SERJEANT AT ARMS, THE WOULD-BE CHAMPION - By Usman Rangeela | Mumbai Mirror
Posted on - 29 Mar 2017
SERJEANT AT ARMS, THE WOULD-BE CHAMPION
By Usman Rangeela, Mumbai Mirror | Mar 22, 2017,
After having written about the bit that the luck factor played in the Ladies’ Derby winner Temerity’s career last week, it’s time to recount the story of Serjeant At Arms, the bay colt co-owned by Khushroo Dhunjibhoy’s family and his lucky partner, Vispi Patel. It’s said that ‘the first impression is the last impression’ but that initial notion could turn out to be deceptive in the case of Serjeant At Arms (SAA).
Around two years ago, Pesi Shroff had the privilege of having the first look at SAA when visiting the Nanoli Stud Farm in Vispi Patel’s company. The conformation of that colt, who was barely two years old at that time, was such that it failed to appeal Shroff’s senses.
SAA was born to an unraced crippled mare named Rahy’s Serenade, who was acquired by Dhunjibhoy at a bargain price and who turned out to be one of the most successful broodmare to have stood at Nanoli Stud till date. Nevertheless, Shroff had trained Rahy’s Serenade’s earlier foals, Diego Rivera, Onassis and Franklin, yet he was probably put off by the colt’s sire, Ikhtyar, whose stint at Nanoli as a stallion was anything but successful.
Star is born
Subsequently, Kolkata-based Vijay Singh was given an offer to train SAA which he had to turn down as his quota of inducting juvenile horses that year was over. As fate would have it, SAA went to Bangalore where it was groomed by a comparatively young professional, Sulaiman Attaollahi.
While SAA went through his paces at Bangalore, Attaollahi, during his visit to Mumbai last January, advised Patel to buy a share in the colt. Patel hesitantly asked Dhunjibhoy for a stake in SAA and was overjoyed to have got it at a throwaway price!
Two days before Accolade won the Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi-Million at Mahalaxmi last February, SAA made a winning debut in the hands of Trevor Patel. Few would have predicted then that an equine star was born. Meanwhile, SAA found a new saddle partner in A Sandesh but flourished under Attaollahi’s watchful eyes to reel off four successive wins including the Bangalore Summer Derby. SAA remained unbeaten till he went down narrowly to Ice Glacier in the Mysore Derby.
Happy ending
Although Dhunjibhoy had a few classic contenders in Western India, he followed SAA’s progress closely before his arrival at Mumbai. SAA gave no anxious moments to his admirers and ran true to his reputation in the Indian 2000 Guineas. However, despite successfully traversing a mile-and-quarter trip twice, it was feared that SAA will not “stay” the Derby’s mile-and-half journey.
Those fears came true as SAA finished a length shy of the brilliantly ridden Hall of Famer. Amid all the suspense about his participation in the Invitation Cup, SAA’s owners overruled Attaollahi and Sandesh’s suggestion to run him in the Invitation as they felt that the Super Mile event was his for the taking. SAA ended his classic campaign in style.
Well, luck had definitely played its hand as far as Attaollahi was concerned and to an extent for Patel too. As for Dhunjibhoy, he couldn’t have asked for more from SAA, who not only did his mother proud but also kept Nanoli Stud’s flag flying high. The Rs 3.87 crore prize money he earned was incidental.
*The author wishes to thank Messrs KN Dhunjibhoy, Vispi Patel &Dr Ravi Reddy for their contribution
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