great indian mares

This is the first a series of articles by Epsom Ace to rekindle the good times of the eighties — a period termed by many as the renaissance of Indian racing. Some of the mares like Deep Water Blues, Purita, Rock Haven and Be My Guest held their own on the track or produced champion offspring or both. They were courageous ladies whose legacy remained on Indian soil as their progeny dominated the classics here. They were the unforgettable members of the fairer sex.

We commence our series with Be My Guest — a grey filly under the ownership of the late Mr. L. C. Gupta.

Be My Guest was by Mr Mauritius out of Minniehaha. In the late seventies, she won seven races including The Brindavan Cup.

Between '82 and '84, she produced a trio of highly successful offspring. They were Invitation, Splash and Brave Dancer. Sired by the prolific sire Everyday II (those who followed our Magnificent Seven series of sires will know about his success story), Invitation started her career in whirlwind fashion by claiming the George Williamson Indian Produce Stakes traditionally run on New Years Day, when two-year-olds turn three. Thereafter, she won two more races before her untimely death at three.

Splash was a grey filly, sired by Ballo, who developed late and then notched up eight wins including the prestigious Maharaja's Gold Cup. She fared pretty well in the St. Leger and The Stayers Cup which alerted her connections to the fact that her full brother Brave Dancer, may turn out to be a champion. The powerfully built roan became just that. He won a total of 19 races including the Calcutta Derby and the Mysore Derby. He won the prestigious President of India Gold Cup and the Queen Elizabeth Cup twice. Under the care of experienced trainer Vijay Singh, the property of Ranajit Nobis went from strength to strength. Unfortunately, he was out of sorts during the Invitation Cup in Hyderabad won by Own Beauty. Nevertheless, he turned out to be the pride of Calcutta's turfites. His unsurpassable exploits sparked the imagination of a journalist who authored a book 'Dirty Derby'.


Apart from the colour of his coat, there was one more similarity between this champion colt and his dam Be My Guest. Both enjoyed running in a handy position behind the front-runners before moving in for the kill. Be My Guest will always be remembered for this 'Dancer' from Calcutta who was named after the illustrious Dancing Brave — the winner of the Arc De Triomphe in inimitable style.




The late seventies saw a flood of top-class fillies and mares. So much so that veteran trainer Uttam Singh of western India was branded as the 'Ladies Man'. A host of bred-in-the-blue fillies established themselves in the classics under his care.

The south India circuit too enjoyed its share of success. One such filly who established herself in that region was Fire Haven - sired by the prolific Paddykin out of Star Witness. The last named had the distinction of winning seven races - one of them in England. She produced a string of successful horses. The list included Fair Court (24 wins including South India Derby), Star Haven (13 wins including South India Derby), Rock Witness (6 wins including South Indian Oaks) and of course Fire Haven, who picked up nine races including the Deccan Derby and Bangalore Derby.

After being retired to stud, Fire Haven proved that her progeny was as good as her, if not better. Fire Flash set the trend with 12 wins including the Calcutta 2000 Guineas. Then came Vibrant, a big made colt under the care of Bangalore maestro Rashid Byramji. So versatile was the animal that one could not ignore him in any distance between a mile and the Leger trip. His list of trophies included the Arc de Triomphe, Calcutta Gold Cup, the Colts Trial Stakes there, the Bangalore 2000 Guineas, the Bangalore St Leger and the Guindy Gold Cup.

Vibration beat his brother in quantity, but not in versatility. Though he had 17 successes to his name, most of them were over middle distances. His list included the Eclipse Stakes, The Eve Champion Trophy and the C.N. Wadia Trophy.


Though the grey Silver Fire would appear to conclude the list of classic winners that Fire Haven produced, one would be doing injustice to Young Tipu if the colt were not made a mention of, even if briefly. Not because he picked up seven races but because of the manner he staved off the formidable Red Chieftain over a distance of 2000 metres, during a Bangalore Summer meeting. The colt came fresh from Ooty and took the four horse field by storm as he opened up a lead of nearly 30 lengths despite being the longest priced horse at 15/1. That gap eventually narrowed down to a little over a length but that miraculous victory kept the legacy of Fire Haven alive.

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confidence gaining in life

1.PRESENT GLORY -prakash
2.yana win
3.micro supplys 250 pieces,
4.cell phone
5.stay at gandhi nagar 8 days.
6.cash at ban still
7.aquadesiac win
8.red chilly m nareedu win
9.juventus- ildivo-secret pilgrimstar girl
10.phatak philip-ravi-adsense money
11.dancing dynamite
12.kiara losing
13.DISTINCTLY AHEAD
14.CELESTIAL TREASURE 4 lenghs
15.angels glory-highland conquest
16.power punch

confidence-loosers.com

Confidence is generally described as a state of being certain, either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct, or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective given the circumstances. Confidence can be described as a subjective, emotional state of mind, but is also represented statistically as a confidence level within which one may be certain that a hypothesis will either be rejected or deemed plausible. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself when considering a capability. Overconfidence is having unmerited confidence--believing something or someone is capable when they are not. Scientifically, a situation can only be judged after the aim has been achieved or not. Confidence can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, as those without it may fail or not try because they lack it, and those with it may succeed because they have it, rather than because of an innate ability.
Choking refers to losing confidence, especially self-confidence, just at the moment when it is needed most and doing poorly as a result e.g. in sports. This is found as a common plot device in literature and film, and is usually devised to result in a total alteration of a character's life.
1.PERPETUITY 3 times.
2.gandhi.
3.mom
4.sekhar.
5.thulasi.
6.raju sr nagar.

