The race to the Derby begins with RR Ruia Gold Cup - By Chaiti Narula I DNA
Posted on - 11 Jan 2017
The race to the Derby begins with RR Ruia Gold Cup
By Chaiti Narula
DNA
While Derby Day, on the first Sunday of February, is the official "to be seen and to preen day" at Mahalaxmi, for racing aficionados the build up to the Derby begins a month or so earlier. And that is the traditional running of RR Ruia Gold Cup, where some of the prime contenders to the Indian Derby put to display a heady cocktail of speed and stamina.
While this year there are 10 possible runners for this race at the handicap stage, this list is certain to get pruned. Not only because of Ice Glacier preferring to run the Bangalore Oaks or Mathaiyus preferring to run The General Obaidullah Khan Trophy on Thursday but also because of the presence of the overwhelming favourite — Serjeant At Arms.
If the result of this race was to show a winner other than The Serjeant on the afternoon of the 15th of January, then the start of 2017 would have officially begun with an upset nearly as big as the big one of 2016, when Donald Trump cruised past the winning post to beat Hilary Clinton by a considerable margin.
The Serjeants' overwhelming form against his competition may have reduced interest in the race to some extent. However, his rise to eminence is backed by stories so interesting that they are sure to draw even the cream of Bollywood's scriptwriters to travel all the way from the suburbs to Mahalaxmi, to see him race this one last time before he goes on to race the big 'un on Derby Day.
It is now racing folklore that baby Serjeant At Arms, like many heroes in Bollywood movies, was one helluva ugly and unattractive lad. So much so that he had to suffer the opprobrium of being "rejected" by none other than champion trainer and poster boy of Indian racing, Pesi Shroff.
If that wasn't enough, in melodrama that can only otherwise be a part of a Bollywood script, baby Serjeant also had humble beginnings by being born a son of Ikhtyar. A stallion, who has performed moderately with most of his offspring so far, making baby Serjeant the classic underdog. He had to fight against the odds right from the day he was born before he came out and won. And win he did. Again. And again. And again.
Overwhelming as Serjeant At Arms' chances may be, it is still not as if the man who so erroneously rejected him at birth will let him win without a fight and Pesi may possibly run Sherlock in the race. However, Serjeant At Arms' rating of 100 is not only more than double than that of Sherlock's (46), but is also 24 points or more compared to his closest other three competitors: Highland Breeze(76),London (75)& Supreme General (73). Which in layman's terms means that The Serjeant is officially 24 per cent better than his nearest rival.
Further, Serjeant At Arms (100) beat Supreme General (73) last month in the Indian 2000 Guineas by more than 7 lengths working up less sweat than a model in a deodorant commercial, making him the proverbial horse you could bet your house on.
Of course, if you did and he lost, you would do well to look for one those Bollywood script writers to sell your story.
THURSDAY RACING:
It is a shocker to see the highest billed race of the day, The Rajpipla Trophy for horses in class 1, going void due to a paucity of runners even in these days of reduced stake money. It is hard to imagine the circumstances due to which the trainers in Western India could not get together even four horses see the race through.
Eyes of the knowledgeable will next naturally turn to the The General Obaidullah Khan Trophy, in which two runners have their eyes set on the Indian Derby. The first one being Mathaiyus, who has chosen to take on a weaker set here rather than run the R.R.Ruia.
Having said that he will have a formidable opponent in Vulcan who won its last race in a higher class. Both these horses, in turn, will have to beat Palatial, who has won it's last two starts making a mockery of his opposition and is looking forward to his hat trick.
Those who like a punt should keep an eye on the 6:20.This race has an interesting runner in Snowy Peaks.Good jockey declarations on Pass The Glory & Pretty Angel should help him getting odds and punters winning some cold cash.
Before signing off, a big round of applause to my good friend Tegbir Brar for not just breeding but also owning Hall Of Famer, who won the Calcutta Derby run last Sunday in smashing style by a widening 8 lengths. With Ice Glacier winning the Bangalore Oaks by 4 1/2 lengths only a day earlier the Indian Derby field has started self selecting itself and as of now it could be anybody's race.
