A year in review...2016/17

A year in review...

Last year at the end of Mumbai Season we had just heralded Sandesh Akhade (66 winners)  as the champion while Pesi Shroff  (49 winners) had done the job easily for trainers championship.

Trevor ended the season with a remarkable Sixer (Sans Peur, Ame, Rosella, Sky Mine, Courtship and Baryshnikov)

The Juveniles we are most excited about; were Accolade (PBMM Winner), Devoted Eyes (Who had the measure of Accolade in Asian Racing Federation Trophy total stakes of just over a Crore)

There were stray supporters of Sergeant At Arms, who had notched up two wins from as many starts.

Christopher Alford and Vijay Singh had won the honours in Calcutta, while Irfan Ghatala and S John conquered BTC and at HRC Anupam Sharma and Imran Chisty got the title.

Desert God fever refused to die down and Racing Public were second guessing the next assignment for the All Conquering horse, who had got the measure of Quasar at Guindy.

Desert God since ran 5 times and never was beaten. In the process won two St Legers (Bangalore and Pune-Indian St Leger) The President of India Gold Cup at HRC and The Maharaja’s Gold Cup at Bangalore. It is safe to say he did not let down his supporters.

Desert God has since raced in Dubai, Meydan and hasn’t had any success. He is expected to continue racing in UK which is expected to suit him better.

Accolade was rested for Bangalore Summer Season and then suddenly was brought out for the Colts at HRC, which he won and in the process notched up Kunigal’s Century of Classic, he was withdrawn at the gates for the HRC Summer Derby and then went on to win the Pune Derby. Here his margin of victory was commanding, yet he had raised a few eye brows with his temperament.

Whomakestherules (WMTR) had been racing well within himself and had picked up decent stakes money after a hatrick of wins, he was sent to Calcutta and duly won the Monsoon Derby, partnered by Suraj, without breaking a sweat. He was since campaigned at Hastings and went on to repay his owners by vanquishing the famed Accolade in the 2000 Guineas

WMTR unfortunately got injured and could not realize his true potential and Accolade had lost his confidence and with it his aura of invincibility.

Star Nijinsky ( Srinath) dutifully won the Decan Derby after Accolade refused to enter the stalls. However she did win any further race after that…

At this time Serjeant At Arms (SAA) looked quite formidable having won the Bangalore Summer derby and Colts Trial Stakes in relative ease and was sent to Mysore for a seemingly “easy” race. With only four rivals he was expected to have a walk in the park, however he was found wanting and Ice Glacier daughter of Icebreaker broke his formidable record.

 Ice Glacier next was spotted in the Bangalore Oaks and she made easy task of this race. High hopes were pinned on her as well, yet as fate would have it she was injured and took no further part in the season.

Young and dandy trainer Neil Darashah completed the Guineas double at BTC with Proserpine (Neeraj) & Battalion (Suraj) Proserpine (Sandesh) also won the South India Oaks which was a two horse race.

Irfan Ghatala had won the South India Derby with Salazaar (Trevor)

Kingoftheworld (S Zervan) won the South India 2000 Guinea and the Aika Aika Aika (Suraj) won the 1000 Guineas here.

SAA was then sent to Bombay to race for the Indian Classics. He accounted for the Indian 2000 Guineas and walked home for the Gold Cup and ridden by Sandesh.

There was no doubt about his ability up to a mile (and a little beyond). While many pundits (principal owner included) were not sure he would get the “Derby” distance. However, his rivals were falling apart and it seemed his class would see him through the additional trip.

At this time a relatively unknown horse announced herself, she has been aptly named Hall Of Famer (HOF), she simply walked over the opposition in Calcutta, anything else would be an understatement.

She well and truly could stay the distance and was trained by one of the most experienced trainer in the country.

Mr Cyrus Madan went on air, right after the race and announced that we were indeed looking at the next Indian Derby winner. Just for the record, he had made a similar comment just before ITSL had won the Calcutta Derby (Then he had said we were looking at the top two horses in the country ITSL and Dandified and whoever wins will go on to win Indian Derby) . He has been right on both instances.

Just a few weeks earlier Mrs Patmore (Trevor) had gotten the measure of HOF hence her stocks had raised considerably, when HOF pulverized the opposition in Calcutta.

When the fillies lined up for the Indian Oaks it seemed Mrs Patmore would prevail, however named with some gumption “Temerity” had other plans, she had a mishap at the gates and her jockey did not unduly punish her while she was not inclined to race. She richly rewarded him by getting him his first Indian Classic. Pesi once again had registered the Fillies Double albeit with different horses.

The roll call was changing and fast, yet SAA remained on top, even with his bag full of doubters.

When Indian Derby arrived SAA was racing against himself and his bloodline.

Hall of Famer made her own pace and David Alan won the day and etched her name in the anals of racing history.

However just a week or so earlier a Bull had broken away to register his maiden win in a Derby. He was known for his temperament and wasn’t sent to Bombay.

Germanicus (Sandesh) who had triumphed in the Golconda Derby travelled to Bombay and was no Diabolical while he was ridden by I Chisty.

Now the wait was on for the “Baap” of all races

The Invitation Weekend.

Captain Morgan (Trevor) got the measure of gallant Tintinnabulation to conquer the Stayers Cup, while Adam (NS Parmar) proved he was indeed the First man by repeating his Sprinters Cup win in Southern India.

Many eyebrows were raised and some hearts broken when it was confirmed that SAA (Sandesh) wasn’t going to try and redeem his reputation. He was rightly given the task of winning the Super Mile which is second most prestigious race in the weekend.  Year before Myrtlewood who finished second to another Paddy runner in the Indian Derby was asked to run her race here and she too won.

As the big one approached… there was a frenzy of supporters for Tororosso (Suraj) and Hall Of Famer (D Allan)

David Allan tried to repeat the tactics which won him the Derby yet like Noble Eagle who was the last horse to win Indian Derby from the start, HOF too was sent start to finish just like Noble Eagle by Mallesh Narredu and both outcomes were same.

If it may be said “it was a fairytale ending” Temerity simply proved her class and annexed the coveted race. It ended a glorious year for the humble and amiable Neeraj Rawal who tasted success across India.

While he has a long way to go before he can rest on his laurels, he is surely on the right track.

Suraj Narredu  and Prasanna Kumar won the championship at BTC

Dashrath Singh and Vijay Singh topped the table at RCTC

HRC saw Anupam Sharma and Akshay Kumar winning the titles.

Trevor who ended the last season with a sixer was locked in a close battle with A Sandesh all through the season, however towards the end he drew away with a measure of comfort and Pesi Shroff retained the title as the Champion Trainer.

November was a turbulent time for many people and racing family was no different. The end result saw Bookies vacating BTC premises, RWITC reducing stakes.

Amidst this many innovative steps were being taken by the clubs in general. Like introduction of Card Terminal among other initiatives.

Mobile badges have become really affordable in most areas.

With reemergence of MRC, country wide participation in Madras and Ooty races is certainly most positive.

We look forward to another 12 months with GST being the biggest talking point. Clubs are hugely dependant on revenue from betting and a huge levy would certainly make the “illegal” bookies business boom. Considering the intent of the present government is to curb black money and increase transactions which can be easily accounted for, it would only be fair for them to consider a workable GST Rate.

Courtesy : Albert Khare