B R Sharan Kumar

English jockey Martin Dwyer rode a splendid race on favourite Field Marshal to guide the Padmanabhan trainee to victory in the Gr 1 Poonawalla Mysore Derby in front of a capacity crowd on Sunday. The three year old son of the now diceased Placerville won the premier event in a hard way, winning it start to finish in a new record timing of two minutes 01.54 seconds in hot and humid conditions. Padmanabhan thus saddled his 12th Derby winner and three of them have been for owner Haresh N Mehta who earlier Derby winners from the Bangalore based trainer were Holding Court and Becket. Field Marshal had won the Mysore 2000 Guineas by literally swamping the opposition and earned the tag of highest rated three year old classic winner in the country. There were many who believed that since Field Marshal is out of a Sprinters Cup winning Shamaal, there could be stamina limitations especially since he was expected to do the entire front running and then last out the trip. The strongly built Fiel

The Bangalore Turf Club members have sought two Extraordinary General Body Meetings in the last two years but both have not been for the purpose of doing something good for the sport. The first EGM resulted in the removal of the then Chairman P V Shetty who members perceived to be hostile to club’s interests and the second was gone through on Monday, to lay fresh guidelines for the Managing Committee and fixed a limit as to how much money they can spend without the consent of the EGM. The EGM was ostensibly called because the Managing Committee was in the process of upgrading the computer system. Some of the members felt that such an upgrade was not needed and the whole process was being pushed through because of the benefits accursing to a few by going through with the deal. The Chairman of the Club Kumaraswamy in the meanwhile had written to the club members that the Managing Committee was dropping its move to upgrade the computer system till the BTC matter in Supreme Court regarding

The Bangalore St Leger will be held on Sunday and a small field will compete for the last classic of the season. Pesi Shroff trained Xisca towers over the rest, with the others being in the fray more in hope than with any real chance. With breeding in India oriented towards producing sprinter milers, there is a paucity of horses capable of saying the gruelling mile and six furlongs trip. As such, there is need to review the composition of the field for Leger. The Leger has lost its popularity as evidenced by hardly any one targeting their wards for this particular race. With hardly any lead up race for preparing horses for this trip, even preparation of horses for this race is not also ideal. Calcutta has already downgraded the Leger and the race no longer enjoys the tag of a classic race. The race is no doubt still popular in the country of its origin namely England. But in other countries like France and Ireland, the race is a weight for age race. With the fields becoming increasingl

Imtiaz Sait trained Pronto Pronto nailed Severstahl in the closing stride of the race to lift Bangalore Derby in front of a record attendance on Sunday. The Colts Championship winner came from way off the pace and overhauled the entire field, finally necking out Severstahl to provide an exciting climax to the race which had to be postponed by a week due to industrial action by stable workers. . The Derby day proved a record of sorts, not only for the record prize money on offer but also for the highest ever collections on the club operated totalizator pools which grossed over Rs 11.52 crores. . With the withdrawal of ante post favourite Speed Six due to stress fracture, the son of Major Impact, Pronto Pronto enjoyed a decisive edge though in public perception Fillies Championship winner Lovely Kiss and Star Marquees (Intikhab) had better credentials. The latter was covering good ground in the Colts Championship and the extended trip was expected to suit him better than the rest. The Ma

The Bangalore Turf Club,, the Karnataka Racehorse Owners’ Association and Karnataka Trainers Association can easily resolve the issues arising out of the legitimate demands of stable workers (syces) for implementation of Provident Fund and other statutory obligations. The issue has dragged on for several years, with the trainers association not wanting to take the responsibility and the club shying away from coming up with concrete measures. There is a reserve fund of about Rs 8 crores with the KROA which was a fund created by the Bangalore Turf Club and the owners body in order to meet any contingency. The Provident Fund can be implemented with immediate effect like it has been done at Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai by forming a society with members from all the bodies constituting the governing council. There is obviously some limitation as to how many years the trainers have to go back to pay the Provident Fund arrears. Quite a few of the trainers have retired and some of the horse o

