FAREWELL TO THE FERRARI…..
By Milan Luthria
“That was some race,” I nudged David Allan after Ruffina won the Sir Homi Mehta Sprint Challenge in a new record timing of 57.312 seconds for the 1000 metres.
“She didn’t gallop sir,” he replied. “She flew!”
He was absolutely right. And yes, he hadn’t touched her with the whip.
In her next start, the F.H. Tapia Memorial Million, she got into a 4 horse scramble close to home, with the other 3 jockeys going hell for leather with their whips. Allan kept her going only with his hands and heels, and that shows how much respect he has for the winning spirit of this magnificent sprinter.
We all do. Winner of 12 races from her 14 starts, she has won her owners more than 1.75 crores in stakes, and the thrills of a lifetime. She’s been beaten only twice, in the 1000 guineas over a mile which was perhaps too early in her career for her to “settle”, and once in the Pune Bookmakers’ Association trophy when perhaps she was a wee bit soft after a 5 month lay off.
This Sunday she throws down the gauntlet to claim her second S.C. Jain Sprinters’ Trophy in preparation for her second Sprinters’ Cup in Hyderabad next month, after which it is believed the brilliant 5 year old will be retired to stud.
If that is indeed true, then this Sunday will be the day passionate Mumbai racegoers and perhaps even her rivals will bid a very fond adieu to this Ferrari of fillies.
(The author is a Managing Committee member/ Steward of RWITC, and a horse enthusiast.)
(Disclaimer : Views are entirely that of the correspondent only and RWITC takes no responsibility for the same)
