Mumbai's Classy High Point

Film star Sanjay Khan and wife Zarine leading in Prince Khartoum (W Swinburn up) with trainer Rashid Byramji (left) after winning the Indian Derby in 1972 (pic: Gautam Kotwal archives)

-->

By Prakash Gosavi

(c) MiD DAY (Friday, June 25, 2010)

What’s common between an educational institute and a horse race?

What’s common between Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan at Chowpatty, and the Indian Derby run every year at the Mahalaxmi racecourse which is only three kilometers away?

Both were initiated by one and the same man—Kanhaiyalal M Munshi.

Sounds strange, but it is true.

K M Munshi, renowned freedom fighter, writer and educationist who founded the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 1938, was the same man who ushered in the Indian Derby four years later. A follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Munshi was so possessed by the idea of ‘swadeshi’ that he used his good offices as home minister of the then Bombay Presidency to ensure that the first ‘desi’ version of the Derby was run at the Mahalaxmi racetrack in 1943.

Today, 67 years later, the same race is known as the McDowell Indian Derby (grade 1), and is not only the richest sporting event in the country (no sport offers the prize of Rs two crore for a single contest), but also the most-looked-forward-to annual event in Mumbai’s social calendar.

Over the years, the Indian Derby has cast its magical spell and charmed millions, among them have been the Englishmen serving in India, the Maharajas, business tycoons, even people from Bollywood and cricketing world—the west Indian Gary Sobers was once accused of declaring innings in a hurry to wrap up the match early on Sunday morning so that he could attend the Derby at Mahalaxmi in the afternoon.

The Derby influence, like its prize money which has gone up from Rs 35,000 in 1943 to Rs two crore in 2010 thanks to sponsors McDowell, is only widening its net with every passing year.

The word Derby has become generic today, and symbolizes the best race of every nation in the world. In England it’s the Epsom Derby, in the U.S. it’s called the Kentucky Derby, in Japan it’s the Japan Derby, and in India it’s the McDowell Indian Derby.

At Mahalaxmi, the Derby is one of the five Classics run every year, the other four being the Indian 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Oaks and the St Leger, all grade 1 events. Though all other racing centers in India have their own versions of the local classics including the Derbies now, only the Mahalaxmi Classics are allowed the tag ‘Indian’, conferring on them a national status.

Even among the Indian Classics, none of the other four enjoys the status and prestige of the Indian Derby which, like the Derby race of every nation, is styled on the mother of all Derbies—the Epsom Derby run in England. In fact, the very tag ‘Derby’ traces its roots to England of the 18^th century when two friends—Lord Derby and Lord Bunbury—resorted to the toss of the coin to decide who among them will lend his name to the race that was slated in such a way so as to throw up the champion horse of the year.

Every year more than 25,000 people from all over the country and all walks of life descend onto the Mahalaxmi lawns to witness this greatest Indian race. It is every horseman’s dream to win the Indian Derby at least once in a lifetime. Run every year on the first Sunday of February at the Mahalaxmi racetrack, the Derby tests not only speed but also the stamina of a racehorse when it is asked to gallop a mile-and-a-half (which incidentally, is exactly one round of the Mahalaxmi oval) in the fastest possible time.

In the early days after the inception of the Indian Derby in 1943, the racing scene in India was mostly dominated by the Maharajas and the royalty, who had the means of breeding and owning top class thoroughbreds and importing English riders to ride them in the big race. During the first 20 years, exactly a dozen Derbies were won by the Maharajas, notable among them were Harishingh of Kashmir, Scindia of Gwalior, Gaekwar of Baroda & the Idars. Foreign riders dominated the scene during the same period, winning 14, only six picked up by the Indian jockeys—three by the legendary Pandu Khade alone.

However, the influence of the royalty started fading during the 1960’s when business tycoons and industrialists began taking keen interest in owning quality horses. The last Derby that went to the royalty was in 1965 which Madhavrao, then a 20-year old youthful scion of Gwalior’s Scindia family, won with Rose Royal.

When industry leaders were busy taking up the mantle from the royalty, one man who was neither a maharaja nor a business tycoon made a sensational appearance on the Mahalaxmi circuit. T G Gaonkar, who was a mere sub-inspector at the Yellow Gate police station when he resigned after allegedly making a fortune dealing in a metal of the same colour, outbid many of the Maharajas and tycoons to purchase some quality bloodstock during the annual auctions in 1962. A colt he picked up for Rs 50,000 on the advice of his trainer Aziz Mahmoud, and later named Prince Pradeep, went on to win the Indian Triple Crown in 1964 which consists of winning the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger.

Bollywood also has a long and historic connection with the Indian Derby. The first colourful film personality who owned a Derby winner was Sardar Chandulal Shah, owner of Ranjit Studio, and the man rumoured to have lost Rs 2 crore in a single race day in the early 1940's, but had a heart stout enough to shrug it off with a smile. Maker of 123 films, which perhaps is a world record, Shah won the Indian Derby in its seventh year (1949) with a horse named Balam that was trained by A L J Talib. The only other film personality to win the race was film star Sanjay Khan whose Prince Khartoum trained by Rashid Byramji picked up the 1972 Derby.

Incidentally, Rashid Byramji as a trainer has an exceptional record for the Derby. He has won it 13 times (twice through his deputies when he was denied licence in Mumbai), among which are two hat-tricks. Two other people with a Derby hat-trick to their name were horse owner Ranjit V Bhat and legendary jockey Pesi Shroff.

The former won his trio between 1976-78 with Commanche, Squanderor and Manitou, while the latter rode in his back-to-back Derby winners in Exhilaration (1989), Desert Warrior (1990) and Starfire Girl (1991). Shroff, who also holds the record for maximum number of Derby winners (8), has the distinction of being the only horseman to have won the Indian Derby both as a jockey and a trainer. He had trained this year's Derby winner, Jacqueline.

==================

Life is like that..

While the Derby mostly has ecstatic memories for everyone connected with it, there are some exceptions. The most tragic event associated with the Derby took place in 1963, which was the only year when photo finish camera failed in this event’s 67-year old history.

Two horses—Mount Everest and Rocklie—went past the winning post locked together. The judge resorted to his naked-eye judgement, and declared Rocklie the winner. That night one Mr Kurup, a bank manager from Santacruz, attemted suicide along with entire family in the sea at Juhu because he had embezzled the bank’s money to bet on Mount Everest. The entire family drowned except a girl child who was rescued by onlookers.

--------------

The rise and rise of Derby stakes (Rs)

1943 35,000
1953 47,510
1963 65,104
1973 138,300
1983 394,278
1993 1,149,420
2003 4,265,961
2010 20,000,000

======================