Rohan Lifescapes - Mid Day Race Day a virtual potboiler - By Vivek Jain
Posted on - 26 Dec 2010
Sunday had all the ingredients of a Hindi movie potboiler.
There was a top politician with a posse of armed guards, a Bollywood hunk with the paparazzi chasing him around manicured lawns, the steeds flying on the turf, and to top it objections and enquiries, with even the public getting into the act who gave vent to their feelings when the favourite narrowly lost the day's big event.
It was the last big racing day of the year, and a fitting finale to what has been a terrific year of sport for the RWITC. The racing fraternity has now come to expect our Club to come up with something out of the box, week after week, and have gone away largely fulfilled. The season ahead will only scale these efforts even further.
Sunday had drama and glamour. Saif Ali Khan strode in just as the gates opened for the Mid Day Trophy, and not unexpectedly the throng on the lawns turned towards the stands to get a glimpse of the Chote Nawab instead of watching the battle being fought on the Mahalaxmi straight. His bodyguards somehow got him to the paddock where he presented the Mid Day Trophy to Mr & Mrs Khushroo Dhunjibhoy who were scoring an encore in this race.
Just prior, there was more drama as Incognito just held off a fighting Class Apart in the juvenile Million. An objection was on the cards, but the winner was allowed to keep the race. A forlorn Dr.Vijay Mallya who made his first and rare appearance on the track this season, made a quiet getaway after creating a buzz with his presence.
But the potboiler was waiting for its climax. The Rohan Lifescapes Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia Trophy (Gr.3) reserved the best for the last. Hot favourite Becket, lying last in his trademark style was confronted with a wall of horses almost all the way up the straight and just failed to catch his stable mate Polish Patriot and lost a race which was his for the taking. Harresh Mehta, the sponsor thus ran one-two and more than recovered his sponsorship of two races, with some change to spare.
Narayan Rane, the Industry Minister of the State, spent over an hour at the Club and gave away both the Rohan sponsored trophies. We used this rare appearance to press the Club's case on the tax increase, even though Mr Rane has lost the Revenue portfolio.
The Horsepower contest was flagged off to a great start with avid interest by registrants. Volkswagen added to the charm of the day by displaying the legendary Beetle, the Phaeton and its new Vento - which is the prize on offer.
It was truly a day of thoroughbreds- the equines, the Nawab and a fleet of thoroughbred wheels- in one heady mix.
