The Telangana Race Horse Owners Association has finally voiced what punters mutter every Monday under their breath: Hyderabad racing has morphed into a soap opera—complete with recycled plots, surprise twists, and jockeys who look more ready for the red carpet than the weighing scale. Horses seem to run for “special interest groups,” riders change styles faster than Instagram reels, and the all-India betting frenzy on Mondays has become the perfect stage for theatrics. As for integrity, that poor soul seems to have been turned out to pasture long ago. Their letter bluntly asks: are we still watching horse racing, or just a reality show in silks?

Their letter, signed by President Narendra Reddy and Secretary Satyanarayana Reddy, paints a grim picture—odds mysteriously collapsing, horses suddenly discovering form as if blessed by divine revelation, and the authorities acting more helpless than referees in a WWE match. It seems the form book is now more fiction than fact, and results often look like they were typed out by scriptwriters rather than run on turf.

Take the final act: the 1200-metres Silver Jet Plate (Div I). Donald Netto’s Espionage, who flopped so badly last time that even his supporters wanted witness protection, was suddenly the hottest item in the ring. Odds shrank from 3/1 to 18/10 faster than your wallet shrinks after chasing favourites. Backed as if the entire wealth of Telangana was riding on him, Espionage turned into Superman, leaving She Can trailing and proving that with the right money behind you, even tired legs can run fresh. Jockey Kuldeep Singh executed the exact same “start to finish” trick he failed at earlier, but this time the horse decided to play along. What a coincidence.

In the lower division, Diablo was another betting riddle—his odds drifted outwards like a balloon in the wind, yet he strolled home despite wandering across the track. Behind him, Ragnarok and Darling’s Boy took up the minor placings, proving at least someone’s bets landed somewhere.

Elsewhere, Clara in the Bhadrachalam Cup did the decent thing—she ran true to odds and won. But not before giving Calabasas a cruel taste of victory, only to snatch it back thanks to a little sideways detour. Meanwhile, jockey B R Kumar on Knight Crusader decided that seeing daylight was overrated, stuffing his horse behind traffic and finishing third in a manner more “memorable” than effective.

Trainer Leo D’Silva had promised his Corte Madera would be Derby-ready, but in the S Malakonda Reddy Memorial Cup he didn’t need the Derby to flex. The colt demolished the field by six lengths, looking like he was out on a morning canter while Dapper Look chased shadows. Black Dust, fancied in the ring, ruined his chances at the gates.

The Nelston Plate saw My Challenge live up to its name by laughing at the returning favourite Mountain Touch. After surging ahead in the straight, he left the favourite gasping at the rear and won handsomely, while Lego pieced together second place. Mountain Touch, despite his long holiday, managed third, ahead of pace setter Opera Queen.

And the day began with the Asifabad Plate, where the betting ring couldn’t decide between three horses. In the end, Dali’s Champion proved the genuine article, fending off rivals with some authority. Deccan Ranger was next best, while Fortune Art, joint favourite and all, was left painting a forgettable picture in third.