The Indian Derby stakes have augmented immensely over the years - By Bob Sawhny
Posted on - 01 Feb 2013
The Indian Derby stakes have augmented immensely over the years
By Bob Sawhny
Mumbai: The premier event of the Indian Turf, The McDowell Indian Derby (Grade 1), which always draws a mammoth crowd, is traditionally held each year, on the first Sunday of February, at the plush Mahalaxmi racecourse. The Indian Derby is for Indian horses, 4 years old only, Colts and Geldings to carry 57 Kg and Fillies 55.5 Kg. and the Derby distance is about 2400M.
In the 40’s and 50’s Royal Pageantry was prevalent at The Mahalaxmi racecourse in a traditional environment of exquisite aristocracy, on Indian Derby Day. However, after the 60’s, although the aristocratic ambience waned, many social elite persons and several others, continue to throng the picturesque Mahalaxmi racecourse, on the first Sunday of February, each year.
It is recognizing this immense appeal of The Indian Derby that McDowell’s has been sponsoring it each year since – 1985 as it is one of the most important events in Mumbai’s social calendar. This year The McDowell Signature Premier Indian Derby (Grade 1) will be held on Sunday, 3rd February, 2013.
The McDowell sponsored Indian Derby, a Grade 1 event, has been the richest race in the country. The rise in stake money has been on the high, particularly since the turn of the new millennium. What started with a then princely sum of Rs 35,000 in 1943, the stakes had burst past the Rs 2.6-crore mark.
Now, with the new five-year contract of a colossal Rs.28 Crore signed between Vijay Mallya’s United Spirits Limited and the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), the total stakes for the 2013 Indian Derby, has reached a mammoth Rs 3 Crore markand the Winner will get a whopping Rs 1,80,00,000, which probably will be the biggest prize money on offer, for a single individual winner, in the history of Indian Sports.
The 2013 McDowell Signature Premier Indian Derby (Gr.1) will be a fabulous race
As many as 17 thoroughbreds from all over the country are competing in the Blue Riband of the Indian Turf, which is the 8th race of the day scheduled to be run at 5.30 P.M. To Top it All, some very classy Foreign Jockey’s, will be seen in action astride some of the Indian thoroughbreds and the attendance at Mahalaxmi, will be a Full House of about 35,000 people on Sunday, 3rd February, 2013.
Coming to horsepower, the 2013 McDowell Signature Premier Indian Derby (Grade 1) contenders are amenable to traffic problemsand the winner may need a bit of luck in this context. Selecting the winner is a difficult task but, I feel that the winner should emanate from the quartet deliberated hereinafter:
Shivalik Hero (Rebuttal- Mullagh) Trainer: Malesh Narredu
He is a well bred gelding who has won four races from eleven starts. His first win was in the Pune season 2011 where he won the 1000M Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Million on 16/10/11. In this race, he lay 4th till the 800, 3rd till the bend, came along the rails to hit the front and went away to score a convincing victory. Then his second win was during the Mumbai winter season 2011-12 on 15/1/12 when he won the 1400M Forbes India Million, a terms race for 3 year olds. In this race, he lay 7th till the 1000, 6th till the bend, galloped strongly on the outside to go clear and win easily by a widening 3/4 lengths. After winning a race in Bangalore Summer Season he won in Pune 2012 on 1/9/12, over 1800M by a widening 1-3/4 lengths. Subsequently, on 14/10/12 he lost by a short head to Commander in the 2000m Nanoli Stud Pune Derby (Gr.1)and then ran 2nd in the Indian 2000 Guineas (GR.1) to Machiavellianism. Thereafter, he ran an excellent close 2nd to An Acquired Taste in the Ramniwas Ramnarain Ruia Gold Cup.
Browsing over Shivalik Hero’s pedigree, ‘His Sire’- Rebuttal (Mr. Greeley-Reboot) won 2 races from 10 starts at 2 and 4 (1200m and 1600m) including Evening Standard Maiden Stakes and was 2nd in Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes (Gr.1). Mr. Greeley sire of Rebuttal won 5 races at 2 and 3 (6fur.to to 8.5fur)including 3 Gr.3 races.
Furthermore, Shivalik Hero’s ‘Dam Mullagh did not race but his grand dam True Joy was the dam of 4 winners:
Nans Joy, 4 wins at 3 and 5 in England, Germany and U.S.A.
Final Analysis: Shivalik Hero, who is in top condition, merits consideration for the 2013 Indian Derby.
Machiavellianism (Jazil-Empress Jessie) Trainer: L.V.R. Deshmukh
He is a stout hearted bay Gelding who has won 6 races from 13 starts and has come 2nd thrice in his career. On 1/1/12 in the Hyderabad Winter Season he won the 1400m Hyderabad Juvenile Million by a widening 6 lengths, which was a race for 3YO maidens. Then, he came to Mumbai and flopped twice in the Mumbai winter season 11-12. Subsequently, he went to Bangalore and on 24/6/12, he easily clinched the 1600m Colts Trial Stakes (Gr.1)beating both Shivalik Hero and Silver Birch at level weights. His 3rd win was in the Hyderabad Monsoon 12 on 15/8/12 where he won a 1400m Terms race for 3 year olds & over, by a widening 3-1/4 lengths. Then, his 4th victory was in Hyderabad on 2/9/12 where he won the 1600m Colts Championship (Gr.3), a terms race for 3YO’S only. Thereafter, on 19/11/12 in the Hyderabad Winter Season 12-13, he triumphed in the 1400m Sri Shamlal Gupta Memorial Cup, a terms race for horses 3 year old & upwards (category 1), in which he lay 4th till the bend and then went ahead to win easily. Then, on 9/12/12, he came 2nd to Maximus in the Golconda 2000 Guineasand subsequently on 23rd December 2012, he won the Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) like a champion in style. Thereafter, he finished a good 3rd on the outer segment in the R. R. Ruia Gold Cup.
