Days Best (Burden of Proof – Enduring Image) owned by Shiven Surendranath representing the Diamond Band Racing Syndicate & Mr Neil Shah scored an emphatic victory in the day’s feature race – The Kunigal Stud Breeders’ Produce Stakes (Gr3), in what looked an open race until the final furlong. With all the six runners staking some claim or the other, the odds were attractive for each horse. Although Days Best was the prime favourite he was available at 3/1 in the betting ring.

Maintaining true Shiven-owned-horse like-trend (Scarface for example), Days Best too galloped in the rear in the seven-furlong race, but not as dramatically as Scarface does. Up ahead, Silver Birch went into the early lead with Cocktail Circuit, Machiavellianism following closely. Amazing Desire and Southern Opinion followed with Days Best at the tail end.

Last start winner Silver Birch guided the field homewards but his lead was soon snatched away by Machiavellianism the fancied colt from Hyderabad.  Jockey PS Chouhan shot ahead with the colt and got and got a good response too. But barely had he surged ahead of Silver Birch, Amazing Desire started to apply pressure with a brief but sustained bid. All the while, Days Best was in the rear with Southern Opinion too making steady progress. Southern Opinion took the hanging out a bit yet making visible progress and Grant got him into a rhythm, Days Best bounded forward in a hurry to seal the issue past the Grand Stands. Southern Opinion charged in to end just under 2 lengths behind, pegging back Amazing Desire for the runner up berth.

Days Best is yet another promising colt to join the ranks in sporting owner Shiven Surendranath’s string of horses. Shiven has been fortunate right from the outset and since it is the Derby weekend, it may not be out of turn to recalled that he is one of the very few owners to have led-in an Indian Derby winner in his very first year as an owner. Velvet Rope provided him that distinction in early 2000 that too in record time. However, Shiven was not around as he was overseas yet he returned by call and had this to say –“I recall having quoted in the Racing World magazine that Days Best would be the best bet the day he runs and I also mentioned that the targeted race was the Kunigal Stud Breeders’ Produce Stakes. I am overwhelmed that this prophecy came true. What prompted me to be so bullish is that I had seen his track work and he had dished out a superb workout. He is still immature as you saw in his run and this victory despite that is very heartening as I feel he will come on a lot after this and is bound to improve further. Feels great when predictions come right,” he said.    

Mr Zeyn Managing Director of the URBB, did the presentation honours. There was good reason for Mr Mirza to be happy despite their ward Cocktail Circuit not doing well in the same race as Days Best was bred at the Kunigal Stud Farm.

Southern Opinion ran a good second considering the wide turn and his gallop from the very wide outside. He was giving weight too and that makes his effort notable. Amazing Desire also ran a good race and should fare better in the near future. As far as Days Best is concerned, he lived up to his name and proved his owner right. Is there a new Derby spirit in the air? Just like during X’Mas?