When the curtain came down on the 1961-62 winter season at Mumbai, it was Dady Adenwalla who topped the list of trainers for the first time in his career while Pandu Khade claimed his ninth Champion Jockey title at Mahalakshmi. It was, alas, also the last time they were Champions at Mumbai. The toast of the season, however, was raised to veteran Arab trainer A.L.J. Talib for he had that season saddled Loyal Manzar to become only the second Indian Triple Crown winner. What's more, as Talib's string of juveniles contained some brilliant colts it was widely expected that he would recapture his lost crown the following year.

Foremost among Talib's colts were Ethics II (Decorum - Piarehind) and Triple Star (by Star of Gwalior, also the sire of Loyal Manzar, out of Starry Way).  After an easy debut, Ethics II won two races in quick succession and then was put away for Pune. Triple Star won his first two starts but his hat-trick bid came to naught when he was beaten by Viscol and Golden Sand in the Indian Union Cup. He met with early interference in that race and thereafter Stan Smith did not hustle him unduly. He was then awarded the K.P .Singhania Gold Cup on a successful objection but was a tame third to Viscol at level weights in the open class. That meant that Dr. C. Rossi's Viscol ended the season with three wins like Triple Star.  Gwalior's Zulfiqar and the Babbanio colt Dark Tolly had just one win each to their name but they had scored impressively. All in all, the colts appeared to be vastly superior. 

Racing during the monsoons at Pune changed the picture significantly if not dramatically. Dark Tolly migrated south to Bangalore while Zulfiqar and Viscol preferred to sit out the season. Gwalior's Shah Jahan added a bracket to his earlier success in Mumbai without causing too many ripples. Ethics II failed to win in three starts while his stable companion Triple Star won once and was twice second in open class. Disturbingly though, the Talib colts were beginning to show flashes of temperament. The fillies fared much better. Remembrance and Manzar won twice and while Nanda Deep failed to post a victory in her three starts, she was second in all three of them.  Mr. Suresh Mahindra's Multi Flora won once and was a short-head second to Remembrance. Another filly who caught the eye was Rocklie. From the first crop of Rock of Gibraltar, the Talib-trained filly won the prestigious Pune City Cup over a mile beating Nanda Deep and breaking her duck on her fifth start. Her previous four starts had all been over short distances and she certainly appreciated the step up in trip. Last rounding the Turf Club House turn, she produced a smooth run in the straight and was going away at the finish. That season, however, was marred not just by the monsoon clouds but also by the pall that befell the country following Chinese aggression in the north-east.

Talib kicked off the 1962-63 Mumbai season with a bang  bagging a treble on the opening day and his two stalwart colts, Ethics II and Triple Star scoring on the second. The two lead-up races for the Guineas in those days were the R.R. Ruia Gold Cup over a mile and the Morvi over a furlong less. Talib's Babbanio filly Dignity was the favourite for the former but it was her stablemate Rocklie who finished on to place second to the 'got-abroad' filly Marquise. Later that day, Nanda Deep making the most of the weight she was receiving, beat Remembrance and Gazebo over 1400 m. The following Sunday, Gazebo won the Morvi comfortably  from Viscol and Shah Jahan despite having to give weight to the latter two. The form lines clearly indicated that Remembrance was the Queen Bee amongst the fillies while Gazebo lorded it over the colts. The two of them accordingly started as the best backed for their respective Guineas but both were humbled by Nanda Deep on whom Willie Snaith, Gwalior's retained jockey for the season, excelled in power packed finishes, holding off Remembrance in the '1000' by a length and Gazebo by three-parts of a length in '2000'. She became the first filly to complete the "Guineas double" since Gamble For Love in 1949, the two hard races however took their toll on Nanda Deep for she broke down and was retired to Manjri Stud.

The two important races between the Guineas and the Derby were the Sir H.M. Mehta Cup over 2000 m. and the Indian Oaks. Maharaj Narpat Singh's filly Remembrance started as the favourite for both the races. She was beaten a head in the former as Ethics II won from end to end to redeem himself. That was the third time that the daughter of Flower Dust had finished runner-up on the trot with her pilot Shamu Chavan always leaving it a bit too late. In the Indian Oaks, Chavan was determined not to make the same mistake again and this time he tracked Manzar, Rocklie's pacemaker, and went for the Judge early in the straight. Rocklie finished on with her customary late run but was a head shy at the wire. This was S.M. Shah's first Classic win as a trainer and the ultimate cherry on the top for he saddled five winners that day.