recent win win and failed favrites

1.western command
2,our excellence
3.distintly ahead
4.diamond hunter
5.reflection of gold
6.silver fox.
7.

AVEC PLAISIR

FAIR TACTICS

secret pilgrim

CAIRNDHU 3

ANGELS GLORY 9 l

thunders roar

originality

safari

able associate

masquenada

fleeting arroow

sparsh

set alight

kiara

tomsk

chances missed

1.LIGHTNING CAVALRY
2.our excellence
3.raghuvansh
4.global spirit
5 Archipeneko
6.Scimittar 11 to one
7.Silver fox
8.distinly ahead.
9.Celiastial treasure

10.HIGHLAND CONQUEST 7

11.CAIRNDHU 3

12.ANGELS GLORY 9 l

13.thunders roar

14. second run shps

15.

failure bets

1.star speed won by m nareedu
2.m nareedu,spit fire won by smith
3.prakash way of light won by nareedu
4.mark of gibraltar won by alford
5.kolkata pleasuring won by mumbai guy
6.the contender race
7.noble prince nareedu
8.against covenant
9.pune first race m nareedu

recent success stories confidence boosters

super woman diffident double missed
alejandros shp poll missed at 13 to one
distinctly ahead
---------
super yacht uniform betting missed at 12 to one
place bet at 7 to one missed
reflection of gold missed how it won last time?
celistial treasure
---------------------
covenant new point
secret pilgrim piont missed
Algorithms
mountain bear
fair tactics
-------------

encouragement
crecendo
highland con
cairndhu
angels glory
-----------
atractress
------------
originality
appertain shock
trafalgar square
-------------

one
chimeriq
costwold
tomsk-safari
------------
starwave
able assosiate
power punch
western command
----------------
lestor
----------
star speed
---------

process of elimination

1.forget old and small trainers odds on favrites.
uniform betting needed,avoid betting at 65 paisa...avoid 60 plus kgs..read race card ..dont miss how it won last time??? better to watch late comer first timers of 3 olds.
watch name changes????
2.forget 61 kgs weight betting
3.when odds on forget betting second fav.
4.first run a close 4 th runaway win appu at pune.
5.fail fav can be given a chance again cairndhu
6.mosly ring decides winners.cairndhu
7.placerville breed beats youngsters too.
8.to obsorb shoks like hidalgo
9.to take advatage at good favrites 3 firmfav won at pune easily.
10.rapsidion snow new point.
11.latest in form thunders roar at 15 to one
12 win win choices to bet
13.avoid others confusions rama chandra goli,masthan reddy.
14.watch owners doubles
15.concentrate on place betting.
16.best connections in the country .m nareedu c alford pakash suraj

17.latest spurt like chimerique beating class one anaimal.
18.where it was favrite??
19.jockie touch kiara
20.lestor krishnan.
21.able assosiate secon win at good odds.

confidence boosters

1.war child sec win
2.star presntation
3.pierce arrow.
4.succsessor win
5.bourbon king win at top weight
6.own voice win.
7.sontage etoile
8.oasis star sec win
9.personified.
10.mark of gibraltar first win.
11.echos of light
12.malvado-cherenzio shroff win.
13.pastiche win
14.chaitanya chakram debut win

