Moonlight Romance joins elite league
Cooji Katrak trained Moonlight Romance achieved a unique place in the history of Indian racing as she achieved the rare feat of winning the Kingfisher Bangalore Derby, McDowell Indian Derby and HDIL Indian Turf Invitation Cup by staving off the spirited bid of Xisca in a fitting finale to the Invitation Cup weekend races on Sunday. Chaitanya Chakram and Smart Chieftain had achieved this unique distinction in the past. The fact that only a few fillies have won this event in the 48 year history of the race puts the achievement of the daughter of China Visit in proper perspective.
Moonlight Romance was the favorite to win this event which is billed as the final of the national championships in racing. The filly had done nothing wrong having done whatever that was asked of her. Richard Hughes who had partnered Ocean And Beyond in the Derby this time wisely trusted the Indian Derby winner to deliver the goods. There were many who believed that Xisca who was finishing on well in the Indian Derby could turn the tables on her and as such, the spirited support for the Pesi Shroff trained filly was on expected lines. Ocean And Beyond did not inspire confidence in those who had blindly put their money on him to deliver the goods last time out. Though there were many Derby winners in the fray, they were not expected to disturb the first four placed horses of the Indian Derby. But as things panned out, Moonlight Romance could well have become a victim as Golconda Derby winner broke down passing the six furlong marker and Richard Hughes had to ride with all the skills at his command to prevent the filly from suffering an accident. Moonlight Romance’s rhythm was upset as she had to go wide but Hughes was able to steady her and keep her going. Business Tycoon who suffered a fracture, was euthanized.
Moon Emperor did the job of the pace setter followed by Business Tyccon, Vijay Monarch, Ocean And Beyond, Moonlight Romance, Xisca along the rails and Sun Kingdom on her outside, Maachupicchu, Sunny’s Secret and Balmoral Castle racing in that order. When Business Tyccon broke down, both Nai McCullah who was on Ocean And Beyond and Hughes on Moonlight Romance reacted in anticipation and swung out wide while the rest stayed on course. Business Tycoon veered out and grinded to a halt and thus a major accident was averted.
Moonlight Romance cruised into the straight and Hughes waited the filly till the final furlong before asking the favourite to quicken. She broke into a good lead even as Stephane Pasquier was getting busy on Xisca. Moonlight Romance managed to pull out the reserves in her as the winning post came close and held off the spirited of Xisca by a neck. Ocean And Beyond ran on to finish third while Maachipicchu who perhaps did not relish the tactic of being ridden in restraint and ran on to finish a disappointing fourth.
Hughes who was obviously thrilled that he was to deliver the goods after making an error of judgment in the Indian Derby said: ``The mishap could have cost Moonlight Romance the winning opportunity as in a big race, even a minor interference can have a bearing on the chances of a horse. Moonlight Romance quickly gained her composure back and made things easy for me.’’
Stephane Pasquier said that Xisca gave a brave performance. ``Xisca does not quicken the way Moonlight Romance does and as a result, I had some catching up to do. Moonlight Romance has proved that she is better of the two,’’ he added.
Altamash trained Astapi won the HDIL Entertainment Million in a close finish from Touching The Town and Lake Superior. Jockey Silvester De Sousa persisted in using the whip on the right which caused the filly to shift and go on to Lake Superior whose progress was hampered. Lake Superior too shifted out and appeared to have made contact with Touching The Town which lost the race by a whisker. There was an objection by Richard Hughes against Silvester for continuously shifting out and bumping him twice which cost him a certain second place in the context of the situation. Trainer Padmanabhan too objected against the jockey for the second interference his horse suffered due to the outward shift of the winner. The Chairman of the Stewards Shivlal Daga strongly advocated for the objection to be upheld along with two other Stewards. However, the two newly appointed race day Stewards along with Vivek Jain, Shamlal Ruia and Gautam Lal voted for overruling the objection much to the surprise of the majority of race goers who felt the objection should have been upheld going by the same body’s repeated judgments in the past. Even a top attorney who was present felt that the objection should have upheld, a feeling which was echoed by the majority of the racing professionals.
Moonlight Romance was the favorite to win this event which is billed as the final of the national championships in racing. The filly had done nothing wrong having done whatever that was asked of her. Richard Hughes who had partnered Ocean And Beyond in the Derby this time wisely trusted the Indian Derby winner to deliver the goods. There were many who believed that Xisca who was finishing on well in the Indian Derby could turn the tables on her and as such, the spirited support for the Pesi Shroff trained filly was on expected lines. Ocean And Beyond did not inspire confidence in those who had blindly put their money on him to deliver the goods last time out. Though there were many Derby winners in the fray, they were not expected to disturb the first four placed horses of the Indian Derby. But as things panned out, Moonlight Romance could well have become a victim as Golconda Derby winner broke down passing the six furlong marker and Richard Hughes had to ride with all the skills at his command to prevent the filly from suffering an accident. Moonlight Romance’s rhythm was upset as she had to go wide but Hughes was able to steady her and keep her going. Business Tycoon who suffered a fracture, was euthanized.
Moon Emperor did the job of the pace setter followed by Business Tyccon, Vijay Monarch, Ocean And Beyond, Moonlight Romance, Xisca along the rails and Sun Kingdom on her outside, Maachupicchu, Sunny’s Secret and Balmoral Castle racing in that order. When Business Tyccon broke down, both Nai McCullah who was on Ocean And Beyond and Hughes on Moonlight Romance reacted in anticipation and swung out wide while the rest stayed on course. Business Tycoon veered out and grinded to a halt and thus a major accident was averted.
Moonlight Romance cruised into the straight and Hughes waited the filly till the final furlong before asking the favourite to quicken. She broke into a good lead even as Stephane Pasquier was getting busy on Xisca. Moonlight Romance managed to pull out the reserves in her as the winning post came close and held off the spirited of Xisca by a neck. Ocean And Beyond ran on to finish third while Maachipicchu who perhaps did not relish the tactic of being ridden in restraint and ran on to finish a disappointing fourth.
Hughes who was obviously thrilled that he was to deliver the goods after making an error of judgment in the Indian Derby said: ``The mishap could have cost Moonlight Romance the winning opportunity as in a big race, even a minor interference can have a bearing on the chances of a horse. Moonlight Romance quickly gained her composure back and made things easy for me.’’
Stephane Pasquier said that Xisca gave a brave performance. ``Xisca does not quicken the way Moonlight Romance does and as a result, I had some catching up to do. Moonlight Romance has proved that she is better of the two,’’ he added.
Altamash trained Astapi won the HDIL Entertainment Million in a close finish from Touching The Town and Lake Superior. Jockey Silvester De Sousa persisted in using the whip on the right which caused the filly to shift and go on to Lake Superior whose progress was hampered. Lake Superior too shifted out and appeared to have made contact with Touching The Town which lost the race by a whisker. There was an objection by Richard Hughes against Silvester for continuously shifting out and bumping him twice which cost him a certain second place in the context of the situation. Trainer Padmanabhan too objected against the jockey for the second interference his horse suffered due to the outward shift of the winner. The Chairman of the Stewards Shivlal Daga strongly advocated for the objection to be upheld along with two other Stewards. However, the two newly appointed race day Stewards along with Vivek Jain, Shamlal Ruia and Gautam Lal voted for overruling the objection much to the surprise of the majority of race goers who felt the objection should have been upheld going by the same body’s repeated judgments in the past. Even a top attorney who was present felt that the objection should have upheld, a feeling which was echoed by the majority of the racing professionals.
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