Hyderabad Race Club will host a six-race horse racing programme on Monday, October 19, 2026, featuring maiden contests, handicap events and the prestigious Golconda St. Leger. The meeting will begin at 1:50 PM with The Nijinsky Plate (Div I) over 1,200 metres and conclude at 4:45 PM with The Nijinsky Plate (Div II), also over 1,200 metres. The afternoon will feature races over distances ranging from 1,200 to 2,800 metres, bringing together horses across different age groups and rating categories.
The highlight of the meeting will be The Golconda St. Leger, scheduled for 4:10 PM over 2,800 metres. Open to horses aged four years and above, the race will feature seven runners and carry a total reward allocation of Rs.29,19,512, the highest on the day’s programme. The winner will receive Rs.17,53,034, while the second-place finisher will earn Rs.6,88,680. The third and fourth finishers will receive Rs.3,08,377 and Rs.1,69,421, respectively. The extended distance will test the stamina, rhythm and pace management of the participating horses.
The opening event, The Nijinsky Plate (Div I), will take place at 1:50 PM over 1,200 metres. The maiden contest is open to horses aged three years and above rated between 20 and 45, with a total reward allocation of Rs.6,50,000. Nine runners are entered for the race, including Starlight Dancer, Costa Mesa, Rajendra, Wildstar, Cee Bees, Mazagran, Celestial Power, Meadow and Moonlite Rose. Starlight Dancer, a four-year-old bay filly rated 40, will carry 60 kg under Rajpratap Singh for trainer A Imran Khan. Costa Mesa and Rajendra, both rated 32, will carry 56 kg, with Akshay Kumar and H. M. Akshay taking the respective rides. Wildstar, rated 28, will carry 54 kg under Mukesh Kumar, while Cee Bees and Mazagran, both rated 27, will carry 53.5 kg. Celestial Power will carry 53 kg, while Meadow and Moonlite Rose will carry 52.5 kg each. The race will offer the participating horses an early opportunity to demonstrate their speed over the sprint distance. The course record for 1,200 metres stands at 1:10.706, established by Espionage in 2025.
The second race, The Sandown Park Plate, is scheduled for 2:25 PM over 1,400 metres and is open to horses aged three years and above. The contest will carry a total reward allocation of Rs.8,40,000, with Rs.3,78,000 awarded to the winner. Seven runners are listed for the event: N R I Triple Power, Sugar, Bashir, Knight Regent, Star Forever, Black Onyx and Decoy. Black Onyx, an eight-year-old dark bay gelding rated 100, will carry 52 kg under Dhanu S. Deora for trainer Magan Singh Parmar. N R I Triple Power, a four-year-old dark bay filly rated 83, will carry 58.5 kg under Akshay Kumar for trainer D. Netto. Sugar, rated 79, will also carry 58.5 kg, with B. R. Kumar in the saddle. Bashir and Knight Regent will carry 58 kg each, with Abhay Singh and P. Trevor taking the respective rides. Star Forever will carry 56.5 kg under Ajay Kumar, while Decoy will complete the field at 52 kg with Afroz Khan. The 1,400-metre distance will test the runners’ ability to maintain their pace and finish strongly.
The third event, The S. S. Cardmaster Memorial Trophy, will begin at 3:00 PM over 1,400 metres. It is a Class IV handicap for horses aged five years and above rated between 20 and 45, with a total reward allocation of Rs.6,50,000. Nine runners are entered for the race, including Emperors Charm, Top In Class, Golden Unicorn, Great Giver, Una Paloma Blanca, December Rain, Sadiya, Exclusive Luck and Crimson Rose. Emperors Charm, a five-year-old bay gelding rated 44, will carry the top weight of 60 kg under P. Trevor for trainer A Imran Khan. Top In Class, a nine-year-old dark bay gelding rated 41, will carry 58.5 kg under Sohan Kumar. Golden Unicorn, rated 39, will compete at 57.5 kg with P. Sai Kumar riding. Great Giver and Una Paloma Blanca, both rated 36, will carry 56 kg each, partnered by Mukesh Kumar and Surya Prakash, respectively. December Rain and Sadiya, both rated 34, will carry 55 kg, with Mohit Singh and Arjun taking the rides. Exclusive Luck will carry 52 kg under Kuldeep Singh (Sr), while Crimson Rose will complete the field at 51 kg with Kuldeep Singh (Jr). The race will bring together experienced runners across a range of ratings, with the assigned weights forming an important part of the contest.