kolkata new race season

With the Monsoon Racing Season of 2008 scheduled to kick off on Thursday, July 10, the Stewards of RCTC have left no stone unturned in their quest for a trouble-free, lucrative season spanning three months and 21 racedays.This, in effect, is likely to attract a quite a few big names among trainers to this centre. It's in the air that the likes of Pesi Shroff and Darius Byramji may be seen stationing themselves here for a lengthy period of time.Anyway, first things first. RCTC already has 330 horses stationed in the city and are expecting about 100 more in the months to follow. Trainer Anupam Sharma from Delhi has been granted a B licence, while Jasbir Singh is making his debut as a trainer with an A licence. A total of 15 'A' Licensed and 8 'B' Licensed trainers will take part in 152 races through the season. The Stake money has been doubled in relation to that of the Monsoon Season of 2007. For the 152 races that are proposed to be run during the season the advertised stake money is over Rs 4 crore (Rs.4,27,20,000). Cups and Trophies, valued at Rs.5,63,000 will be presented to some of the winning owners this season. Three Sweepstakes races have been added this season, which brings the total number of such races to 20. The Monsoon Cup, a handicap race for horses in the highest class has been upgraded to a terms race for 4 year olds and over. Rs 5 Lakh is added to each of the new sweepstakes races, namely, The Calcutta Juvenile Sprint (1100 m Terms), The Calcutta Monsoon Sprint (1200 m) and The Stewards Cup (1400 m). The Calcutta Fillies Trial Stakes, The Calcutta Colts Trial Stakes and The Monsoon Cup will each have added money of Rs 10 lakh. The Calcutta Monsoon Derby, to be run on Sunday October 5, 2008, will have added money of Rs 15 lakh. Some of the special racedays are: August 16, 2008 – Independence Cup and Calcutta Juvenile Sprint; September 13, 2008 – Calcutta Fillies Trial Stakes; September 17, 2008 – Calcutta Monsoon Sprint; September 20, 2008 – Calcutta Colts Trial Stakes; October 5, 2008 – Stewards Cup and Calcutta Monsoon Derby; and October 15, 2008 – Monsoon Cup. The RCTC Tipsters' Tally Contest will carry a winner's purse worth Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000 for the runner-up and Rs 5,000 for the third place. The RCTC Tipsters' Cup contest will have prizes worth Rs 10,000, Rs 7,500 for the runner-up and Rs 5,000 the third place. Apart from the two big guns, Daniel David and Vijay Singh, some of the trainers to watch out for during the season are Arti Doctor with a string of 11 horses, Deepak Karki with the same number, Javed Khan with a total of 41 horses (which include 8 two-year-olds), Shafiq Khan with a stable strength of 21, Patrick Quinn with 28 horses, Richard Alford with 14 horses, John Stephens with a string of 20 and Robin Corner with 5 youngsters and 21 older horses under his wing. Daniel and Vijay both have well-filled yards with 75 horses each, which consist of 30 two-year-olds apiece.

great stallions

A rare grey stallion, Sovereign Silver completed the Poonawalla trilogy. Sired by Sovereign Path out of Silver Talisman, Sovereign Silver was retired to stud at the optimum age of five years. He was an Irish stallion who won five races in Ireland and France. From his first nine crops, he had 118 starters and 98 winners.
Sovereign Silver is strongly influenced by the powerful Nasrullah line as his grand sire Grey Sovereign was by the latter out of Kong. His sire Sovereign Path won eight races including the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His dam Silver Talisman was a half-sister to Lost Cove – a winner of seven races.
Sovereign Silver produced a host of classic winners. The sire's influence on the Calcutta track has been considerable. Romantic Dancer picked up nine races at Calcutta including the Derby and the St Leger.
Azhar too enjoyed significant success at Calcutta as he went on to bag the Derby at 5/1 from the one-paced second favourite Ardiles. It was a controversial Calcutta Derby in the year 1987 as the on-money public choice Relevance was not handled to her potential in the race and she finished a poor fourth. She, however, had the consolation of winning the St. Leger in a close finish from Splash.
It would be relevant to note that both Romantic Dancer and Azhar had very strong dam lines. While the former was out of the successful filly Cartier (a Malvado progeny), the latter was out of Aureole Queen (a Grey Gaston progeny).
Then there was Silver, for whom the longer the trip the better. Silver won the Calcutta St. Leger after finishing third in the Calcutta Derby. Finally, The Advisor, also by Sovereign Silver, won five races including the Queen Elizabeth Cup.
Sovereign Silver's influence on the west coast was no less. Corviglia won the Indian 1000 Guineas while Pavielle pocketed the prestigious C.N. Wadia Gold Cup. The prolific Aristotle and the filly Silver Fire won seven races apiece. The former's prize triumph was in the Eve Champion Trophy while the latter bagged the Fillies and Mares Stakes.
This was the sixth of our 'Magnificent Seven' stallion. Last but not the least, we shall discuss the brilliance of Grey Gaston.

her majesty

The Indian classics have always seen an extraordinary champion every few years. Champion horses like Exhilaration, Smart Chieftain, Indictment, Storm Again, Mystical et al have left a rich legacy. Though Mystical was not destined to win the Indian Derby, he won three Indian classics in splendid fashion and then went on to become one of the greatest thoroughbreds of Indian racing history by winning back to back races at Dubai last year. But the achievement of Her Majesty in the year 1946-47 surpasses all other performances in the Indian classics simply because she is the winner of four Indian classics and second in the coveted Indian Derby. What is more, she carried the weight of public expectations in all the five Indian classics. Of course, only a filly can win four or five Indian classics simply because colts and geldings cannot run in two classics which are gender specific.

The fact that Her Majesty could carry her form in exemplary fashion from a mile to the grueling 2800 metres speaks greatly not only about her versatility but her gutsy qualities as well. In recent times, Running Flame matched her performance while Sweeping Success, with two Indian classics and two photo-finish losses in the Derby and the Leger was another who ranks alongside these champions. Sweeping Success is also the winner of Gr 1 Deccan Derby and Gr 1 Indian Turf Invitation Cup.

