The Narredu juggernaut maintained its dominance across India. Following Suraj Narredu`s triumphant steering in five Derbys starting from the Deccan Derby, the success continued in the Gr1 HPSL Golconda Derby, the highlight of the Hyderabad Winter Season, on Sunday. Satish Narredu-trained Champions Way led the race from start to finish, securing victory with considerable ease. The favoured Livermore struggled to catch up with the front-runner, and the exertion in the attempt even led to losing the runner-up position. In the closing stages of the race, Truth surged ahead, surpassing the favourite and claiming the runner-up position.

The Derby Day turned out to be a nightmarish experience for punters, leaving them perplexed in their quest for a winning selection. In each race, the favourites disappointed, while horses that were not heavily fancied in the betting put on an impressive display. This added to the frustration of the helpless punters who, for the first time in the season, struggled to confidently pick any winners. The betting trends offered no guidance, and questionable fluctuations in form only compounded the challenges for punters. Only the lowest category race of the day ran true to expectations, with the lone favourite of the day, Crown Witness won in the hands of jockey Suraj Narredu.

Livermore, trained by Leo D`Silva and a previous winner of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks, was widely anticipated to play a decisive role in the race, given her proven capabilities over the distance. On the other hand, Champions Way, victorious in the 2000 Guineas had doubts about his ability to handle the mile-and-a-half distance.

Despite these uncertainties, the dominance of the Narredu team, coupled with the exceptional riding skills of Suraj Narredu, suggested that Champions Way, a progeny of Sanus Per Aquam, was in good hands. Suraj Narredu confidently took Champions Way to the front, with Shadow of the Moon following closely. Saqlain positioned Livermore in the fifth position, while Truth trailed in the rear group. Unfortunately, Anab E Shahi, who was fractious at the gates, dropped out of the race soon after the jump-out due to distress.

Champions Way enjoyed an uncontested lead, entering the straight with a healthy advantage. The horse maintained its momentum and showed no signs of weakening, speeding clear to secure victory by a margin of over two lengths. Livermore, who was in pursuit, tired out and was overtaken by Truth in the final moments of the race.

Suraj Narredu has clinched six Derbys since the monsoon season, with three victories each attributed to his father, Satish Narredu, and his brother, Rajesh Narredu.

In the 1400 meters Turf Authorities of India Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 60 to 85, Thanks, trained by Jasbir Singh, emerged as another unexpected winner of the day. Jockey Mohit Singh guided Thanks to take an early lead, and the horse maintained such a significant advantage in the final furlong that the jockey could ease off, despite other horses appearing on the horizon. Akido made a strong finish to secure the second spot, surpassing the second favourite Hugh Capet, who came from behind to claim a placing. Faith, previously eye-catching in her second-place finish, fell short of expectations with a disappointing performance in this race.

The Derby Day commenced with the favoured Gun For Gold from Donald Netto`s stables failing to live up to expectations. Despite being heavily backed for a triumphant debut, Gun For Gold did not take a smart jump and was out of sorts even before reaching the final turn. On the other hand, Cannon Rose, trained by Prasad Raju and with six previous runs in the debut season, demonstrated commendable consistency by consistently securing a position on the board. Just before the race, there was a subtle show of support for Cannon Rose. Jockey Sai Kumar guided Cannon Rose to outpace Lady Jane in the final furlong and claim the 1100 meters Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup (Div II), a race for maiden three-year-olds, with Oliver`s Mount finishing in second place. Lady Jane who led from the start weakened to finish third.

It remains puzzling why, in a race featuring numerous debutants and where the abilities of most horses are unknown, one particular horse garners exclusive backing over the others. For the second consecutive race, punters found themselves on the losing end as they placed their bets on such a horse. This time, it was Prasad Raju-trained Diablo, who was the centre of attention in the 1100 meters Royal Calcutta Turf Club (Div I), a race for three-year-old maidens.

In a contrasting outcome, Bharath Singh-trained Kalki surged to the front right from the start and comfortably maintained the lead under the guidance of jockey Trevor Patel, winning by a margin of over three lengths. The favoured Diablo struggled to accelerate, finishing a disappointing second ahead of Birmingham. Torch Bearer, supported by a share of enthusiasts, did not demonstrate the required speed to impact the race`s outcome.

Under the guidance of trainer Magan Singh Parmar, Blazing Gun secured a comfortable victory over Only My Way in the 1600 meters Madras Race Club Cup, a race designated for horses rated 40 to 65. Blazing Gun, available at attractive odds, closely trailed Only My Way throughout the race, ultimately taking the lead in the final 100 meters with jockey Vivek G in the saddle. The gap between the leading duo and the rest of the runners was substantial, leaving little room for the trailing horses to make any realistic attempt to catch up.

Stablemate First Class claimed the third position, while the highly fancied Secret Bond failed to be a contender and settled for a disappointing fourth place. Blazing Gun, previously placing twice in the lower category, demonstrated his prowess in the higher category, with the featherweight advantage playing in favour of the horse.

Jockey Ashad Asbar`s performance on the favourite, Leather Back, left much to be desired as the horse encountered a roadblock by the final furlong, ultimately losing all chances of victory. In the 1200 meters Royal Western India Turf Club Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65, second favourite Miss Maya seemed poised for victory. However, in the closing strides, the long shot Maverick, ridden with vigour by jockey Kuldeep Singh, surged ahead and clinched victory.

Despite a good start, Ashad chose to ease Leather Back, sacrificing a forward position and falling behind. His attempt to navigate along the rails became perilous as crowded horses made it impossible for Leather Back to find a clear path. Adding to the challenges, the jockey appeared indifferent to the potential issues. Miss Maya, well-positioned for victory, lost the lead in the final moments of the race to the determined Maverick, who bounced back to winning ways after a lacklustre start to the season as a short-priced money favourite. Favourites sometimes seem to hesitate or underperform, leaving one to wonder if the horses are influenced by the odds displayed on the board. Dali`s Destiny secured the third position, while Dyanoosh finished in fourth place.