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.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
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.
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.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
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.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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.
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.
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