McDowell Signature Indian Derby Heralds Great Month of Racing - By Vivek Jain
Posted on - 30 Jan 2015
McDowell Signature Indian Derby Heralds Great Month of Racing
By Vivek Jain
Over the next five weeks the RWITC will host the best of racing in India, making it the most glorious stretch of top notch sport for racing aficionados. Ten graded races, a first ever Champions Day, and six Grade 1s is a mouth watering prospect for those addicted to the thrill of the thoroughbred.
Sunday's McDowell Signature Indian Derby will as usual be a mammoth affair and again it sets new records. The 73rd running of India's greatest horse race will be the 31st continuous year of sponsorship under the McDowell banner- quite easily a record for any sporting event probably in the world, worthy of a Guiness book entry. This year's prize money at 3.27 crore is a nip and tuck above last year's high.
My first Indian Derby was in the mid 70s when as a teenager I watched my father's Rock Deposit run as a second favourite for this Blue Riband. He was first into the straight only to break down. And having beaten Pyare Miya in his lead up race, who won, and Lady Madonna in the one before that, who had won the Oaks, it shows Lady Luck and Miss Fortune plays an all too important part!!
This year's hot favourite Be Safe is all set to be one of the few crowd choices to please the near 30,000 ensemble. From the moment we saw the got abroad win as a two year old at Pune, he had greatness stamped all over his magnificent conformation. Full credit to his schooler, the affable Malesh Narredu who has quite unexpectedly made the transition from champion jockey to a prolific classic trainer quite early in his career. Malesh has had a cracking season and both he and his charge deserve the glory that awaits them on Sunday.
One more Signature event which combines the best of sport, entertainment and leisure will go down in the record books on the first Sunday of February.
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