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With the field at fives and over, in the Hyderabad Veterinary College Diamond Jubilee Cup, picking a winner was as difficult as the odds suggested. The field got reduced to 13 with Accordion getting withdrawn after he played up in the gates. Hunting Boy did all the running in front with Tiara in chase throughout and with a furlong left it looked like Hunting Boy had the race well within him but the entire complexion of the race changed dramatically over the last 100 metres. King of Hebashe came like a torpedo from an impossible position to win as China Pearl took the second spot just ahead of Tiara and Hunting Boy in a close finish. Faisal Hassan trains the winner.
Satheesh’s Style Ikon finally came out of his maiden ranks with a sustained run to get the better of the front running Achiever in the last 50 metres in the higher division of the Deccan Prince Plate. Meritorious just about scrapped through to win from Boyance in a thrilling finish in the higher division of the Astana Plate thus giving the owner trainer jockey combination a much needed double.
Jockey P.S. Chouhan rode a back-to-back double on Glorious Bay and Sparks. There was a sudden cloud burst just before the start of the seventh race, the higher division of the Cuddapah Plate. Chouhan took Glorious Bay to the front and the three lengths lead which he had established on top of the straight came in handy as Grand Rapids made a late bid to finish half a length behind. Queen of Hebashe was found to be hanging out throughout the straight and couldn’t get to the leader, finishing third in a close finish. Fire Blaze dropped the rider immediately after the start. Chouhan gave a confident ride on Sparks in the Nine Carat Plate to sail past Bossei Girl who was on a start to finish hunt over the ten furlongs trip. Vijaysiddanth could only get to the second spot beating Bossei Girl.
Long shot Al Jeezaan surprised in the lower division of the Cuddapah Plate. After tracking the early leader Cool Spice till the distance post, Al Jeezaan surged ahead and won convincingly from the favourite Atahualpa. Atahualpa was badly positioned in about seventh, approaching the final bend and improved on the straight to finish second. Atahualpa was hanging on the straight and was later reported to have been found trotting lame on his right fore due to sprained shoulders.
Rupesh and Flying Phoenix started the day while Ananth Vatsalya’s Kohinoor Magic concluded. King of Court lost a couple of lengths at the start and that proved costly as he finished second to Flying Phoenix. Jingles was withdrawn after she played up near the gates. Kohinoor Magic’s long leeway on the straight came to his rescue towards the finish as he began to stop with Cicilia coming menacingly towards him.
