The Mysore Derby, Gr.1 is at the mercy of Desert God (Burden of  Proof - Running Flame) if the ratings have any relevance in racing.  He enjoys a clear 26 point advantage over the filly Eternal Flame (Arazan - Yutai) according to the official handicapper and even on a conservative line through Cameron he comes out at least six lengths superior.  The chestnut colt is trained by S. Padmanabhan who owns him in part and is also the breeder since Radiant Bloodstock is his venture. On pure form, Desert God's seven rivals have as much chance by catching him as Nico Rosberg has of overhauling Lewis Hamilton in this year's F1 Championship.

Sport has a habit turning form on its head. Who would have wagered on the World Champions Germany being beaten by Republic of Ireland in an Euro Qualifier soccer match ? It is to be wondered if the Mysore Derby was always a pre-planned target for Desert God or it is an after-thought spawned by his ridiculously easy victory at Malakpet.

Trainer Padmanabhan was at Hyderabad to see his ward come home with ease but left for France immediately after the race. The final decision to run Desert God at Mysore was taken on his return after he had assessed the colt's condition and seen him easily dispose off his older brother Torch Bearer in his workout on Wednesday morning. After-thoughts sometimes lead to surprises but the trainer is astute and experienced enough to know what is best for the colt.

Desert God's dam Running Flame returned to India in Februry 2009 to drop her Choisir foal. That foal was Borsalino and he has been followed by Sur La Tete, Torch Bearer and Desert God, all three by Burden of Proof. Running Flame had ventured to U.S.A. in December 2000 where she raced without much success, mostly on the West Coast. She was six years old then and clearly past her best. She was covered by Silver Hawk in U.S.A. and moved to England where she remained till her return. She had five foals abroad (missing just once in 2004) of whom the last two, Jhansi Rani (by Dubai Destination) and Maratha Warrior (by Desert Style) won a race apiece in the French provinces. Of her four foals to race in India, three are Classic winners and the fourth - Torch Bearer is Classic placed. Desert God is followed by a full-sister to Sur La Tete and two foals by Excellent Art. She is reportedly in foal to the new Poonawalla stallion Leitir Mor, a son of Holy Roman Emperor. She may yet produce a fourth Classic winner and join the ranks of great Indian broodmares like Tosca, Dusty, Amber Forest and Stunning who have done so. It is also possible that had she spent her entire stud career in India, she could have thrown five Classic winners like Star Witness did.

Having won this race with Southern Emperor and Bold Majesty in last two years, trainer S. Ganapathy is seeking a hat-trick with either Eternal Flame or Bold Command both of whom are Classic winners and are both sired by the Champion Freshman Sire designate Arazan. Eternal Flame won the Bangalore Fillies' Championship Stakes, Gr.1 with some panache but her two subsequent Classic runs - in the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 and K.R.O.A. Mysore 2000 Guineas, Gr.3 - have brought her stock down. The colt made his debut as a 2YO and it went un-noticed. He has since reeled off a hat-trick over the mile trip but his margin of victory has diminished with each run. In his maiden victory, he put a distance between himself and Amazing Charm with Brilliant Cut further away in third. His second win was impressive but the winning distance was halved to five and a half lengths ahead of Delhi-based Starlet. Then, he was all out to win the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club Mysore 2000 Guineas, Gr.3 by a neck from Brilliant Cut (Burden of Proof - Clear Cut) who showed an improvement of over a dozen lengths. The winning post certainly came to Bold Command's rescue on his last start. On their best form, both Eternal Flame and Bold Command have a chance to upset Desert God but they both appear to have regressed. Even at his best, Ganapathy seemed more adept at keeping winning horses at their peak rather than reviving and gingering up those that were languishing. It is always dangerous to judge a stallion on scanty evidence but the running of Derbies at Hyderabad (Dazzling Bay) and Pune (Bold Appeal) suggest that Arazans may find the final stages of a competitive 2000 m. race taxing. The pair will have the services of another Arazan - Southern Surprise - as a pacemaker.

Brilliant Cut made his debut only during the Bangalore Summer season when he was a  well beaten third to Bold Command and Amazing Charm. He was then thrown into the deep-end in the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 and predictably failed o show up. His maiden victory was over 1800 m. in Mysore and he has followed that up with a strong finishing second to Bold Command. He is bred on the Burden of Proof-Tejano cross that has produced the Classic winners Jersey Girl, Chase The Sun and Charlatan. His dam Clear Cut won 4 races up to 1400 m. Her first foal by Brave Act did not win but the next four - all by Burden of Proof - have won 18 races between them, none of them beyond a mile. Having already a win over 1800 m. and finishing late over a mile last time out indicates that he could be effective over the Derby trip, something which his siblings and his dam did not do.

