N. Rawal, the trainer of Beauty Blaze, who had previously come under scrutiny for a lacklustre performance, astounded the competition in the 1200-meter Basalath Jah Memorial Cup (Div I). This race, catering to horses rated 60 to 85, stood as the highlight of Monday`s Hyderabad races at Malakpet. Punters faced disappointment throughout the day as several well-backed horses, despite their credentials, failed to deliver their expected performance, catching them off guard.

In a prior race where Beauty Blaze was a strong favourite, the horse finished significantly behind the field, leaving the trainer bewildered. On that occasion, the trainer expressed his confusion to the Stipes, who warned that if there were any future reversals of form, the trainer would face severe disciplinary action. This put the Stipes in a challenging position, as they are committed to taking action as the reversal of form has occurred.

The challenge deepened with not only Beauty Blaze but also with the favourite Ashoka, whose victory was assumed based on a commanding performance in the previous race and overall competence. The Stipes now find themselves dealing with both positive and negative reversals of form. The current season has witnessed a topsy-turvy trend in form, and questionable performances have raised concerns about the integrity of the sport. As a result, the Stipes must put industry professionals on notice, recognizing the need for heightened scrutiny in light of recent developments.

Best Buddy set a brisk pace at the front, while the favoured Ashoka held a comfortable position in third. Meanwhile, Beauty Blaze, the eventual winner, trailed the favourite by a few lengths. Best Buddy maintained the lead well into the final furlong, but Ashoka failed to display his usual burst of speed, struggling to overtake even the pacesetter. Beauty Blaze, guided by jockey N B Kuldeep, surged forward with a striking acceleration, securing victory. Ashoka faced a challenge in fending off a late surge from Miss Little Angel and ultimately settled for the runner-up position, while Best Buddy weakened and finished fourth.

In the lower division of the Basalath Jah Memorial Cup, Commanding Knight, a recent winner under trainer Rawal, claimed victory. Commanding Knight garnered sustained support, with Brilliant Star, ridden by Suraj Narredu, considered the firm favourite. However, Narredu had an unfortunate day, losing on all three horses he rode, each heavily backed by the public. Kingston, on a winless streak of about 294 days, also attracted serious betting attention, but the highly fancied runner, agitated at the gates, expended energy prematurely and failed to focus on the race. Commanding Knight, positioned in the mid-group, executed a swift move approaching the final turn and exhibited commendable acceleration, securing the win by the final furlong. Brilliant Star disappointingly settled for second place, ahead of City of Bliss, while Kingston made a late run to finish fourth.

Donald Netto trained Born Brave received significant backing and successfully made a winning debut in the 1100 meters Nirmal Plate, a race for two-year-olds. The ante-post favourite, Bellingham, took the lead from the outset but was unable to maintain the pace at the front. Born Brave effortlessly overtook the favourite in the final furlong, securing a convincing victory for jockey Kuldeep Singh. Cannon Rose, making a late surge, claimed the second position, leaving Bellingham in third.

In the 1200-meter Starry Scene Plate, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, Santa Barbara, trained by Leo D`Silva, continued her winning streak with another effortless victory. Heavily backed by punters, Santa Barbara positioned herself prominently at the top of the straight. When urged for an effort by apprentice Md Ekram Alam, the favourite responded promptly, surging clear to win by a margin of over five lengths. In a closely contested finish for minor placings, Deccan Daisy edged out Silver Lining. Santa Barbara`s dominance in the race showcased her exceptional form.

Following a series of run-of-the-mill performances after a victory in Mysore, She Can, trained by Hilton Sequeira, displayed a noteworthy return to form. The progeny of Win Legend actively raced with the pace and then, in a commendable show, widened the lead by the final furlong. This impressive performance served her well in the 1600 meters Cyndy Plate, a race catering to horses rated 40 to 65. Apprentice jockey Ajay Kumar skilfully guided She Can to repel a strong challenge from the favourite Barbet, energetically ridden by Suraj Narredu, winning by a neck. Despite spirited support in the betting ring, Hugh Capet found himself in a less favourable position. However, his late effort allowed him to secure the third spot narrowly, nosing out Miss Marvellous.

Despite delivering an energetic third-place performance in her previous outing, Alexina faced neglect in the betting ring. In the 1200-meter Palampet Cup, a race tailored for horses rated 40 to 65, last-start winner Proud Mary, trained by Laxman Singh and ridden by Suraj Narredu, garnered one-sided support in the betting, overshadowing Alexina. Sai Kumar took the long shot Alexina on a start-to-finish mission, and the progeny of Western Aristocrat effectively maintained the lead by the final furlong, securing a victory under the skilful guidance of jockey Sai Kumar. Proud Mary, despite making significant strides, couldn`t close the gap on the front-runner and finished in a futile pursuit. Dyanoosh claimed the third position in the race.

In the day`s final race, the 1400-meter Chaitanya Ratham Plate, designed for horses rated 20 to 45, both the heavily favoured Worcester and Honourable Lady faced defeat. The less fancied Burgundy Black, trained by Magan Singh Parmar, executed a lucrative start-to-finish dash. Despite facing a robust challenge from Honourable Lady, jockey Imran Khan was found wanting in steering the latter to victory. Worcester, on the other hand, finished a distant third, well beaten.