After raising the bar on the evening racing and scaling a new high, playing perfect hosts for the 36^th Asian Racing Conference, the members of the RWITC  managing committee spearheaded by the charismatic chairman Zavaray Poonawalla is working to make the richest event in the Indian racing calendar, the Kingfisher Ultra Signature Indian Derby a bigger success and with Zavaray, the man who was instrumental in providing the Indian race horse a saddle to gallop to fame on the international circuit, the D-day at Mahalaxmi  on Super Sunday is certain to generate maximum interest among all the horse racing buffs and the buzz in the social circles too is very heartwarming, all the big cats ready with their designer hats for the big ticket event.

Immensely pleased with the response to the blue riband of the season, 17 top colts and three fillies claiming a statutory gender allowance of 1.5 kilos gearing up for the showdown at sundown at Mahalaxmi, Zavaray Poonawalla who played a stellar role in the success of ARC last week, revealed that the mega event has attracted the best including six outstation contestants, four from Bengaluru and one each from Kolkata and Mysore and it is a race no one would miss.

“A big but high quality field. On parade are the best horses and some of the best riders on the international circuit and you cannot ask for anything better,” said Zavaray wishing all the contestants and their owners, the very best in the richest and most glamorous event.

Champion trainer Pesi Shroff holds a whiphand in the mega event, Costa Del Sol and the `Queen’ filly Myrtlewood  gaining the topbilling. Most old hats in the game are of the view that Myrtlewood after her smashing success in the `Ladies Derby’, the Indian Oaks on the eve of the ARC is set to emulate the legendary Jacqueline from the topmost yard before she travels to Chennai to register the `Grand Slam’ in the Invitation Cup on the first Sunday of March.

But like all champions, Pesi Shroff is not looking too far ahead. One race at a time. The focus is now on the Ultra and the effort is to send all his runners spot on for the big one.

“ It is a big race. And more than half dozen I know are in with a definite chance to land the biggest plum. The luck of the race will play a decisive role in the 20-horse field and hopefully the wheel of fortune swings in my favour,” said Pesi confident that his two frontline contenders will produce their best in their effort to wear the Derby sash.

Satisfied and most pleased with the discussion and opinions of the elite panel on the medicine session at the ARC, Pesi while lauding the efforts of the RWITC on successfully hosting the Asian conference disclosed that the business sessions on various topics produced the big picture and the onus is on the conductors of the game to implement the standard procedures and study the suggestions and recommendations made in the effort to put Indian racing firmly on the international map.

“Our horses have made us proud, be it the legendary Mystical in Dubai and Saddle Up in Malaysia and it is time the entire Indian racing industry gets a move on to parade our skills on the international scene,” said the champion pointing out that Indian racing is on a high road and all it needs is support and encouragement from the conductors of the game.

Back to the Derby, the ladies cheer brigade reckon that it will prove to be a ladies day out at the Mahalaxmi on D-day, Myrtlewood landing the Derby riches.  She is strutting her stuff like Jacqueline and the stage is set for a Queen’s rule thundered the leader of the cheer group.

Well Costa Del Sol and Myrtlewood apart, the 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Tiger who lost out to Colombiana in his last essay and the Kolkata Derby winner Desert God from the stables of S Padmanabhan are raring to go in their effort to enter the Hall Of Fame.

Padmanabhan like Pesi acknowledged that the luck of the race will play a big role adding that in this big test, the one who stays the best will corner glory.

Padmanabhan satisfied with the preparations of Desert God made no secret of his opinion that his horse has the required potential to match strides with the best. 

“He is not in the class of In The Spotlight. So too the rest. It is a very open affair and may the best horse win without a hard luck story,” said Padmanabhan.

A trifle disappointed but not unduly worried Dallas Todywalla is confident that his `Tiger’  will go for the big kill on D-day.  While most pundits are of the view that the Tiger may lack the stamina over the classic mile-and-half journey, Dallas and Colm O’Donoghue are positive that the double classic winner will beat the best on his day.

The Vijay Mallya owned Sea Lord who is improving with every exercise and the other Bengaluru hopeful Brilliant Cut from the stables of Irfan Ghatala are the two `Jokers’ in the pack who have the ability to tackle the best. They understand that they are the underdogs and not the favourites. And that effectively means that the two are not under pressure. And the Indian Derby has favoured many free wheeling runners while pulling down the many fancied chokers under pressure.