Glory, Grit, and a Dash of Chaos: Invitation Cup Weekend Unfolds

The Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend isn’t just about one grand race—it’s a full-blown spectacle, complete with three other Grade 1 events, because why settle for one showstopper when you can have an entire festival? Saturday kicks off with the Gr 1 Zavaray Poonawalla Sprinters’ Cup and the Gr 1 Coromandel Gromor Stayers’ Cup, while Sunday belongs to the Gr 1 Invitation Cup and the Gr 1 Major P K Mehra Memorial Super Mile. The supporting races are no mere fillers either, dangling juicy prize money to keep the competition fierce.aa

 

 

By Sharan Kumar

 

The Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend isn’t just about one grand race—it’s a full-blown spectacle, complete with three other Grade 1 events, because why settle for one showstopper when you can have an entire festival? Saturday kicks off with the Gr 1 Zavaray Poonawalla Sprinters’ Cup and the Gr 1 Coromandel Gromor Stayers’ Cup, while Sunday belongs to the Gr 1 Invitation Cup and the Gr 1 Major P K Mehra Memorial Super Mile. The supporting races are no mere fillers either, dangling juicy prize money to keep the competition fierce.

 

This year, the Madras Race Club has pulled off some impressive maneuvering to snag the hosting rights a tad ahead of schedule. The reason? Oh, just a minor inconvenience called "impending eviction"—a government mandate to relocate racing activities to a greenfield racecourse, which, by the way, doesn’t exist yet. Racing might cling on at the current scenic venue for another couple of years, but a shift seems inevitable. So, in all likelihood, this could be the last-ever Invitation Cup weekend at this historic racecourse—unless, of course, the universe decides to throw another plot twist.

 

The Gr 1 Zavaray Poonawalla Sprinters' Cup has a well-earned reputation as a graveyard for favourites. It’s a ruthless test where one awkward stride, an unlucky draw, or a momentary lapse in judgment can turn the “sure thing” into just another also-ran. There’s no room for hiccups—blink, and you’ll be staring at the back of the pack. Enter Time And Tide, trained by Adhirajsingh Jodha, the reigning champion who left her rivals gasping last year. After a lukewarm Pune season, she bounced back with a scintillating victory in the Dr S C Jain Sprinters’ Cup at Mumbai, a race that has historically been a crystal ball for the Sprinters’ Cup. She looked imperious on Indian Derby weekend, with jockey Sandesh pressing the button at just the right moment, leaving the opposition scrambling for excuses. She’ll start as the hot favourite—whether she obliges or follows the path of past “jinxed favourites” is the question.

 

Among those looking to crash her party are Magileto, the Sprinters’ Trial Stakes winner at Hyderabad who probably wishes Time And Tide would take a vacation, and Dream Seller, who has been consistent but found Time And Tide too good for comfort. Constable, trained by Pesi Shroff, has been reinvented as a sprinter, and given Shroff’s Midas touch in this race, he’s a serious contender. Kolkata’s Meropi has a solid record but needs to find another gear to match the speed demons from Mumbai. Miss American Pie and Berrettini are capable of springing a surprise if the race doesn’t follow the script. If everything goes according to plan (which it rarely does in sprint races), Time And Tide should reign supreme. If not, expect the unexpected.

 

The Gr 1 Coromandel Gromor Stayers’ Cup was shaping up to be a coronation for Adhirajsingh Jodha’s Dyf, but with him skipping this race to take a shot at the Invitation Cup, the marathon now looks wide open. Truth, trained by Sreekant, is a warhorse with ten wins from twenty-one starts, always in the thick of things. He won the South India St. Leger with authority and should relish this stamina test. Casteel, trained by Satish Narredu and guided by Suraj Narredu, is the Calcutta Derby winner and a stout stayer who will be a major threat if this turns into a war of attrition. Bharath Singh’s Ramiel is always in the mix, and his tenacity will add to the drama, while Golden Thunder has the makings of a marathon specialist—if he fancies stretching his legs for three thousand meters. Evaldo, the South India Derby winner from Prasanna Kumar’s yard, has been defying expectations left, right, and centre. This is a much stiffer test, but he has upset potential. With no clear-cut favourite, it’s anyone’s race—and a punter’s nightmare.

 

The Gr 1 Major P K Mehra Memorial Super Mile is shaping up to be a classic two-horse shootout between Santissimo, trained by Pesi Shroff, and African Gold, trained by Parvati Byramji. Santissimo slammed African Gold in the Indian 2000 Guineas, but the latter had the upper hand in Bangalore’s summer season. If these two live up to expectations, the rest are here for moral support. Oisin Murphy is there to ensure that Santissimo will get the best of the rides. But if either falters, Iron Clad has ability, and Shamrock has a love affair with the Chennai track.

 

With a stacked weekend featuring top-class racing, last-chance saloon vibes for the Chennai racecourse, and a fair dose of unpredictability, expect drama, heartbreak, and maybe—just maybe—a favourite or two actually winning for a change.

 

 

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