The daughter of Steinbeck, Running Flame won the Indian 1000 Guineas, the Indian Oaks and then ran second to Supervite in the Derby and then got the better of one of all time greats Saddle Up in the Indian St Leger only to be relegated to second position in a controversial objection. Running Flame also won the Indian Turf Invitation Cup. She won several graded races after her feat at Mumbai and then raced unsuccessfully at USA. She has had a few foals abroad.

Bestowed the affectionate appellation ``Apdi Ghodi’’, Her Majesty was an imposing performer. The only loss in the Indian classics came in the Indian Derby when she went down to Bucephalus whom she had beaten comprehensively twice before and twice after. The glorious uncertainties of the sport have prevented many a champion from winning the coveted Indian Derby. Her Majesty lost to Bucephalus in the all important Indian Derby as fate willed against her victory. Ironically, it was her own pace-maker, a colt by named Equity who broke down during the race, almost brought Her Majesty to ground. Despite the injuries she suffered in the accident and the ground that she lost, Her Majesty put up a brave fight against Bucephalus for a while in the straight before going down.

Her Majesty (bf 1943 by Barra Sahib* out of Laughing Water* by Walter Gay) established three track records at Mumbai and the legion of her fans considered the guaranteed one rupee return she gave for a place dividend on the Tote as the safest of investments. Bred by her owner Mr A C Ardeshir in partnership with the Yeravad Stud, she was trained by W Buckly and piloted by Billy Evans to all her twelve wins. Incidentally, the A C Ardeshir Cup is held as a graded race in memory of the man who owned Her Majesty. The Ardeshir Cup has indeed seen many a stalwart making his or her mark through this race.

Tragically, Her Majesty died at sea en route to England as a result of swollen sub-maxillary glands and the intense heat in the Gulf of Aden and as such, she did not leave any legacy at the stud.

malvados progeny

One of the most influential sires in recent times has been Malvado. The Poonawalla Stud Farm owned Malvado played a significant role in lifting the profile of Indian blood stock. He not only sired champions but he was also a great broodmare sire. Mystical, one of all time greats of Indian racing who won back to back races at Dubai during the Racing Carnival was out of his daughter Mystic Memory.

Interestingly, India’s quest for glory outside the shores of the country began successfully with Malvado’s son Astonish who was the first Indian horse to be exported in the beginning of 90s after Balam made an unsuccessful foray in the 50’s. The Indian Triple Crown winner went on to stun everyone by writing a new chapter in the history of Indian racing by winning on debut at Hong Kong and then backing it up with another success. The victory of Astonish was what gave impetus for Indian breeders to successfully race their produce abroad in subsequent years. The performance of Saddle Up at Singapore and Malaysia and that of Adler at America capped by the brilliance of Mystical at Dubai were all built on the foundations laid by the champion sire.

Malvado (b 1972 by Nearctic out of Victory Chant by Victoria Park) sired 304 winners from 19 crops Given the comparatively low level of stakes when he commenced stud duties in 1978, the gross earnings in India of Rs 13,07,29,303 stand out, being the fourth highest till last three years. With 127 black-type earning progeny, of whom 55 were black-type winners, he was the Champion Sire five times.

Bred in Canada by Mr E P Taylor, Malvado raced 24 times in France. He won six races and placed 14 times including 2nd in the Gr 3 Prix de Guiche, Gr 3 Prix de la Coupe etc. His dam Victory Chant was the dam of 12 winners of whom seven earned black-type and each of her six fillies was a noteworthy broodmare in their own right.

The list of his best progeny is legion and it includes Astonish, Indian Triple Crown winner, unbeaten champion Exhilaration, Mystic Memory, Ministrella, Scintillating, Desert Warrior, Miss X’Olence, Oakmead, Solitaire, Veuvius, Vibrant and several others.

A feature of Malvado as a sire was the fact that he got the best athletes from mares who were from a wide cross section of families and who were also daughters of a wide cross section of sires. The dams of his 127 black type performers were the progeny of 73 different sires and came from 66 different families on their distaff side.

A sire of nine sires, Malvado also had 155 of his 172 fillies enrolled in the ranks of the Indian broodmare. A pillar of the Poonawalla Group of Farms, he was Maternal Grandsire of 99 black-type performers including Starfire Girl, Academic, Arsenal, Splendid Girl, etc. He was also the Champion Maternal Grandsire five times with gross earrings of Rs 18,58,71,291 at the end of year 2005.