The Bangalore Turf Club was unable to resolve the situation arising out of the strike by syces and had to postpone the Derby weekend races to next Saturday and Sunday, putting scores of racing enthusiasts and those involved with it directly and directly to great inconvenience. A pro-active stance by Bangalore Turf Club after the strike notice was slapped on them by the Syces Union last week could have saved the situation. It is futile to except the Trainers Association at act responsibly when they haven’t done so all these years. The onus was on BTC to settle the matter long back instead of allowing the problem to get big and disrupt its activity periodically. The syces are justified in demanding better facilities and introduction of statutory provisions like Provident Fund etc. though their holding racing ransom did not go well with the racing enthusiasts. But then when the trainers and owners association have periodically disrupted racing which also resulted in cancellation of a wint

The Gr 1 Bangalore Derby will have a full complement of 18 runners and will also offer the highest ever prize money in the country. The winner is set to take home a whopping prize money of Rs 1, 42,08,000 which is much higher than what this year’s Indian Derby winner Moonlight Romance earned. Star Is Born, who is yet to win a race, was balloted out as the starting gates cannot accommodate more runners. Saratoga Spring also is a maiden but he went through by virtue of having higher rating. When there are so many runners in the fray especially in a tight race course like Bangalore where the runners have to take the bend soon after jump out and by the time they settle down, they would have gone well beyond the mile marker, the luck of the race has a bearing though we have seen the best horses rarely get affected because the mediocre horses cannot pace with them. Barring the unforeseen, one has to go with pedigree and performance while deciding on one’s choices. The cliché that the race ha

Horses have a mind of their own and their mindset determines their performance at top level. Horses tend to defy their pedigree and outperform themselves when faced with adversity. Pedigree can bring out performance in a horse only if the mind is wiling. Some horses are so aggressive that they don’t let any horse pass them and dig deep if they see a threat. There are other horses like Jacqueline who as Pesi Shroff said was an intelligent horse who knew the art of self-preservation and did the job of winning each time she went out to race. She lost twice in close finishes in her career, the one in the Bangalore Summer Derby by a whisker to Aboline and the second time to Becket in yet another pulsating finish. ``Jacqueline was an intelligent horse who knew what was expected of her. She was not a showy horse. She never expended her energy other than on the track and that too when required. She would obey the commands of the jockeys who rode her and would be happy to run in any position th

Pedigree is the backbone for any race horse to perform to classic potential. But is pedigree good enough to ensure performance? Quite often, modestly bred horses have proved everyone wrong and gone on achieve glory that was considered beyond their compass. What are the factors that race goers have to keep in mind while assessing a horse? Americans believe that proof of performance is pedigree while in Europe the reverse is the mantra. They believe that pedigree is proof of performance. These two conflicting theories also guide the mindset of breeders in these places. In USA, they don’t hesitate to breed with top stallions if the horse concerned has achieved laurels in racing even if he does not command blue blood in the traditional sense. In Europe, a horse must have both pedigree and performance in order to be entertained by top stud farms. What factors should weigh in the minds of race goers in order to decide their fancies in classic races? Almost every horse which runs in a classic

Neil Darashah trained Hatsuhana built on the good effort that he had put in his last essay by claiming the Karnataka Sub-Area Cup, a seven furlong race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Saturday’s races from late rallying Tomsk with a measure of comfort. This full brother to multi-classic winning Fleeting Arrow has overcome many a problem and is now performing to his potential. The last two races of the day were held in rain which intensified significantly after the last race for run. The rains lasted for more than three hours and the underfoot conditions will be on the softer side for Sunday’s races. Hatsuhana had the credentials but the thrust on him was not so much visible in what appeared a competitive and tricky race for most race goers. He was the favourite at 4/1 while the rest were available at longer odds. Red Renegade led the field followed by Topkapi, Soberano and Hatsuhana while the rest was spaced out behind with Tomsk bringing up the tail end. Jockey Lad

