Dorabella romped home in the Mysore Race Club Cup, the conspicuous race of the afternoon at Hyderabad on Christmas Day. Vijayraaj brought the field into view on the straight but could not sustain the onslaught of Dorabella and Champ Forever beyond the distance post. Daniel Netto trained Dorabella made good of the bottom weight, initially putting away Champ Forever’s challenge and later staving off the late dash of Ruby Queen. Champ Forever who finished third had to be pushed in the early stages to keep pace and the chunks of weight he had to carry was telling in the concluding stages of the race.
 
The Stewards of the Hyderabad Race Club have got though with the jockeys who were found to be indulging in corrupt practices. After a prolonged enquiry the Stewards have decided to,
 
A) Withdraw the ‘A’ Jockey’s Licence granted to Jockey D.Singh with immediate effect upto & including 31 st Match 2009 and further decided not to grant him a Jockeys Licence should he apply for one upto & including 31st December 2010 for Corrupt Practices. The Stewards also declared Jockey D.Singh as a warned off /disqualified person under H.R.C. Rules of Racing during the said period.
B) Withdraw the ‘A’ Jockey’s Licence granted to Jockey Ravinder Singh with immediate effect upto & including 31st March 2009 for Corrupt Practices and further declared Jockey Ravinder Singh as a warned off / disqualified person under the H.R.C.Rules of Racing during the said period.
 
The Star Of Gwalior Cup was the supporting event of the day. Run over a grueling 2400 metres trip, the favourite La Lapitus won it from Royal Embassy and Vijeysena. La Lapitus stepped up momentum and grabbed the lead from Indian Dancer on the straight with Vijaysena also in hot pursuit. Jockey Harish brought Royal Embassy with a late dash but the winning post came to the rescue of La Lapitus.
 
Leo, Kamlesh combination picked up a back to back double, on Davenport, in the higher division of The Malvado Plate. After jumping out well, jockey Kamlesh settled the favourite Davenport in mid field. On the straight there were no anxious moments for Davenport as he sailed past Ruby Crown to win comfortably. Modest Bride beat Ruby Crown for the second place. Vijays Angel was permitted to be withdrawn on veterinary grounds.
 
The favourite Kohinoor Delight didn’t raise a winning gallop and the second in demand, Sparks dropped the rider at the final bend in the lower division of The Malvado Plate. It was eventually Proviso who strode past Above the Line and won the race.
 
Colourful made it a start to finish affair in the higher division of The Meghalaya Plate. Shikra who was sighted in about tenth position as the field were negotiating the final bend, took the shortest way along the rails and pipped Corps Command at the wire for the second place. Habituated sprang a surprise making it start to finish, in the lower division. Prohibition finished second ahead of Southern Spice. The much talked about Girl of Love, who ran as the public choice, was never in the hunt.
 
Firm Favourites grabbed both the divisions of The Amaravathi Cup. Sikandar E Alam managed to hold on from Cannon Hunt in the lower division. Greatballofchina was planted at the gates and finished in the rear. Global Star who covered a lot of ground on the straight fell short by three fourths of a length to Earth Bender in the higher division.
 
Lucrative bowled along merrily in front and kept going till the finish. Mystic Impact failed to accelerate and finished second in The Singh Plate, the concluding race.
 
On a day of favourites, six of them obliging in a card of nine races, Leo D’Silva, L.V.R.Deshmukh, P.Kamlesh, Harish and Imran Khan returned home with two wins each.