If the Darley Arabian male line is so prominent in the modern thoroughbred, it is in no small measure due to the contribution of Nearco and his illustrious sons including Nearctic, the sire of Malavado. Malvado died at the age of 27 years in 1999 but his legacy lives on.

tote at bangalore is all set to touch 1000 crores in 2008

In most horse racing centres in the world, computerisation of totes and a single betting system, without the participation of bookmakers, is a phenomenon recognized by the horse racing fraternity. In many countries, the totes are connected nationwide and you can buy the betting tickets from even the remotest place. This has led to organised betting, transparent taxation systems and general improvement of the sport. Monies earned by the Turf Clubs are ploughed back into the game and better facilities are created for the owners, licensed professionals and the racing public. It is like watching a spectacle, when one has a chance to witness night racing at Singapore. The tote betting system also helps in partially safeguarding the sport from unwanted elements. It is a well-known fact that a parallel illegal bookmaker syndicate operates in most countries. They are known as the "Betting Mafia". While visiting a few racing centres in far eastern countries, I saw the police taking away small-time illegal bookmakers from amongst the crowd. But, by and large, the system has led to better collections and better profits for the institutions.

The Managing Committee holding the reins at the Bangalore Turf Club in the late 1980s had the vision and the foresight to realize that this was one system which needed to be implemented. The Club did not have the cash reserves to implement such a huge project. The software had to be developed and costly hardware had to be installed. The committee was in two minds about the virtues of such an investment. However, in a landmark decision taken at that time, the Club decided to go ahead and placed the order. The banks associated with the BTC raised their hands and the funding was put in place. After lengthy test runs and proper trials, the tote was computerised and became operational on January 10, 1991.

There were many people at that time, who doubted the success of this project. A few amongst them had reservations about the amount of money that was being spent. More importantly, there was a resistance to change. It took time for the racing public to realise that the returns were as good, if not better, than those offered by the bookmakers. Punters, who habitually backed outsiders, were the first to fall in line. They ultimately realized that the investments and dividends were free of betting tax. It took five years for the collections to touch the Rs 100-crore mark, which was achieved in the year 1996-97. There was much jubilation and backslapping because the tree was finally seen to be bearing fruit. All of a sudden, there were many who wanted to take credit for this achievement. The knowledgeable at the Club knew the people that needed to be complimented. The institution was then rejuvenated. Betting centres were opened progressively all over the city and thereafter in various parts of the state. The tote had become the backbone of the BTC.

The reason for writing this article is to tell our readers about what happened subsequently. The figure crossed Rs 500 crore in 2005-06 and Rs 700 crore in the subsequent year. It is learnt that the Club has clocked a turnover of Rs 924 crore when the accounting books were closed on March 31, 2008. It will not take an astrologer to tell us that the magical figure of Rs 1000 crore would be easily crossed this year.

It is time to salute the people who had the wisdom to take the club on the growth path. It is also time to think about the common punter who is the backbone of racing. It is he who brings in the money and funds the entire operation. Therefore, it is time for the Bangalore Turf Club to improve the amenities that it provides to the average racegoer.

british-invation of china

British troops occupying Peking, China, loot and then burn the Yuanmingyuan, the fabulous summer residence built by the Manchu emperors in the 18th century. China's Qing leadership surrendered to the Franco-British expeditionary force soon after, ending the Second Opium War and Chinese hopes of reversing the tide of foreign domination in its national affairs. In the 1870s, Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi began rebuilding the palace and its stunning gardens, renaming it Yiheyuan, or Garden of Good Health and Harmony. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the palace was burned again by Western troops, and it remained dilapidated until the Chinese communists rebuilt it in the 1950s.

Treble for Vijay Singh

A bumper New Year's Day crowd spent an extraordinary day at the Calcutta racecourse on Tuesday. Traditionally marked as a day, when the city, who exchange season's greetings, while the thoroughbreds go about their business as usual, visitors returned home happy after enjoying a fair share of excitement in both spheres.
There were head-turners galore, as well as thrills aplenty on the track.
After drawing a blank in the first five races, trainer Vijay Singh rattled off a hat trick in the last three events of the afternoon. His winners were Accalia, Oxford Street and Elusive Study. All these runners are owned by his chief patron Deepak Khaitan, Khaitan led in another winner, Bath-trained Imperial Romance.
The most amazing result was in the afternoon feature event. The Indian Produce Stakes, which saw a stunning victory for Vijay Singh trained Accalia. The filly by Diffident out of Amantran lost eight lengths at the start but moved with giant strides from a hopeless position in the straight to land the spoils in the hands of Neeraj Rawal. Stablemate Arcology was fancied to deliver the goods but Christopher Alford found nothing extra, when he gave him full throttle at the distance post.
Public choice Piato was handled in a pedestrian manner by Mallesh Narredu, not that it would have made any difference to the ultimate result.
Barring Accalia and Entrepreneur, it was by and large an afternoon when punters got the better of the exchanges with bookmakers. As many as five on-money favourites were first past the winning post, namely Supreme Attraction, Apostrophe, Imperial Romance, Oxford Street and Elusive Study.
Some of the city's professionals were irked by the manner in which imports from western India dominated the first three races. Patrick Quinn pulled off a fine gamble with Italian Affair (Mark Reuben up) in the curtain-raiser before Aarti Doctor got into the act with retained rider C.S. Jodha to notch up a fine double with Supreme Attraction and Apostrophe. The Mumbai apprentice handled both runners with a degree of confidence. The stick had to be used liberally atop the former as Loughborough posed a serious threat near the distance post.
The fashionable bred Apostrophe however faced no such problems as the ante-post favourite Saarah Alam was all at sea, when jockey Mark turned on the heat.
Neeraj Rawal notched up the first of his two winners, when he guided Bath-trained Imperial Romance to a smooth victory in the Star Magic Cup. The chestnut gelding pegged back Conde Nast without batting an eyelid. However, it must be noted that the winner was in receipt of 12kg from the top-weight.
The Cico Park Cup saw Mark Reuben pull off a marvellous victory with Entrepreneur. The Robin Corner ward ate up ground in the final furlong, to peg back runaway favourite Altissimo.

