Pesi reaches the 100 mark and keeps it simple
Joe Williams
Pune
For a man who has spent decades at the top of Indian racing, Pesi Shroff marked a landmark achievement with characteristic simplicity.
When asked what winning his 100th Classic meant to him personally, the champion trainer replied with a smile: "It means I won 100 Classics."
There was no grand celebration in his words, no attempt to dwell on the magnitude of the achievement. Shroff, who reached the milestone when Red Bishop won the Indian St Leger at the Pune racecourse on Sunday, preferred to keep the focus on the horses that have carried him to the landmark. "If you have good horses, then you can do it," he said matter-of-factly.
Shroff's journey to 100 Classic victories began with his first Classic winner in the Indian Oaks. Since then, his name has become synonymous with success in the country's biggest races, producing a long list of Classic winners and champion thoroughbreds. Yet, when asked what advice he would offer the younger generation of trainers hoping to make their mark, Shroff was again typically candid. "They can come and beat me," he quipped, before turning serious. "They can become good trainers. Work hard and get some good horses to train." Then came perhaps the most memorable line of the conversation — one that perfectly captured Shroff's understanding of the sport.
"Choosing a horse to train is like choosing a wife." It was vintage Pesi — short, sharp and delivered with a touch of humour. But behind the wit was a simple truth about racing: success begins with choosing the right horse. And after 100 Classics, Shroff knows that better than most. For the veteran trainer, the landmark is another chapter in an extraordinary career. But there was no sense of looking back for too long. The message remained the same — have good horses, work hard and keep winning.
