The enduring charm of the Bangalore Derby

 Sovereign King Silences the Whiners, Reigns Supreme

 

By Sharan Kumar

 

Adhirajsingh Jodha’s Sovereign King once again galloped into the limelight—not just as a thoroughbred of class, but as a monarch who doesn’t need a PR agency or a WhatsApp tribunal of aggrieved co-owners to cry foul on his behalf. The son of Top Class, bred at Mukteshwar Stud Farm, showed that regal bloodlines trump noisy lamentations, as he captured the Gr 1 Zavaray Poonawalla Colts Championship—the second classic of the Bangalore Summer Season—in a finish fit for streaming drama. Jockey Anthony Raj, unfazed by the turbulence of a 16-horse tangle and a run-in with Stormy Sea (both the horse and the chaos), produced a ride worthy of applause.

 

Sovereign King ran into all sorts of trouble—rough weather, shuffled positions, traffic jams that would put Silk Board in Bangalore which is a nightmare for those using the area, to shame—but unlike some others, he didn’t file an FIR or write a blog post. He simply turned on the afterburners, took the scenic route via the outer galaxy, and still managed to win. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how champions respond—on the track, not in the comments section.

 

Now, about the race: 16 colts and geldings squeezed into the Bangalore track like passengers in a Mumbai local at rush hour. The outermost runners practically started from Cubbon Park, thanks to the limited track width which results in the starting gates being placed at an angle. The inside ones had to jostle, elbow, and pray for a miracle. With horses cutting erratic fractions up front and the backbenchers forced into wide circumnavigations, chaos was the only constant.

 

Add to that Bangalore’s final bend, which involves a mini trek, about 38 feet of incline from the 600-metre marker. It’s not so much a race as a boot camp with a finishing line. Sovereign King, shuffled and stranded with nowhere to go, didn't throw a tantrum. Anthony Raj didn’t press the panic button. He just asked, the horse answered, and the King reclaimed his crown in the dying strides of a race that had more twists than a K-drama.

 

Stormy Sea gave his all, slicing through the traffic with purpose. Red Bishop charged late with his episcopal authority. Prokofiev stormed ahead in the straight, faded into fourth. Jockey Mukesh Kumar, whip lost and rhythm seemingly misplaced, didn’t help his cause.

 

As for Circle of Dreams—well, dreams do die, especially when you go too fast, too soon. Akshay Kumar, sensing the horse had emptied out quicker than a Black Friday cart, dropped his hands a furlong out and let the second favourite saunter in last. Big Bay? More like Low Tide. The Poonawalla Million winner is now a case study in sophomore slump.

 

The early part of the race saw Charismatic lead them on a merry chase with Circle of Dreams in tow, followed by Dedication, Matisse, and a jumble of others, including Rosario who seemed more interested in impeding rivals than progressing himself. Stormy Sea had to shake him off like a bad hangover before launching his run.

 

In the end, it was Sovereign King who had the final word—head down, ears pinned, heart roaring. He nosed ahead of Stormy Sea, who edged out Red Bishop, who in turn pipped Prokofiev in a finish that left the crowd gasping.

 

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a race—it was a statement. The first four finishers showed grit, class, and a refusal to play the victim. And in a sport increasingly overrun by post-race analysts masquerading as saints, it’s refreshing to see a horse do the talking with his hooves.

 

Sunday’s racing card served up a full-course meal of drama, head-scratchers, and just the right amount of controversy to keep punters twitching. In the Pronto Pronto Plate, a mile-long outing for maiden three-year-olds, the smart money—and the emotional bets—poured in for Sulaiman Attaollahi’s runner Einaudi. But the colt, clearly more into beauty sleep than breakneck speed, once again missed the bus at the gates. That’s two snoozes in three starts—not exactly the kind of consistency his connections were hoping for. Still, he made a flashy, if futile, dash to finish a teasing fourth, just enough to haunt the hopefuls who backed him. Jockey Trevor Patel, who partnered the sleepy star, completed a hat-trick of frustration by losing on two other favourites before finally clawing back some pride (and perhaps peace of mind) aboard Defence Counsel. Sometimes, even top riders need a race or three to remember where the winning post is.

 

While favourites were dozing off or fading out, Kiss of Grey, a rank outsider, decided to take matters into her own hooves. Yash Narredu went straight to the front and stayed there, holding off Cigar Galaxy, whose trainer probably had his frustration dial turned to maximum. The same trainer's luck—or lack thereof—was highlighted again when Felisa lost by a nose (and perhaps a blink) to Glorious Spectre, trained by Neil Devaney, in a Div II race for the 20–45 crowd. Spectres may be ghostly, but this one had presence at the wire.

 

Trainer Dominic, who might win more debates than races, had a rough day himself. His hotly-backed Noble Cause was anything but noble in defeat, finishing a lifeless third. He finally found solace with Defence Counsel, a horse who had no business being in this class—unless, of course, you appreciate the art of “strategic placement.” After trailing in 20 lengths behind over seven furlongs in the last outing, the horse was conveniently dropped in distance to five-and-a-half furlongs and suddenly decided to find form.

 

The opening race of the day, a good old scrap among the basement brigade, saw Satin Lass dash to the lead with gusto but run out of gas just in time to lose third spot. Mystic Charm flew in from the clouds to win, while Slice of Luck did what his name suggested—slice through for second. Perhaps the trainer of the beaten favourite might consider teaching their horses to breathe better in the final furlong. After all, oxygen isn’t optional at the business end of a race.

 

In a race that looked more like a demolition derby than a gallop, two jockeys hit the turf and chaos reigned supreme. Through the mayhem, Neil Darashah’s Galway Girl decided to keep things simple—lead from the front and let the rest sort themselves out. She did just that, bravely fending off the late and lazy charge of Art of Romance, who apparently didn’t feel like participating until about the last 100 metres. Trevor Patel, unfortunately, once again found himself stuck with a sluggish starter—by now, he must be wondering if his mounts come with a snooze button. Meanwhile, Monterio, the favourite, didn’t show enough spark to make a mark.

 

Over in the Civil Service Cup, Golden Thunder, a Derby-final entry last season, finally decided to justify his name and his feed bill. Karthik Ganapathy’s charge, guided expertly by Anthony Raj, took the shortest route home—unlike Saqlain on favourite Arkadian, who seemed more interested in sightseeing than winning, taking the scenic route wide into the straight and gifting away a golden opportunity. Cape Wickham, ever the early bird, led from the front and hung on for place money, sparing his connections a post-race explanation.

 

The mile-long race for horses rated 40 to 65 was a bit of a nail-biter, though for trainer Prasanna Kumar, it might have felt more like saving an embarrassment. The heavily backed Rock Bank, under pressure, dug deep to repel stablemate Live The Dream and Arjun Mangalorkar’s Inspire, who both looked menacing but lacked the final punch. Storm Shadow, another runner from Prasanna’s yard, loomed up late to finish fourth.