The day's last two races were all Vijay Singh. His runners dominated the sprints. Neither Oxford Street nor Elusive Study had to be stretched to land the spoils. Thus, visitors left for home on a happy note on the first day of the New Year.

Wonder Smile Lifts Bangalore Oaks

The Bangalore Oaks (Grade II) attracted a very small field of five runners with the 1000 Guineas winner, Wonder Smile standing tall amongst this bunch of fillies. On sheer rating she was two classes superior to her nearest rival, and the bookmakers had no hesitation in offering very cramped odds on her. Agassiz after her last effortless victory over a staying trip, changed hands and now ran in the colours Of Dr. Vijay Mallya, who had pitched her as a final entry in this classic.

The race itself saw Agassiz going to the front and setting a good pace. Welcome Back, Wonder Smile and Mother's Pride were seen cantering along in close attendance. The field started bunching up at the turn, with the favourite moving up easily on the wide outside and cruising past the rest. Wonder Smile was eased up near the winning post, many lengths ahead of a hard ridden Welcome back and a tiring Agassiz. It was reported that Agassiz had splayed a plate during the race, but that may not have altered the result in any way. Wonder Smile shall now be targeted at the big one on Republic Day.

The Ardent Knight Cup saw the Prakash ridden Fantastic Quest being backed down in a big way with a fair bit of support coming for the Darius trained and fashionably bred Excellent Ability. The favourite had the benefit of two runs, and that came in handy when he quickened nicely in the straight and passed a front running Greens. The latter showed a lot of speed and can be earmarked for an early success. Excellent Ability was desperately in need of this run, since it struggled to get the better of the early leader Nearco Master and finished a tame third.

The day started with a fine performance by an unheralded three year old called Fleeting Arrow (Burden of Proof-Sabre Dance). This nice looking colt was looking a bit soft in the parade ring, and understandably. so, since it was the first run of his career. His trainer Babu Rao seems to have realized the capabilities of his charge considering that he was made to take part in 1400 metres. Safari and Touch of Magic were the joint favourites with the rest being available at 10's and over. Safari, who had already had two impressive runs under her belt, was taken to the front and was cruising into the straight, when she found Fleeting Arrow on her outside. There was hardly a contest as Fleeting Arrow lengthened his strides and went away to beat his tablemate Undue by a widening margin. Safari plodded on to be third, while Touch of Magic was totally outclassed. Fleeting Arrow's timing and style of running suggest that he is one of the top colts at this centre and should be prominent in the big races slated later in the year.

Prakash ridden Global Genius was confidentially backed to win a class IV sprint for older horses. Trainer Warren Singh chose to use a five kilo claimer on his ward Worth a Million, and decided to send him to the front. Apprentice Gautam Raj rode hands and heels, and did not permit Global Genius to come anywhere near him. Prakash had to be content with second place. when he whipped his horse to beat Hold the Fort into third position.

Another favourite from Ganapathy's yard, Storming Brown ridden by O' Donoghue was beaten into fourth place by Jersey Power, Power Punch and Lightenin Blues. O' Donoghue weighed in less than what he was supposed to be carrying in the race, and was deprived of his position after a steward’s enquiry.

Apprentice jockey Gaurav Sapra rode three public choices in the last three events of the day. He got beat on all of them. He started with Eshwar's Alinski, on whom he was beaten into second place by the front running Darktan. Alinski did manage to put his neck in front at the distance post, but the hard ridden Darktan came back on the rails and won in a close finish. Damgood finished a respectable third.

On Secret Fury, he took a good position from the start and sat behind the early leading pair of Amazing Forest and Ciampino. When he saw Appu relaxing Ciampino into a comfortable fourth position, Gaurav pushed Secret Fury and went in chase of Amazing Forest. In the last 300 metres the field started to close in, as Secret Fury started to tire. It was finally a hard ridden Ciampino, who got up in the last stride and beat Amazing Forest and Oro Neiro in a blanket finish.

