahead of Eminency. In the lower division of the race, Faisal Hassan`s Deccan Ranger clinched an effortless victory, overtaking the front-running Urgent by the final furlong. Crown Witness made a late surge to secure the second position, surpassing the long-time leader Urgent.

Trainer Satheesh continued his successful streak as his horses showcased dominance in both divisions of the Bhakra Nangal Plate, a race tailored for horses with ratings falling within the 20 to 45 range. In the first division, Toffee displayed aggressive front-running tactics. Despite facing intense pressure from the heavily favoured NRI Skypower, the determined filly held her ground and secured victory by a length at the finish line. Windsor secured a hard-fought third position, edging out the late-finishing Antidote.

In the lower division, Flashing Memories, another contender from Satheesh`s stable, garnered spirited backing after an impressive second-place finish in the previous outing. Despite lacking early speed and settling in the mid-group, the progeny of Sedgefield exhibited enough class to produce a winning effort in the final furlong. Chica Bonita secured the second position, with Caraxes following in third.

The prevailing trend typically sees horses heavily backed in the betting ring dominating the races, with occasional exceptions when these horses may falter. This pattern held in the 1200 meters Nalgonda Cup (Div I); a race designated for horses rated 20 to 45. Trainer Sandeep`s five-year-old mare, Mireya, exemplified this trend by delivering a commanding performance, finishing more than four lengths ahead of the competition.

Golden Forza, who led in the early stages, eventually gave way to the favourite by the final furlong. From there on, Mireya asserted her dominance, making the race a one-horse affair. Golden Forza managed to neck out Cabello to secure the second position. The race`s outcome once again affirmed the influence of betting trends on performance.

In the lower division of the race, the leaderboard featured unexpected long shots in the top three positions. Trainer Leo D`Silva`s Salisbury delivered a remarkable run down the final furlong, seizing victory in impressive style ahead of Star Cruise and Challenger. D Yes Boss, who had garnered some attention in the betting, made a late charge but narrowly missed securing a place in the top three.