Vittal Deshmukh sets a new record
The talking point of Sunday’s racing at Malakpet was the record breaking feat of trainer Vittal Deshmukh who saddled seven winners in a row in the card of eight events. Deshmukh, who has been a leading trainer at Hyderabad, has always eyed for big races and has good quality horses to nurture his ambition. He is also blessed with good sporting owners who are in the sport for the thrill of winning. Deshmukh may not have expected to win seven races in a race at the start of the day though he would have fancied all of them as he himself later put it: ``There is always a difference between expectation and final result.’’ It is one of those exhilarating days when everything fell in place, he added.
Deshimukh’s achievement is an exceptional one as no trainer in India has achieved such a feat in competitive environment. One is of course not taking racing at Chennai into consideration as any feat is possible there as racing is a controlled activity. Jockey P S Chouhan who has been enjoying great success on the local circuit was associated with five of these wins, four of them in succession. Nothing could go wrong for Deshmukh as a combination of his powerful string and good contribution from his jockeys ensured that Deshmukh was assured of a place in the history of Indian racing.
Vijayrath recorded a facile win in the Air Command Cup, a Category I race over a mile, by seeing off the threat of late rallying Ave Maria. Vijayrath raced in about the fifth position for most part of the journey before Chouhan pushed the Deshmukh trainee into lead with two furlongs left in the race. The progeny of Razeen picked up speed and went clear. Ave Maria’s finishing burst suggested a possibility of an early success.
The winner number seven for Deshmukh came easier than expected as Orient Glory, in the hands of apprentice Venkat spread-eagled the field to win by eight lengths over Pure Magic. Apprentice jockey Ajit Kumar lost both his stirrup at the start of the race but despite this mishap, Palace Affairs ran well to finish a faraway third.
The day started with the hard fought victory of the highly rated three year old Rapture of Victory over Don Valentino in the Shivkumar Lal Memorial Cup, a race over a mile. Don Valentino missed the kick and lost some ground at the start. Rapture of Victory was held back in the rear group by jockey Chouhan before unleashing the favourite with a furlong out. Don Valentino who had steadily covered ground, had come the shortest way and had gone into the lead. The duo fought a resolute battle before Rapture of Victory emerged the better of the two by a head. Fly By Wire was a faraway third.
Vijay Trishul was ridden out to get the measure of front-running Esperanza in the final moments of the race in the Set Alight Plate (Div I). Though the margin of victory was just half a length, the superiority of the winner was much more than the verdict. Dixie Bell fought a resolute battle with Rio Grande to win the lower division of the race. Dixie Bell led all the way but was caught up with by Rio Grande in the final furlong and shaped to surge ahead. However, in the persevering hands of Chouhan, Dixie Bell fought back and won quite comfortably in the end.
Chak De India, who had been laid low by a tendon injury, was nursed back to race in the 1800 metres Nawab Mehdi Jung Bahadur Memorial Cup, a Category III race. Chak De India had to fight a stiff battle with Southern Rose before emerging the better of the two inside the final 100 metres. The strenuous effort took its toll on the winner who reportedly came back lame. Syle Ikon was a faraway third.
Apprentice jockey Venkat’s driving finish enabled Pathfinder to keep the challenge of favourite Vijay’s Flame at bay in the Sunny Blossom Plate. This was the winner number five for Deshmukh who also won the next two races to set a new mark.
Deshmukh did not have a runner in the eighth race of the day and it was won by the well backed runner from Anupam Sharma’s yard namely Armada. Fabulous Crown who had run impressively in his previous outing was the favourite but Armada who had come down a lot in handicap scale, caught up with the front running horse close home and won by a length at the finish. Green Mist, Queen of Habashe and Standing Ovation finished behind in close order.
Deshimukh’s achievement is an exceptional one as no trainer in India has achieved such a feat in competitive environment. One is of course not taking racing at Chennai into consideration as any feat is possible there as racing is a controlled activity. Jockey P S Chouhan who has been enjoying great success on the local circuit was associated with five of these wins, four of them in succession. Nothing could go wrong for Deshmukh as a combination of his powerful string and good contribution from his jockeys ensured that Deshmukh was assured of a place in the history of Indian racing.
Vijayrath recorded a facile win in the Air Command Cup, a Category I race over a mile, by seeing off the threat of late rallying Ave Maria. Vijayrath raced in about the fifth position for most part of the journey before Chouhan pushed the Deshmukh trainee into lead with two furlongs left in the race. The progeny of Razeen picked up speed and went clear. Ave Maria’s finishing burst suggested a possibility of an early success.
The winner number seven for Deshmukh came easier than expected as Orient Glory, in the hands of apprentice Venkat spread-eagled the field to win by eight lengths over Pure Magic. Apprentice jockey Ajit Kumar lost both his stirrup at the start of the race but despite this mishap, Palace Affairs ran well to finish a faraway third.
The day started with the hard fought victory of the highly rated three year old Rapture of Victory over Don Valentino in the Shivkumar Lal Memorial Cup, a race over a mile. Don Valentino missed the kick and lost some ground at the start. Rapture of Victory was held back in the rear group by jockey Chouhan before unleashing the favourite with a furlong out. Don Valentino who had steadily covered ground, had come the shortest way and had gone into the lead. The duo fought a resolute battle before Rapture of Victory emerged the better of the two by a head. Fly By Wire was a faraway third.
Vijay Trishul was ridden out to get the measure of front-running Esperanza in the final moments of the race in the Set Alight Plate (Div I). Though the margin of victory was just half a length, the superiority of the winner was much more than the verdict. Dixie Bell fought a resolute battle with Rio Grande to win the lower division of the race. Dixie Bell led all the way but was caught up with by Rio Grande in the final furlong and shaped to surge ahead. However, in the persevering hands of Chouhan, Dixie Bell fought back and won quite comfortably in the end.
Chak De India, who had been laid low by a tendon injury, was nursed back to race in the 1800 metres Nawab Mehdi Jung Bahadur Memorial Cup, a Category III race. Chak De India had to fight a stiff battle with Southern Rose before emerging the better of the two inside the final 100 metres. The strenuous effort took its toll on the winner who reportedly came back lame. Syle Ikon was a faraway third.
Apprentice jockey Venkat’s driving finish enabled Pathfinder to keep the challenge of favourite Vijay’s Flame at bay in the Sunny Blossom Plate. This was the winner number five for Deshmukh who also won the next two races to set a new mark.
Deshmukh did not have a runner in the eighth race of the day and it was won by the well backed runner from Anupam Sharma’s yard namely Armada. Fabulous Crown who had run impressively in his previous outing was the favourite but Armada who had come down a lot in handicap scale, caught up with the front running horse close home and won by a length at the finish. Green Mist, Queen of Habashe and Standing Ovation finished behind in close order.
indeed it is rare feat by the trainer LVR Deshmuck. i heard he comes from an aristocratic/feudal family known for love for horses. it is said in racing circles that he has done a professional course in breeding in Ireland. in school/college days he was a champian in equestrian sports and was selected to represent India in Olympics.
ReplyDeletewinning 7 in a row is really a great feat. trainer Byramji who won 6 earlier in bangalore shall be happy to be surpassed by his desciple LVR Deshmukh.
congratulations to him for bringing pride to great hyderabad.