In a display of endurance and speed, Siddharth, trained by Srinivas Reddy, clinched victory in the 1800-meter Bhagyanagar Million—a feature race for three-year-olds and older—at Monday`s Hyderabad races. Having finished second in his previous efforts, Siddharth relished the step up in distance, proving that he`s more than just a sprinter as he surged to the finish line. Though known for his short-distance prowess, Siddharth`s maturity and stamina shone through, his late burst of speed propelling him to an emphatic win under the expert guidance of jockey Akshay Kumar. Despite needing to switch from the inside to the outside as Siddharth took time to quicken, Akshay`s deft handling and determined ride ensured a well-deserved victory. This triumph marked Siddharth`s seventh win from 13 outings, cementing his status as a consistent performer.

Truth, a horse with proven ability over this distance, was expected to have the upper hand over Siddharth, who had narrowly missed out against Ashoka in his previous run. Meanwhile, Classic winner Livermore, despite her impressive credentials, was overlooked due to a long 200-day break and lackluster track work. As the race unfolded, Livermore led the field, with High Command and Akido in close pursuit, while favorites Truth and Siddharth were content to bide their time at the rear. As they rounded the final turn, Truth surged forward under jockey Kuldeep Singh`s urgings, quickly taking the lead from High Command. Siddharth, momentarily blocked, had to be skillfully maneuvered to the outside. Despite this setback, he responded brilliantly to Akshay`s strong riding, overhauling Truth with a decisive burst to win by over two lengths. High Command finished third, followed by Livermore, with Akido trailing in fourth.

In a separate event, former jockey Imran Khan celebrated his first win as a licensed trainer when long-shot Sopranos ended a year-long drought by capturing the 1200-meter Independence Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 40 to 65 at long odds. Sopranos, under jockey Ajeeth Kumar, emerged from the back of the pack with a powerful late rally, overtaking a cluster of contenders in the final furlong. Despite heavy backing, Bangalore import Devil`s Magic faltered yet again, unable to match the front-runners` pace. Classical Music appeared poised to seize victory but was ultimately overtaken by Sopranos in a dramatic finish. Classical Music settled for second, followed by Dyanoosh and the late-charging True Icon. It was a closely contested race, with seven horses finishing in close proximity behind the winner.

Midsummer Star, from the stables of trainer Prasad Raju, lived up to expectations by securing a comfortable victory in the lower division of the Independence Cup. With Sai Kumar in the saddle, Midsummer Star surged into contention in the final furlong, effortlessly overtaking the front-running Malibu to clinch the win with ease. Amyra, showing a late burst of speed, managed to secure a suggestive third place.

In another thrilling race, the Bangalore-based challenger Priceless Prince, trained by Satish Narredu, narrowly edged out local contender Flying Fury in the 1100-meter Raziya Sultana Plate, a race for maiden three-year-olds. Jockey Suraj Narredu expertly guided Priceless Prince from an outside draw, taking the lead early on and holding it with determination. The race took a dramatic turn when Flying Fury, coming from far off the pace, launched a fierce challenge in the final stages. Despite the late charge, Suraj managed to steer the favorite to a narrow but decisive victory. Golden Unicorn trailed in third, finishing more than nine lengths behind the leaders.

rainer Donald Netto`s Espionage, a short-priced favorite, notched up a consecutive victory in the 1100-meter Devarakonda Cup, a race for horses rated 20 to 45. Under the guidance of jockey Kuldeep Singh, Espionage embarked on a start-to-finish mission, holding off a late surge from Calista Girl to win by a determined half-length. NRI Skypower, showing some late energy, secured third place.

Ananth Vatsalya`s Nav Lakha, who had previously finished a noteworthy second, justified her favoritism in the 1200-meter Three Wishes Plate, a race for the lowest-rated horses. Tracking stablemate Exeter into the straight, Nav Lakha took control midway through the homestretch, cruising to a dominant victory. Jockey Ajeeth Kumar enjoyed an effortless ride as Nav Lakha won by a wide margin. In a tight finish for second, Blue Label edged out Reigning Queen.

Satheesh-trained White Pearl, a three-year-old filly, made amends for her narrow loss in her previous outing by securing a convincing win in the 1800-meter Royal Windsor Plate, a handicap race for horses rated 20 to 45. Ridden by Akshay Kumar, White Pearl raced handily in third before being pushed along the rails to take command after turning for home. The favorite pulled away effortlessly, winning by a comfortable margin. Voice of A Dream followed four lengths behind in second, while London Bell trailed in third, eight lengths adrift, in what turned out to be a one-sided contest.