Nityanand trained Plum Pudding was his third ride. This filly was the rage in the betting ring and came in for a lot of support to start as a clear favourite. She seemed to be travelling well and picking up the front runners one by one. However the early leader Don Cherry was a tough nut to crack, as he was seen holding on to his lead. Ryan Marshall made free use of the whalebone on Don Cherry and held a late finishing Action Hero and Plum Pudding at bay.

The stewards met after the last race of the day to enquire into the running and riding of the hot favourite Stanza Starry in yesterdays races. Trainer M Eshwer and Apprentice Gaurav Sapra were produced before the stewards. It is learnt that both of them have been suspended till 31st July 2008.

Mark Of Gibraltar Beaten

Jockey Prakash seems to have lost his zest for riding. In recent times, he has been seen in poor light on many top-class horses. He has lost races in Mumbai and Bangalore which he would have comfortably won if he had been riding in his old form. Prakash at his best used to be a treat to watch.
Prakash in his current form is a pale shadow of the champion that we have known for the last so many years. It is difficult to pinpoint the reason for this sudden change. I am sure it cannot be the easy rides he is invited to come and partner in Chennai week after week, a process in which he does not have to really perform to win the first five races of the day. It cannot be a physical thing, because he is still young and extremely fit. It is perhaps a state of his mind wherein he is unhappy with a foreign rider taking all the plums on horses, which were rightfully his rides. It may also be the suspension handed out to him by the stewards of the RWITC. Whatever be the reasons, the fact remains that the situation is getting to be tough for his many ardent supporters who wager heavily on horses ridden by this talented rider. It is hoped that he shall soon overcome the temporary loss of form, and start performing again at a level expected of him by the racing public all over the country.

The feature event on Friday was the well-endowed Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association Trophy, a sprint race for 3-year old horses. This was a terms race with winners expected to carry the standard penalties. A small field of five runners faced the starter, with the betting confined to two horses. Both Mark of Gibraltar and Alcmene were impressive winners in maiden company, but the style of running made Mark Of Gibraltar an obvious choice and thus he was installed as the shortest priced favourite in the season. Appu sent Music Forever to the front with Srinath ridden Alcmene in close second position, while Prakash on the favourite was seen travelling the widest of three as they straightened for home. Alcmene took over from a tiring Music Forever and soon found Mark Of Gibraltar coming with giant strides on her outside. The two of them were engaged in a duel for a while before the favourite got the upper hand and seemed to be getting the better of Alcmene on whom Srinath had stopped using the whip. The last 50 metres of the race saw Srinath pull out all stops as he punched Alcmene and goaded her to put everything into it. She responded beautifully and in the process caught Prakash napping on Mark Of Gibraltar at the all-important end. This was another race that Prakash may have easily won when he was in good form.

The Chatrapathi Cup was a class II race over seven furlongs and saw big money coming on Appu-ridden Swift Fire. This gelding had run a couple of times this season and had finished on the board on both occasions. He had run with better-class horses and therefore finding today's set a bit easier, the connections backed him down from 5/2 to even money. Chris Hayes took Carabinieri to the front and seemed like spoiling the party as Appu was seen frantically whipping Swift Fire in second position. Carabinieri had a couple of lengths to spare at the distance post but suddenly started to shorten his strides. To the relief of his numerous supporters, Swift Fire went ahead and scored from a late finishing Mucho, who edged out the front-runner from second place.

The race for maiden 3-year olds saw a very average lot of youngsters face the starter. Based on her breeding, Lady Banks (Diffident-Mary Bankes) with Prakash in the saddle was installed as the half-money favourite. Here again, Prakash was seen struggling to keep her on an even keel and was lucky to nail the early leader Little Splendour on the post. Blushing Beam was sporting the same colours as the winner but was ridden by morning work jockey M Ravi. Had Ravi decided to be more enterprising on Blushing Beam, the story would have been totally different. For the record, Blushing Beam finished a close third and shall be too good to miss in her next start.

The class III race over a staying trip of a mile and a quarter saw Sontag Etoile being installed as an on-money favourite with the other five runners available at eights and over. Jagadeesh took Saptashwa to the front and surprisingly lasted out to win from a late finishing Van De Star. The latter was not given a good ride by apprentice John who decided to keep him in last position before skirting the field and coming widest of all into the straight. The game horse made up a lot of ground but was shy by a length at the winning post. The favourite Sontag Etoile plodded on to be a close third.

The last race of the day saw the Mangalorkar-trained Surprise Package emerge as the easiest winner of the day. Although drawn on the outside, jockey Aadesh rode a neat race as he took a good early position and rode a well-balanced race to win comfortably from Shenandoah, Crackerjack and Lighnin Blues.

The first two races of the day were for horses in the lowest class and saw Royal Flinn and Lago Vista earning their corn bills. The latter won easier than the verdict and can be placed to win again in her present form. The short seven event card was quite competitive with no professional able to score more than once.