There is a saying in racing that if you want to make an ass of yourself, issue an unqualified statement about a race horse, the horse will take it from there. Horses have a way of fooling even the most wise, acknowledged as authorities. What else can explain the irony of the Gr 1 Fillies Championship Stakes Lovely Kiss and Gr 1 Colts Championship Stakes Pronto Pronto not being original entries for the coveted summer Derby while scores of other horses have been entered which have little or no chance in the coveted event? Lovely Kiss and Pronto Pronto who are the top rated three-year olds in the country at the moment, have to be supplemented to the Derby as final entries. Severstahl who finished an impressive third despite the hind shoe coming off during the race is another who may run in the Derby as a final entry at a whopping amount of Rs 16 lakhs. The total stake money for the race is expected to swell beyond Rs 240 lakh mark. The Derby winner will get much more than the Indian Derb

In a pulsating finish, the Manjri Stud Farm bred Pronto Pronto managed to get the verdict in the bob of heads to win the Gr 1 Colts Championship Stakes, the second classic of the season, on Sunday. Veteran trainer Imtiaz Sait was thus recording a classic success in Bangalore after a longish break through Pronto Pronto who overcame a lack of a run on this track to win in one of the most absorbing contests of the season. The first visit to Bangalore Turf Club for joint owner and breeder Shapoor Misty proved to be a rewarding one as he led in the winner excitedly along with his son and partners. Though there were reservations about Amadeus getting the mile trip, he ended up as the favourite in the belief that at level weights he would prove a different customer and put it across Speed Six who had beaten him in their last encounter. Pronto Pronto and Tiberius who had gone into the race with a mock race to boost their fitness were available at nourishing odds. Speed Six was available at lon

Ganapathy trained Ordained One claimed the Gr 3 Chief Minister’s Cup with aggressive running in the day’s feature event on Saturday. Becket who was known for tremendous acceleration in the final furlong, is a pale shadow of his former self as a number of niggles seem to have taken its toll. Last year’s dual Derby winner Xisca had a good lead up race for her future assignments as she finished with a late dash but could not displace long time front runner Spearhead from the runner up berth. It has been difficult for race goers to look beyond Becket as he was once again made the overwhelming favourite despite the presence of last year’s second best horse in the country Xisca who had won the Deccan Derby and Calcutta Derby besides finishing third in Indian Derby and second in Indian Turf Invitation Cup. She was well placed in scales too. While Becket was at even money, Xisca was at nourishing odds. Ordained One had placed in classics and as such he was enjoying the best advantage in scales

Pesi Shroff trained Amadeus lost to Speed Six in his last outing at a difference of five kgs but both these horses will be running at level weights in the Gr 1 Colts Championship Stakes, the second classic of the season, to be run on Sunday. Amadeus lost by two and half lengths but can he cover that leeway and more at level weights? Logically he should but given the fact that Amadeus has faltered over seven furlongs not once but twice in his career makes one wonder whether he has issues with stamina over longer trips. The outcome of the Colts Championship will perhaps decide the destiny of Amadeus as to whether he will be experimented over longer trips or brought back to a sprint. Since Speed Six won over seven furlongs quite well, he should have no problem in tackling an extra furlong. If both these horses under perform for any reason, there are two horses which are eminently capable of profiting from the same. The unbeaten Tiberius and Mumbai’s Pronto Pronto are both in great shape b

Trainer Samar Singh, who did not know where his winner was going to come from last winter season, has a struck a gold patch through Hazara Stud Farm bred Lovely Kiss. The daughter of Rebuttal recorded a hat-trick of wins when landing the richly endowed Gr 1 Fillies Championship Stakes, the first classic of the Bangalore Summer Season. Lovely Kiss is owned in partnership by Mrs Shanti Devi, Vikram Singh, B V Singh and breeder Nirmal Singh. This is the first Group 1 success not only for first season sire Rebuttal but also for the up and coming stud farm based at Ambala in Haryana. Frenchman Stephane Ladjad did everything that was expected of him on the fancied runner. The Fillies Championship attracted a big field of 16 runners though on book of form, Black Magic Woman, Lovely Kiss, Preordained and Nearness of You appeared to have better chance than the rest on the basis of their performances thus far. Black Magic Woman had performed incredibly well over sprints and had reached a highe

