Jockeys, horses gear-up for Indian Derby - By Kushal Phatarpekar I Hindustan Times
Posted on - 31 Jan 2014
Jockeys, horses gear-up for Indian Derby
By Kushal Phatarpekar
Hindustan Times
MUMBAI: Come Sunday, it will be the roars of excited spectators that will welcome the new comers at the Race Course at Mahalaxmi. That will be the day when horse racing admirers from all parts of the country and the world assemble for the Indian Derby — the biggest race of the Indian horse-racing calendar.
On Thursday though, the roar was missing from the stands, all that one could hear were the thuds of the hooves as horses galloped around the track in preparation for D-day.
Action remained away from the stands — on the practice field and in the stables. The 2400-metre race will comprise of a total prize purse of Rs.3.2 crores, the highest prize money yet for the Indian Derby.
As the clock ticks for the race, jockeys were hard at work to get the horses up to the mark. The training that precedes a derby is anything but a stroll in the park. It is a combination of putting in the hard yards on the track, followed by three-four brisk laps in a custom-made swimming pool. All of which is then capped off by a few sets on the treadmill — all to get the horses up and ready for the big race.
According to Mohit Lalvani, a horse racing expert, newer ways of training have become a common practice, and the Indian Derby sees the very high end of such techniques, especially in the week leading up to the big race.
“Trainers today insist on the very high end of nutritional products for their horses, not to mention the very best of facilities. All the requirements of standard athlete are provided to the horses, be it physiotherapy to even cool gel bags,” says Lalvani.
If that was not enough, horses are privy to a whole host of modern technology to help them recover fast from a strenuous practice session. Even magnetic vests are put on the horse as massage therapy to get the animal a soothing experience after a day of toil on the track.
According to Dr Khambata, a veterinarian at the racecourse, it is a matter of getting the horses up to speed with respect to the races at hand, a place where trainers are very insistent.
“In the lead up to a race, the trainers call the shots. If they want their horses to make a set on the treadmill, we have to provide them with the facility. We usually see the horses come in the evening, but in the derby week, one can get requests for extra sets,” says Khambata.
All the extra sets on the treadmill and the strenuous laps in the pool will finally culminate in a duel on the racetrack on Sunday.