Kinane and Shah

At 48, Mick Kinane was the oldest of the 19 jockeys in the Derby at Mahalakshmi Race Course on Sunday. On the other side of the coin was trainer SS Shah. In a 60-second post race chat with trainer Shah, I asked him how old he was. He shot back, “You make a guess.” My answer was 65. “I am 69,” Mr Shah said.

Six-time Irish champion jockey, Mick Kinane was winning the Indian Derby for the third time. Sir Bruce and Cordon Bleu were the other two horses that Kinane rode to victory in India’s most coveted prize in horse racing.

Trainer SS Shah, the oldest trainer in the Derby field and I believe I am making a safe assumption, was winning the Indian Derby for the second time. Mansoor was his other winner and the rider was the peerless Pandu Khade whose artistry in the saddle won the admiration of many a discerning observer.

May I say that the 2008 Indian Derby renewal was a triumph of experience over youth? It was only last Friday that at 49, Russell Baze reached the 10,000-winner milestone by riding a winner at Golden Gate Fields. Two days later, in India, several thousand miles away and in a different time zone, another history of sorts was made by a pair who, in normal circumstances, ought to be contemplating retirement.

This was my underlying thought as I posed this question to Mick Kinane. “At 48, when jockeys are considering other options in their lives, you are going round the world riding winners in big races. You have accomplished so much and what more needs to be done and how long will you do this?”

“I will keep going. I have years left,” he said. A friend interjected. “He will go another 10 years.”

“This is special. To come back to India and do this, it is great.”

Kinane has won the Breeders’ Cup, the Belmont Stakes, the Epsom Derby and every big race one can think of. The Kentucky Derby has eluded him but Louisville is a difficult target for an Ireland-based jockey.

Trainer Shah could not hide his glee. “This my second Derby win. I gave Hotstepper a big chance. There was no doubt in my mind he will stay. He came tough today. In the end, it was his staying ability that gave him the edge.”

As it turned out, it was a case of Hotstepper raising his game and a case of Bourbon King not being able to sustain his play level. Hotstepper responded spiritedly as the pressure mounted. Bourbon King ran on in the final 400 metres but he lacked the fiery acceleration that had stood him in good stead in his earlier wins.

Let us remember this. Mystical was beaten in the Derby. He came back with a vengeance to win the Invitation Cup. Southern Empire was beaten by Diabolical, a stablemate, in Mumbai. In the Invitation Cup, Southern Empire put daylight himself and Diabolical. Dr MAM Ramaswamy was prompted to declare, “Let me tell you. Southern Empire is better than Mystical.”

The trend continues. Favourites cannot get the job done in the Indian Derby. If history holds, in the last two years, beaten Derby favourites have redeemed themselves in the Invitation Cup. All I can say is that I am looking forward to my Malakpet visit.

Here are a few observations. The tote selling and paying system needs to be streamlined. The fixed odds concept is commendable, however. The clerks take forever to count the money, especially large sums. On Derby day, there were not enough windows to cater effectively to the fans.

The betting ring in the members’ enclosure is too small. On Derby day, I was able to penetrate the throng only twice. You could hardly breathe. On big racing days, the ring should be over a bigger area. This is important.

The 26% betting tax simply does not make sense. It is a legislative (political) matter but a movement should be launched. Racing is a revenue-producing game for the State Government. The racing authorities should do everything in their power to convince the Government that the goose that lays the golden egg is being deprived of oxygen.

The public address system needs correction. Mumbai has an excellent announcer. One can hardly understand the announcer. I do not know what is wrong. Audio experts should be asked to examine the system.

Here’s a suggestion. When there is a favourite at cramped odds, there should be what is called, ‘betting without the favourite.’ On Saturday, Vale of Leven was half money and marginally better. We can pretend that Vale Of Leven is not in the race and bet on the others. You will have a winner if you horse reaches the post first or if your horse is second behind Vale of Leven.

It is imperative that a post-race press conference be held. The winning owner, trainer and jockey should be there and it must be mandatory. Ten minutes would be enough. Have a moderator start off with a question. Then the meeting should be open to questions from the press corps. There is nothing like getting quotes.

There is another thing. The media department should ask a question or two of a beaten favourite, especially one like Bourbon King. Let jockey O’Donoghue respond to a question or two. Get the answers. Type them up and make copies and distribute them. Dissemination of information is critical to keeping the vitality of the game.

Finally, in the paddock area, there is open access. The paddock and the environs should be a privileged area and admission restricted to those authorized. This situation cries out for attention and correction.

I must express my sincere thanks to the Racing Secretary for providing me with passes for the weekend. I am looking forward to the 2009 Indian Derby.

I must offer a retraction. I had said in my piece last week that Frankie Dettori was riding in India for the first time. I stand corrected. Dettori was in India about 17 years ago for what was then called, ‘the Clash of the Titans.’ It was a contest between Indian jockeys and foreign jockeys.