Arjun Mangalorkar trained Immense asserted his superiority over the opposition in the 1400 metres Civil Services Cup, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of Saturday’s races. Dual classic winner Immense overcame a long absence from the track owing to an injury suffered at Mumbai during the Indian 2000 Guineas with a smashing win which should make him as a frontline contender for next month’s BTC Anniversary Cup. Immense enjoyed the status as the best horse last winter after Guineas heroine Siachen. Immense was sent to Mumbai to have a go at the Guineas with a great deal of expectation but he did not travel well and also suffered a crack on his hoof. As such, he was out of action for a long time. Though he had not been stretched in workouts, most believed that his class would carry him home. His manner of victory and the fact that he re-affirmed that he had not lost his zest augur well for him. Till this performance from Immense, Siachen looked a cinch on the basis o

The first classic of the season, traditionally known as the Fillies Trial Stakes, has been re-named as Gr 1 Fillies Championship Stakes, and it will be run on Sunday. There is great enthusiasm in the absence of any clear cut favourite which is evidenced by a record number of 16 runners in the fray. It is in the fitness of things because the runners appear to be well matched. The Cooji Katrak trained Black Magic Woman who is the highest rated filly in the fray, will obviously be the preferred one though her rating has been achieved significantly by winning a handicap race where there was lack of effective competition. What enhances her value as a top contender is the fact that in her third run at Mumbai, she clocked an outstanding time for a sprint. And if she can extend her superiority over the mile long trip, she can go places. Black Magic Woman’s dam, One Magic Moment was an outstanding performer up to seven furlongs. She faltered over longer trips. One Magic Moment was second in th

Jaggy Dhariwal trained Siachen made an effective switch back in distance to win the Gr 3 Chief Minister’s Trophy, the feature event of Sunday’s races in splendid fashion. Siachen came from way off the pace to collar Sprinters Cup winner Atilla with minimum of fuss to show that she is adept from sprint to a mile. Australian jockey Noel Callow, who rode Siachen to victory, had a rewarding day having also been associated with the success of Sovetskaya, Chantilly and Crown Empress. Attila, who had won the Sprinters Cup at Mumbai in March, was the favourite though there was absence of enthusiastic thrust as his odds kept on expanding. Siachen and Sirono were the other two horses widely expected to figure prominently at the finish. There was no doubting the class of Siachen who showed out in the paddock parade. The only question mark was the fact that she had performed below par over seven furlongs last summer before asserting her superiority over a mile. She had never been campaigned less t

Dominic trained Still Will finished on powerfully in the hands of jockey P S Chouhan to measure the front running Friendly Bond in the final strides of the race to win the 1200 metres K N Guruswamy Memorial Cup (Div I), a race for horses rated 60 to 85, the feature event of Saturday’s races. Last outing winner Citrali won the lower division of the race at fancy odds even as favourite Florida finished in the ruck. Friendly Bond was firmly backed to win and not without reason. Friendly Bond had been rated highly by the stable and after a failed attempt in a classic over a mile; he ran some run of the mill races. Now brought back to sprint, he was at a mark where he could make his presence felt. However, with Abnoba receiving inspired support, Friendly Bond was available at nourishing odds. Still Will was available close to 10 to 1 though this moody customer runs best when he is fresh. Another Destiny led the field with a fast run with Friendly Bond in close attendance while Still Will wa

Padmanabhan trained Speed Six outclassed a top field in the 1400 metres Gr 2 Juvenile Million, the feature event of Sunday’s races. The manner in which Speed Six swamped a seasoned opposition in what was only his second run of his career marks him out as a strong contender for next month’s Gr 1 Colts Trial Stakes. Amadeus had finished a close third to Picasso in the Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi-Million and was expectedly backed to the exclusion of the rest to win this lead up race for the classics. The got-abroad colt Amadeus had shown amazing turn of foot in all his outings and had been blazing the track. Speed Six had given glimpse of his immense potential in his debut win but was short on experience. The fact that his dam Six Speed, herself a multi-classic winning horses, had not produced any champions as the previous ones had started out impressively only to fade out without living up to the promise of the debut win made many sceptical about his chances. However, one could expect