Derby weekend promises exciting racing - By Prakash Gosavi | Mid Day
Posted on - 30 Jan 2019
Derby weekend promises exciting racing
By Prakash Gosavi - Mid Day
The first Sunday of February has always been special for the city of Mumbai.
Along with the city race lovers, thousands of rail- birds from all over the country throng the Mahalaxmi racecourse to witness the Indian Derby ( Grade 1), the race that crowns the best four year old horse as a new equine superstar.
The Royal Western India Turf Club ( RWITC) has made sure the 25,000- plus horse lovers who will attend the weekend racing will carry home memories to be cherished.
Unprecedented quality
Besides the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby ( Grade 1), the Sunday ( Feb 3) card boasts of a Grade 2 race, two Grade 3 races, a Multi- Million race, and three Million races.
The most heartening development is the race club has revived the fortunes of the Eclipse Stake of India, once a prestigious race that had lost its eminence in recent years, by naming it after veteran trainer, the late S M Shah, and making it a Grade 2 event.
Supporting the Derby and the Eclipse Stakes, will be the Ebco Worksmart Breeders’ Produce Stake ( Grade 3) and the Rusi Patel Gold Cup ( Grade 3), thus making it the first ever Derby day offering as many as four group races.
Grand start
To kick off the weekend racing, a compact seven- race card is framed for Saturday evening which too will feature another three Million races such as the Thumbelina Million, the Ebco Livesmart Million and the Kingfisher Ultra Sundowner Million for classes IV, II & V respectively. With live bands on both days and a plethora of entertainment features, the Derby weekend promises to be an exciting affair.