The Kinnerasani Trophy, the fourth race of the afternoon, will be held at 3:35 PM over 1,200 metres. The Class III handicap is open to horses aged three years and above rated between 40 and 65 and carries a total reward allocation of Rs.7,40,000. Eight runners are listed for the sprint, including Dali’s Destiny, Dubai Touch, Miss Smiley Angel, Lazarus, Sharanga, Calabasas, Ojas Maximus and Catchme If You Can. Dali’s Destiny, a six-year-old dark bay gelding rated 65, will carry 61 kg under Gaurav Singh for trainer Laxman Singh. Dubai Touch, a four-year-old dark bay filly with the same rating, will also carry 61 kg, partnered by Bhawani Singh for trainer Neelesh Rawal. Miss Smiley Angel, rated 62, will carry 59.5 kg under Mukesh Kumar. Lazarus will compete at 56.5 kg, while Sharanga will carry 56 kg under P. Trevor. Calabasas and Ojas Maximus, both rated 53, will carry 55 kg each, with Swarup Singh and Akshay Kumar taking the respective rides. Catchme If You Can, rated 50, will complete the field at 53.5 kg under Dhanu S. Deora. The sprint will require the runners to establish their positions quickly and sustain their pace throughout the 1,200-metre journey.
The Golconda St. Leger will follow at 4:10 PM, offering the longest-distance challenge of the day over 2,800 metres. Seven runners are entered for the race: Arrived, Dapper Look, Get Lucky, Gold Empire, High Command, Superstar and Wolf Creek. Arrived, a four-year-old chestnut colt rated 95, will carry 57 kg under P. Trevor for trainer Adhiraj Singh Jodha. Gold Empire, a four-year-old bay gelding rated 93, will carry the same weight under Suraj Narredu for trainer Rajesh Narredu. High Command, a six-year-old bay horse also rated 95, will be partnered by P. Ajeeth Kumar for trainer L. V. R. Deshmukh. Get Lucky, a five-year-old chestnut colt rated 87, will carry 57 kg under Akshay Kumar for trainer K. Satheesh. Superstar, rated 86, will compete at the same weight with A. Ashhad Asbar in the saddle. Dapper Look, rated 66, and Wolf Creek, rated 69, will also carry 57 kg, with Jodha R. S. and Antony Raj S. taking the respective rides. The field’s varied ratings and experience will add interest to the staying event, in which endurance and careful pace management will be essential. The course record for the distance is 2:56.72, set by Arabian Knight in 2008.
The six-race programme will conclude with The Nijinsky Plate (Div II) at 4:45 PM over 1,200 metres. Like the opening race, this maiden contest is open to horses aged three years and above rated between 20 and 45, with a total reward allocation of Rs.6,50,000. Nine runners will line up for the final event: Konaseema, Aquatone, Farsiris, Bodhi, Magical Touch, Night Whisper, Sporting Touch, Miri and The Purpose. Konaseema, a four-year-old chestnut filly rated 36, will carry 60 kg under Vikram Singh for trainer R. H. Sequeira. Aquatone, rated 33, will carry 58.5 kg with P. Trevor riding for trainer A Imran Khan. Farsiris, rated 30, will carry 57 kg under Sonu Kumar, while Bodhi and Magical Touch, both rated 27, will carry 55.5 kg each. Night Whisper, also rated 27, will compete at the same weight under H. M. Akshay. Sporting Touch will carry 55 kg under Ajay Kumar, while Miri will carry 54.5 kg with Mohit Singh in the saddle. The Purpose, rated 23, will complete the field at 53.5 kg under Kuldeep Singh (Jr). The closing race will provide another sprint-distance test for the participating runners and bring the day’s meeting to an end.
With six races scheduled across sprint, middle-distance and staying categories, the Hyderabad meeting on October 19 will offer a varied programme for racing enthusiasts. The Golconda St. Leger will command particular attention as the day’s longest and most valuable event, while the two divisions of The Nijinsky Plate will bookend the afternoon. The programme will begin at 1:50 PM and conclude at 4:45 PM.
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