Browsing over his pedigree, ‘His Sire’ Jazil is by Seeking the Gold out of Better than Honor from the legendary Mr. Prospector line. ‘His Dam’ Empress Jessie is by Red Ransom out of Bev Bev. Empress Jessie did not place but was the dam of Deputy Jessie, 2 wins at 3 Mogadishu 2 wins at 2 and 4, Deputy Empress 2 wins at 3 etc., plus his Grand Dam, Bev Bev won 2 races in France and was the dam of 6 good winners. Moreover, his Dam’stail line is a pretty strong one, as it goes down to the likes of Native Partner who won 11 races and was the dam of 8 top class winners.
Final Analysis: Machiavellianism who last won the Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) like a champion, in scintillating style and finished a good 3rd on the outer segment of the Ramniwas Ramnarain Ruia Gold Cup, needs a bit of thought in the 2013 Indian Derby.
Wind Stream (Steinbeck- Artwork) Trainer: Irfan Ghatala
He is a sturdy and muscular gelding who has won 4 races from 7 outings and is presently in peak form and should easily get the 2400M Derby trip. His first win was over 1400M among 3YO maidens in Bangalore Summer 2012 which he easily won by a widening 4 L. Then, he won 2 races in Mysore Regular 2012, his first victory being on 17/8/2012 when he stylishly won the 1600M Mysore Million (Gr.3). Then, on 21/10/2012 he won the 2000M Poonawalla Mysore Derby (Gr.1) in scintillating style. Being in terrific form, he came to Bangalore and on 8/12/2012, he clinched the Bangalore 2000 Guineas (Gr.2) as the favorite by an easy 1 ¾ lengths. Thereafter, being in peak form, his trainer has decidedto compete in the 2013 Indian Derby. It is worth knowing, that in Mumbai he did a superb mock race on 20/1/2013 over 2000M in 2M: 02 S(-28), 600M in 37 (-8) and did his winding up spurt carefully on 29/1/13 over 1200M in 1M-24S (-6) on the Outer Sand.
His great Sire ‘Steinbeck’ (Mr. .Prospector- Femme Elite) won 3 races in France at 2 and 3 (1000m to 1900m) including Prix La Rochette (Gr.3) and Prix Daphnis (Gr.3). In India, Steinbeck has sired several classy and some classic thoroughbreds including Running Flame (10 wins, incl. several classic races), Venus Arising (7 wins, incl. many classics) and the classy Star of Windsor, Averoff, Forest Treasure, Splendid Surprise, Alameda, Psychic Strength, Calorific, etc. His Dam ‘Artwork’ is by the champion sire Razeen out of Regal Grace who won the 2002 C THS Sales Stakes-Filly Div. over 6.5 furlongs in 1: 19.49. Plus, it is well worth knowing, that Artwork’s Grand Dam was Eminence who won the 1984 Indian 1000 Guineas (Gr.1). Therefore, Wind Stream’s terrific pedigree is a golden one.
Final Analysis: The exquisitely bred Wind Stream, who is presently peaking at the appropriate time, will be the one who all will have to try and beat.
Snowscape (China Visit-Snow Tiger) Trainer: Vijay Singh
He is a very strong and powerful striding Grey Colt who is presently in superb formand is the winner of 5 races. His first 2 wins were during the Kolkata Winter 2011-2012 and his 1st win was on 21/1/12 over 1400M which he won by a widening 5 lengths. Then on 18/2/12 he easily clinched the 1600M Calcutta Million (Gr.2). Thereafter, during the Kolkata Monsoon 2012 he effortlessly won a 1100M race on 18/8/12 which was a Terms race for 3YO. Then, he flashed on the Kolkata Winter 2012-2013 in style and on 1/1/13 he made mincemeat of his rivals in a 1600M race for horses rated between 60-85 after which on 13/1/2013, he won the 2400M Calcutta Derby in scintillating style by a widening 4 lengths. After this superb win, his connections have brought him to compete in the 2013 McDowell Indian Derby and he has worked extremely well on the Mahalaxmi track on 27/1/2013 and on 31/1/2013.
His Sire ‘China Visit has proved himself to be an extremely worthy Sire on the Indian turf, was the champion 3YO Colt in U.A.E. who won 4 races at 2 to 4 (1300m to 1800m) including Prix du Rond-Point-Casino Barriere La Rochelle (Gr.2) and U.A.E. Derby, L. Some of his very classy thoroughbreds that he has sired in India are Xisca, Attila, Moonlight Romance, Ruby Queen, Flaming Ace, Azureus, Kiara and several other classy hoses. His Dam ‘Snow Tiger’ won 2 races Rs.6,20,522 ; dam of Snow Blaze (Gr g by China Visit, 2 wins Rs.17,71, 989. Plus, his dam’s tail line is a very strong one as it goes down to the likes of Snow who won 5 races including Indian 1000 Guineas (Gr.1); dam of 9 very good winners.
Final Analysis: The impeccably bred and powerfully striding Snowscape who is presently in tremendous form, will surely stay the Derby trip and shapes as a very strong contender.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the author’s personal views.)