If the first three finishers in the three 3YO Derbies run so far are taken into consideration, it is obvious that they have been dominated the progeny of Burden of Proof and China Visit. Star Formation (China Visit - Prevalence) has done exceptionally well so far considering she is based at Mysore.  After winning her first two races on her home track, she has raced only in high quality contests. She failed to come on board in the Kingfisher Derby, Gr.1 where she was sixth; still ahead of eight other runners including Eternal Flame and Brilliant Cut. In her remaining three starts she was second; in the Bangalore Fillies' Championship Stakes, Gr.1, Mysore Million and K.R.O.A. Mysore 1000 Guineas, Gr.3. That's a remarkably consistent record. Her six siblings are all winners and have won 23 races between them. Their dam Prevalence was smartish sprinter-miler. Only Ave Maria, a full-sister to Star Formation, has won beyond a mile with three of her nine wins coming at 1800 m., 2000 m. and 2200 m. at Hyderabad. As such one cannot be absolutely certain of trainer Bipin Salvi's filly staying the trip.

Darius Byramji-trained filly Flamboyance (Multidimensional - Romantic Scene) is still a maiden after seven starts but has earned a little over Rs. 16 lakhs, most of it for placing a faraway fourth in Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 where the likes of Star Formation, Eternal Flame and Brilliant Cut were in her slipstream. In her two runs since then over a mile, she has missed the board. The question which arises is whether that fourth was a flash in the pan or if it is the extended trip which was responsible for a better effort.  Her Razeen half-brother Porto Banus won his only race over 2000 m. while their dam also has a win over the same distance. Romantic Scene is a half-sister to Star Beauty and Forever Amber who are winners over 2400 m. Flowersoftheforest (Wills Golconda Derby, Gr.1, Golconda Oaks, Gr.2, etc) and Warsaw Pact (Indian St. Leger, Gr.1) are from the immediate family as is the brilliant Shamaal (A.V. Thomas Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1) whose Field Marshal who won this race in record time in 2011. Winning is a habit and a Derby is a difficult place to start and acquire it.

The Mistrys of Manjri Stud were unfortunate with Continental's fall when in fighting line close home and would be hoping for better fortune with Mogadishu (Phoenix Tower - Leeward Passage) on Sunday. The dark bay gelding finished well behind Bold Command and Brilliant Cut last time out but it was his first run on the track. He has since had the time to get acclimatized.  In winning the Shapoorji Pallonji Breeders' Juvenile Colts' Championship, Gr.3 at Mumbai he had finished ahead of Jefferson and Bullrun and that's good pointer to his prowess. His half-sister Right To Rule is a stakes winner in U.S.A. while their dam is a full-sister to Windward Passage (Rebel Stakes, Gr.3). Like Kingda Ka, Phoenix Tower gets plenty of winners but so far hasn't had a really good one over 2000 m. Like the Mistrys, the trainer Dallas Todywalla could do with a friendly glance from Lady Luck because his last two forays for this race with Perceived Value and Starsky resulted in failed expectations though both saved place money. With Suraj Narredu reportedly riding Desert God, Todywalla will need to find a jockey for Mogadishu.

Kunigal Stud and Usha Stud are each represented by two runners while three Arazans from Poonawalla Farms are also in the fray. The three farms are locked in a close battle for the minor places in Champion Stud Farm table. The outcome of this race has often had a significant impact on that table, most recently in 2011 when Field Marshal's victory enabled the Poonawalla Farms to top the table and edge out Usha Stud by a mere ten points. Darius Byramji needs just one more winner of this race to equal his father's record of six. S. Ganapathy, S. Padmanabhan and Irfan Ghatala have all saddled a Mysore Derby winner while Bipin Salvi is seeking his first Classic winner.

PAST THE POST

The Mysore Derby is the last of the Monsoon Derbies run and hence offers a chance of a Derby double. Red Chieftan, Aristocrat, Chaitanya Chakram and Delage have recorded the Deccan Derby-Mysore Derby double. The four of them achieved the feat many years ago. In recent times, the likes of Perceived Value, Starsky, Sweeping Success, Borsalino and Spreadeagle attempted to follow in their hoofbeats but without success. In 1975, Republican ran four times in Hyderabad without winning. He was beaten a neck in the Hyderabad Colts' Trial Stakes and by a head in the Deccan Derby, both times by Makalu. He was hosed but not completely dry when he was put on a horse box and vanned down to Mysore. The Deccan Derby was run on October 2nd as usual. The Mysore Derby was scheduled for October 5th, just two clear days between the two races. Ridden by Sinclair Marshall, Republican won the Mysore Derby. At Hyderabad, he was always brought from behind. For the Mysore Derby, the tactics were changed and he was hustled into the lead at halfway stage and held on to win comfortably from the rank outsider Anekta with the favourite Sea Mist third.

Fourteen Guineas-Derby doubles have been registered at Mysore with four of them being to the credit of fillies. Favourites have won 18 of the 41 runnings, a strike rate much better than the normal percentage for favourites.

The 2010 Mysore Derby was declared null and void and the average rating for the other four years is 73.5.  This year, it a bit lower at 71.75 but still the highest for any 3YO Derby. Two favourites (Field Marshal and Bold Majesty) and two highest rated horses (Field Marshal and Southern Emperor) have won in the last four years.