The Derby picture received a new twist when Mr. Al M. Muthukaruppan Chettiar sent over Mount Everest and Jhansi-Ki- Rani from Guindy in keeping with the trend that was beginning to get established. Scone Stone (1959), Pride of Andhra and Random Harvest (1960), State Bank (1961) and Glory of Andhra (1962) had  previously come over to Mahalakshmi but the big Derby prize had eluded them. In Mount Everest (Decorum - Evening Tide), bred by the owner at Yeravada Stud, the southern challenge appeared formidable. A big-made, rangy, plain looking but powerful horse, Mount Everest was trained by Mohd. Lahori . For a horse of his size, he came to hand early and ran twice as a 2YO, placing on both the occasions. As a 3YO, he won 10 consecutive races including the Bangalore Colts' Trial Stakes, the inaugural Kunigal Derby over a mile and the South India 2000 Guineas. He had, however, been beaten third on his first start at 4 in the South India Derby behind Mr. R.J. Guzdar's Khan Baba-trained  filly Neon and Royal Revive. He had been almost four lengths behind the winner and it was said that the heavy going which prevailed on that day did not suit him.

Mount Everest had less than a fortnight to travel from Chennai and settle down at Mahalakshmi before the big test on 27 January. With the inaugural Indian Turf Invitation Cup slated to be run in March, the Indian Derby had been brought forward that year. All seemed well with the southern challenger as he was put through his paces and it was no surprise to see him installed as a 6/4 favourite in  the 13 runner field. Viscol, the mount of Pandu Khade, was next demand at 3/1 with the Indian Oaks winner Remembrance at 5/1. Ethics II and Rocklie, bracketed on the Tote for betting, both at 8/1 on the books with the remaining in double figures. The favourite's pacemaker Jhansi-Ki-Rani led the field when the tapes went up but as they galloped towards the Hornby Vellard corner, Triple Star, one of the three Talib runners had taken over with Ethics II in his slipstream. As they approached the final bend, Jhansi-Ki-Rani moved up to be alongside Ethics II but they were all surprised when Khade came with a rush on Viscol to be the first to enter the straight. Triple Star dropped out; Jhansi-KI-Rani and Ethics II chased Viscol for a while and Stan Smith slipped Rocklie through on the rails and went past Viscol. Mount Everest's jockey McGaffin was perhaps caught unawares but when he did get into the favourite, he began to eat into the break that Rocklie had established. Just then he started to hang out. McGaffin straightened him and the gap to Rocklie diminished till they were almost upsides as they went past the post.

The Judge called for a photo. It was then announced that the camera had failed and as no print was available for the Judge to consult, he announced the result as he had perceived it. Rocklie was declared the winner by a neck with Viscol third and Remembrance, who had lost a few lengths at the off, fourth. There was some commotion which was understandable because the favourite had been beaten. Some of its intensity also owed to the fact Rocklie came from a big betting stable. However, it soon subsided and rest of the day's programme went ahead undisturbed.

The Derby runners had barely reached their stables, were hosed and back in their stalls when Lata Mangeshkar inspired the nation with the first rendition of  "Aye mere watan ke logon" at the National Stadium in Delhi, leaving the Prime Minister misty eyed.  Much later that evening, a young man who had staked his all, including money 'borrowed' from the till on Mount Everest, walked into the sea off Juhu with his wife and two young children.

A fortnight later, Rocklie and Mount Everest squared up again in the Indian St. Leger.  The Derby winner overtook Jhansi-Ki-Rani as they came into the straight and made a beeline for the post. This time, though, an alert McGaffin ensured that Mount Everest went after the filly much earlier and that he kept a straight course. Mount Everest, a 10/4 on favourite, scored more readily than the length verdict suggested. He also went on to win the inaugural Indian Turf Invitation Cup by a head from the Calcutta challenger The Leprechaun. Mount Everest, who broke down after the race, remained in training for three more years after being patched up but never won again. His career as a stallion at Highclere Stud was unremarkable. Rocklie won three races over the next two years including the Homi Mody Stakes and the Aga Khan's Stakes in which she beat imported horses Red Royal and Miss Pinkie. She proved a good broodmare - though some of her stock was talented but unsound - being dam of Nectar Queen and Storm who was beaten by Prince Khartoum in photo in the Indian Derby as well as the Invitation Cup. Stan Smith became the first jockey to ride back to back winners of the Indian Derby and, yes, Talib did finish as the Champion Trainer.

PAST THE POST

The controversy stemmed from the camera failure. It could have happened in any race but for it to occur in a Derby and the Judge's decision to go against the favourite is what caused the hubbub. There are two pieces of evidence to suggest that the Judge's decision was the correct one. Firstly, in those days it was the custom for the numbers of horses involved to be called in the order the Judge had placed them. Rocklie's number had been called before Mount Everest's. (These days they are called in race card number seniority). One man who was a deeply interested party was Mr. Fali Wadia. It was at his Yeravada Stud that Mount Everest had been bred and he would have dearly loved for Mount Everest to be the winner of the Indian Derby. The Wadia box in the Members Enclosure is on the first floor and has a good view of the finish. Mr. Fali Wadia always maintained that Rocklie had won the race fairly.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Since the camera failed, the photo-finish print is not available. There is, however, an old press photograph. It is being reproduced below and viewers can draw their own conclusions.