Radio Mirchi 1000 Guineas to kickstart Classic action - By Shailendra Awasthi I TNN
Posted on - 10 Dec 2011
Radio Mirchi 1000 Guineas to kickstart Classic action
By Shailendra Awasthi TNN
Mumbai: Sponsored by the leading FM channel in the country, the Radio Mirchi Indian 1000 Guineas will set Mumbai's classic racing scene rolling at the iconic Mahalaxmi Racecourse on Sunday afternoon with high glamour and top-class racing action to boot.
A new crop of three-year-old classic contenders will vie for record stakes of about Rs 55 lakh. Fifteen fillies (young female horses) will enter the fray that will be a testing ground for the coming three classics of the season.
The race looks wide open with Smashing, Botswana, Pune Derby winner Hills And Stars, St Catz, Romantique, Haunting Fantasy and Black Magic Woman among the leading contenders. Others in the fray are also capable of upsetting the applecart of the fancied ones.
A rich history is associated with this prestigious race as wonder filly Jacqueline had started her all-conquering Classic run with a victory in this race exactly two years ago.
There have been many fillies who left a lasting impact on the Indian racing scene, who owe the beginnings of their sterling career to a win in this race.
Indian 1000 Guineas was actually the first ever classic run in the country during the 1942-43 season. Later, the Indian 2000 Guineas and The Indian Derby were framed.
This race has always been run on the second Sunday of December. The inaugural race was won by the Maharaja Gaekwar of Baroda’s grand filly ‘Princess Beautiful’. She was trained by M C Patel, ridden by E Britt. She had won Rs 20,250 as the winner’s stakes then. She also went on to win the Indian 2000 Guineas, and the Indian Derby.
In 1964-65, Rose Royal won this race and went on to win the Indian Triple Crown (1000 Guineas, Oaks and the Derby).
Uttam Singh, the trainer who is known as the ‘Fillies Master’, won this race a record six times. Jockey S Chavan also won this event a record six times. Chavan also had the distinction of winning the 1000 Guineas in three consecutive years (1957/58, 58/59, 59/60).
The closest finish of this race was in the year 1952 when ‘Kaniya Kumari’ won. The margins of victory for the first four horses were a short head, a neck and a short head.
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