Breakfast with The Champions - By Mohit Lalvani
Posted on - 04 Feb 2011
Breakfast with The Champions
By Mohit Lalvani
The shroud of the early morning mist lifted off the Mahalaxmi race track to be replaced by an air of expectancy as the McDowell Signature Derby champions made their way on to the sand track for their final pre-Derby workouts. The commentator’s call announced the arrival of the Oaks winner Moonlight Romance and all eyes were immediately drawn to the mega screen as the filly cantered past effortlessly. Clearly this year’s Indian Derby has become a gender battle and a few minutes later, the Kolkatta Derby winner, Xisca came by at a full gallop. These are the top two fillies in the race and each seems ready to teach the boys a lesson. This, despite Moonlight Romance having been ignored by Richard Hughes who has chosen to ride the 2000 Guineas winner, Ocean and Beyond.
Ocean and Beyond and Macchupicchu were the two ‘stand-out’ ‘boys’ and while both are looking close to their best, the later still has to find a few lengths on the former. As the sun beat down strongly, the horses were led away to the shade of their stalls and put through their daily routines.
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At Narendra Lagad’s stable, the farrier was busy at work putting on a pair of shoes on his filly even as she stood unperturbed by the nails being used to keep her shoes in place. Horse shoes bring luck and I sneaked a used pair on my way out, making my way to S.S. Shah’s stable where Dear Henry, a Derby contender made the most of the attention that his owner Farooq Rattonsey was giving him. Rattonsey has won two of the last three McDowell Signature Indian Derby’s and when he says that he rates Dear Henry better than his two Indian Derby winners it’s enough to warrant a serious, second look at his horse. Dear Henry after all, is a brother to Rattonsey’s first Derby winner.
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Over at the Swimming pool, Imtiaz Sait was taking his horses for a cool down in the pool and explained that it also provided them with a stress free workout. Watching the horses roll in the sand post a swim and it was easy to understand how complicated it is to make a champion thoroughbred.
My final stop as I digested my breakfast was the treadmill where Dr. Khambatta was diagnosing a horse at a full gallop on a treadmill. Wondering how this could even be possible, ten minutes later, driving out of the stables and into the Mumbai traffic, I realized that I could eat breakfast with these champions every day of my life.
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