The enduring charm of the Bangalore Derby

  

 

Miss American Pie Finally Savours Mumbai Success

 

By Sharan Kumar

 

 

Miss American Pie finally decided Mumbai was not a forbidden city. The six-year-old mare ended her long-running local boycott by narrowly holding off a late-lunging Market King to land the 1200 metres Mulraj Goculdas Trophy, the Sunday showpiece for horses rated 80 and above. For the record, this was not her maiden win as some may be tempted to believe after years of frustration. She had already won seven races from 16 starts. The only catch was that none of them had come on the Mumbai track, where the long straight has a habit of exposing front-runners with overconfidence and limited oxygen.

 

Enter visiting English jockey David Allan, rode the mare in restraint, instead of pressing the accelerator from the word go. He waited. He stalked. He produced her late. The daughter of Gleneagles responded with interest, cruising past Dream Seller in the straight and shaping like a winner. Market King, a horse whose best days were supposedly filed under “ancient history” after 760 winless days, suddenly remembered how to race and charged home with menace. Miss American Pie survived by the narrowest of margins, thereby confirming that patience, even in Mumbai, is occasionally rewarded. A messy skirmish for third saw Son Of A Gun nose out Irish Gold and the once-dominant Dream Seller, who had done all the donkey work before crying enough.

 

If the feature had a feel-good ending, the S M Shah Salver offered something closer to tragicomedy. Bezalel, once again a warm favourite and once again full of promise only in theory, flopped spectacularly in the 1400 metres contest for horses rated 20 to 46. This was the same Bezalel whose previous run as a strong fancy had earned jockey Sandesh not just criticism but a suspension that suggested justice had been delivered with a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel. The horse had returned from a year-long break then, produced two thoroughly forgettable runs, but was still backed heavily on the strength of a mock race that apparently carried more weight than actual form.

 

Predictably, Bezalel finished nowhere of consequence, trailing in a distant seventh, while American Eagle, trained by Shezaan Shah, bolted in yet again. Lucio chased in vain and held off Bohemian Rhapsody for second, while Bezalel confirmed, for those still clinging to hope, that he remains a horse of unproven merit. If Sandesh felt hard done by, the evidence now reads less like a defence brief and more like an exhibit. Suspensions, as this episode once again underlined, often seem less about incontrovertible guilt and more about institutional anxiety when favourites keep failing and someone, anyone, must be seen to be doing something.

 

The Y M Chaudhary Memorial Trophy for maiden three-year-olds was refreshingly straightforward. Invictor, trained by Altamash Ahmed, built on a sparkling second last time out and made no mistakes this time. David Allan, enjoying a purple patch, dictated terms from the front and drew away to win by a widening five lengths. Angelisa finished second ahead of Lorenzo, and while Invictor looks a promising sort with a future brighter than most, Angelisa too should improve sharply after this lung-opener.

 

The 1000 metres P R Mehta Trophy brought its own subplot. Sequential, from the Narendra Lagad yard, was favourite, which in itself raised a few eyebrows given that Lagad’s reputation is built more on patience and timing than on winning maidens. Sure enough, it was the lesser fancied Blue Jet, trained by Deepesh Narredu, who made all and held on comfortably from Gunfire. Dreams Come True added a touch of slapstick by drifting towards the outer rail at a crucial stage, effectively sabotaging his own winning chance with admirable efficiency.

 

Staying types had their say in the 2000 metres Jayaramdas Patel Gold Trophy, where Endurance, trained by Imtiaz Sait, built on a forward run to score with ease. Exuma led them a merry dance but cried halt inside the final furlong as Endurance swooped late under Yash Narredu. Break Point, turning out again perhaps a shade too soon, looked every bit a tired horse and settled for third as Exuma clung on gamely for second.

 

David Allan completed a memorable treble in the concluding race, steering the well-backed Chicago Chimes to a comfortable start-to-finish victory for trainer Karthik Ganapathy in the 2000 metres Ferrari Plate, a race for horses in the lowest category. Royal Champ chased but never truly threatened, while Golden Heart trailed in a well-beaten third.

 

The Maharaja Sir Pratapsingh Gaekwad Trophy saw Challenge Accepted, trained by Adhirajsingh Jodha, rediscover his purpose after failed classical ambitions and a drop in distance. Apprentice Ramswarup kept him neatly tucked in third as Goddess of Dawn and Storm Cloud cut out the pace. Once into the straight, Challenge Accepted was unleashed and quickened decisively to win with ease. Eastern Monarch, the second favourite, found no extra gear when it mattered, while Bee Magical stayed on from the rear to finish third.