Sun Kingdom for VIF Bangalore Derby
By all accounts, it is difficult to look beyond Irfan Ghatala trained Sun Kingdom to win the Gr 1 VIF Bangalore Derby, the star event of Bangalore winter season, to be run on Wednesday, the Republic Day. Sun Kingdom is a winner of two classics and had run behind Moonlight Romance in the Kingfisher Derby. He has imposing credentials and barring uncertainties associated with the sport of racing; he should be home and dry. Having said that, there are certain hurdles that Sun Kingdom has to still overcome and whether they can upset his chances or not remains a matter of debate.
Before discussing the credentials or the lack of it of the other contestants, one has to critically examine Sun Kingdom and also talk about its trainer. Irfan Ghatala has won two Derbys through Brown Sugar and Full Speed at Hyderabad and Mysore respectively. These horses however did not maintain their level of progress beyond certain period of time. The trainer has specialized in bringing off king sized gambles and not really concentrated on winning big races. He rarely ventures out of Bangalore . A more ambitious trainer would have certainly targeted Sun Kingdom for the Indian classics but Irfan is content to keep the son of Royal Kingdom in Bangalore . He is expected to go to Mumbai and run in the Indian Derby after this run.
One has rarely seen Irfan run his horses in mile and half trips. I don’t remember when the trainer won a race over a mile and half trip. There is no doubt that Sun Kingdom can stay the grueling trip but so far in this season he has been confined to mile long trips and mock races and hasn’t had a big lead up race after the abortive and hurried attempted job at Mysore where Sun Kingdom’s jockey fell soon after the start in the race in the Derby which was declared null and void. Sun Kingdom is blessed with a good turn of foot which he displayed in exemplary fashion in his last win in the Guineas where he was bottled up for an opening despite which he still managed to win with a measure of comfort.
Sun Kingdom will be guided by Richard Hughes who has become the darling of Indian racing crowd for the confidence that he brings to his rides. Last year he was astride Jacqueline in its record haul in Indian classics. Then he went on to have a wonderful season at England where he narrowly missed winning the jockey’s championship. His stint in India during the current winter season has been successful and he has already won two India classics through Ocean And Beyond and Moonlight Romance though the first winner is under a cloud for breach of medication rules.
The amazing quality about Hughes is that he has measured up the Indian jockeys, their strengths and weakness and plans his moves accordingly. He does not hesitate to react instinctively even if the race is not run in the manner planned or expected. On this score, he brings Sun Kingdom a clear cut superiority in the field. If everything goes as expected, Sun Kingdom may win the biggest prize of the season, the coveted Derby which has a new sponsor this year through Dr Arif Ainuddin whose VIF Group of Concerns have contributed significantly to the prize money. The Bangalore Winter Derby however offers the lowest stakes in India though the Summer Derby carries with it guaranteed prize money of Rs 1 crore to the winner.
Padmanabhan trained Kilimanjaro has caught the imagination of race goers by his spectacular win over nine furlongs in his last run. The striking manner in which he accelerated in the final furlong after coming from rear and the excellent time that he clocked has made him a realistic contender for the Derby . Kilimanjaro is a relatively inexperienced horse having run just thrice and won twice. He has trained on well and his trainer Padmanabhan exudes confidence of a good performance by his ward. Though the progeny of Iktiyar has a mind of his own, there is no denying his ability. He will stay every inch of the trip. Kilimanjaro’s dam had foaled Obligado who was a winner of the Mysore Derby and had performed consistently in good company. Jockey David Allan has struck a fine partnership with the horse and he should be able to sort out the problems of Kilimanjaro and cause a big upset.
String Along who won the Golconda Oaks is another who is a stronger contender. Though it is doubtful if she can last out the mile and half trip in a true run race, the fact that she has won over this trip is an encouraging factor.
Dante Rossetti from Mumbai has won both his outings in impressive fashion. He has gone over the trip of mile and half and won the race quite well but in a slow timing. Astounding Gallop, Unleashed, Braavo, Rezzom and Spark of Atan are the other enthusiastic contenders in the big field of 15 runners that are in the fray.
Before discussing the credentials or the lack of it of the other contestants, one has to critically examine Sun Kingdom and also talk about its trainer. Irfan Ghatala has won two Derbys through Brown Sugar and Full Speed at Hyderabad and Mysore respectively. These horses however did not maintain their level of progress beyond certain period of time. The trainer has specialized in bringing off king sized gambles and not really concentrated on winning big races. He rarely ventures out of Bangalore . A more ambitious trainer would have certainly targeted Sun Kingdom for the Indian classics but Irfan is content to keep the son of Royal Kingdom in Bangalore . He is expected to go to Mumbai and run in the Indian Derby after this run.
One has rarely seen Irfan run his horses in mile and half trips. I don’t remember when the trainer won a race over a mile and half trip. There is no doubt that Sun Kingdom can stay the grueling trip but so far in this season he has been confined to mile long trips and mock races and hasn’t had a big lead up race after the abortive and hurried attempted job at Mysore where Sun Kingdom’s jockey fell soon after the start in the race in the Derby which was declared null and void. Sun Kingdom is blessed with a good turn of foot which he displayed in exemplary fashion in his last win in the Guineas where he was bottled up for an opening despite which he still managed to win with a measure of comfort.
Sun Kingdom will be guided by Richard Hughes who has become the darling of Indian racing crowd for the confidence that he brings to his rides. Last year he was astride Jacqueline in its record haul in Indian classics. Then he went on to have a wonderful season at England where he narrowly missed winning the jockey’s championship. His stint in India during the current winter season has been successful and he has already won two India classics through Ocean And Beyond and Moonlight Romance though the first winner is under a cloud for breach of medication rules.
The amazing quality about Hughes is that he has measured up the Indian jockeys, their strengths and weakness and plans his moves accordingly. He does not hesitate to react instinctively even if the race is not run in the manner planned or expected. On this score, he brings Sun Kingdom a clear cut superiority in the field. If everything goes as expected, Sun Kingdom may win the biggest prize of the season, the coveted Derby which has a new sponsor this year through Dr Arif Ainuddin whose VIF Group of Concerns have contributed significantly to the prize money. The Bangalore Winter Derby however offers the lowest stakes in India though the Summer Derby carries with it guaranteed prize money of Rs 1 crore to the winner.
Padmanabhan trained Kilimanjaro has caught the imagination of race goers by his spectacular win over nine furlongs in his last run. The striking manner in which he accelerated in the final furlong after coming from rear and the excellent time that he clocked has made him a realistic contender for the Derby . Kilimanjaro is a relatively inexperienced horse having run just thrice and won twice. He has trained on well and his trainer Padmanabhan exudes confidence of a good performance by his ward. Though the progeny of Iktiyar has a mind of his own, there is no denying his ability. He will stay every inch of the trip. Kilimanjaro’s dam had foaled Obligado who was a winner of the Mysore Derby and had performed consistently in good company. Jockey David Allan has struck a fine partnership with the horse and he should be able to sort out the problems of Kilimanjaro and cause a big upset.
String Along who won the Golconda Oaks is another who is a stronger contender. Though it is doubtful if she can last out the mile and half trip in a true run race, the fact that she has won over this trip is an encouraging factor.
Dante Rossetti from Mumbai has won both his outings in impressive fashion. He has gone over the trip of mile and half and won the race quite well but in a slow timing. Astounding Gallop, Unleashed, Braavo, Rezzom and Spark of Atan are the other enthusiastic contenders in the big field of 15 runners that are in the fray.
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