The ten horse field for the Bangalore Derby, Gr.1  on its traditional Republic Day scheduling contains two Classic winners in Battalion and Proserpine. In the estimation of the Handicapper, though, Captain Morgan (Admiralofthefleet - Caprese) is the best of the ten horses being rated 78, two points higher than the filly Proserpine and three superior to the colt Battalion. That rating is obviously the result of Captain Morgan's fine run against Azzuro in the Chief Minister's Cup over 2000 m. when he was beaten in the last stride by the bracket-mate. It was the kind of a race that everyone wants to see -- bracket-mates going stride for stride, whips flying and in the end the favourite winning. Azzurro  was giving 9 kgs. to the younger horse. On that line, Captain Morgan's rating comes out much higher. A full-brother to the ill-fated Admirality, Captain Morgan should not be troubled by the additional 400 m. of Thursday's race. This is the family of Indian Derby winners Mansoor Beg and Cordon Bleu, Bangalore Oaks winner Cape Star -- grandam of Captain Morgan -- and the unbeaten Continual.

[ On Monday, Azzurro ran within a length of Colombiana in the Indian Champion Cup, Gr.1 at Calcutta at level weights. Columbiana is rated 125. That result gives a tremendous boost Captain Morgan's chances.]

Captain Morgan, though, was beaten two lengths by Battalion (Phoenix Tower - Athlone) in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas, Gr.2 where Tororosso (Red Giant - Paula's Girl) finished third another length behind with Bold March and Sporting Pleasure not on board. Battalion has earlier won the Nilgiris Derby, Gr.1 and Nilgiris 2000 Guineas, Gr.3. While Captain Morgan has a DI of 3.00, Battalion's DI is 1.00. That suggests that Battalion should stay better than Captain Morgan. This is Phoenix Tower's fourth Classic crop in which he has had nearly 200 foals. He is yet to sire a really notable horse over 2400 m. and till he does so, it may be prudent to be cautious about backing his progeny in winter Derbies.

Tororosso (Red Giant - Paula's Girl) is still a maiden after three runs. His sire set the world record for 2000 m. when winning the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship, Gr.1 and had earlier won the Virginia Derby, Gr.2 over the same distance in a new track record time. He earned over a million dollars in stakes and started as a stallion at Hill 'n Dale. He then moved to Three Chimneys Farm, had a brief stint in New Zealand and is today in Turkey. Such quick changes of locations have not proved detrimental to achieving success in India for that was also the fate of sires of Becket and Quasar previously. Tororosso's dam was a Champion Filly in Chile winning the Mil Guineas, Gr.1. Her first foal in U.S.A. is a winner while her second was retired after breaking down early in his career. Tororosso is her third foal. Her fourth dam is a full-sister to Sir Gaylord and a half-sister to Secretariat. This is a top pedigree and Hazara Stud purchased Paula's Girl at Keeneland November Sale in 2012 for just about GBP 26,000. Tororosso has the lowest DI in the field and Hazara Stud has excelled with its 'got-abroads'. Trainer Irfan Ghatala has just pulled a rabbit out of the hat by sending Salazaar to win the South India Derby, Gr.1. Still, it is difficult to be bullish about a maiden in a Derby even if the cry "Pyare Miya" echoes all round.

Salazaar's Derby at Guindy provides three of the runners in Thursday's race -- Magistero (second, three and a quarter length behind the winner), Fabulous (fifth, four and a half lengths behind Magistero) and Magistero's pacemaker who finished last. It was a very open race with the winner available at 6/1, excellent odds for a favourite. Magistero is a Rebuttal half-brother to Muroi. He had beaten Fabulous -- a full-brother to Abs Fabs -- in the South India 2000 Guineas, Gr.2 also and there doesn't appear to be a cogent reason to presume that Fabulous can turn the tables at Bangalore. Salazaar had the Derby sewn up at the Monument when he grabbed the lead from Amber Crown. Magistero and Namid were quickly in pursuit. Magistero veered left when asked the serious question and sprawled all over while Namid failed to take advantage of Magistro's erratic running. On that basis, it would appear that the runners who had participated in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas have an upper hand.  

Proserpine (Mull of Kintyre - Carousel) has won two Classics --the South India Oaks, Gr.1 and the Bangalore 1000 Guineas, Gr.2. The Oaks victory at Guindy was an hollow affair as she had only one opponent in the maiden Satinette whom she disposed off contemptuously in a time that belonged, almost, to an era gone by. It says nothing of her class or ability to stay. Her Bangalore win was more meritorious. In between she was a close third to Aika Aika Aika and Common Wealth, finishing on well on the very wide outside and put off, if not directly hampered, by the drifting  Aika Aika Aika who had been bumped by Common Wealth. (Aika Aika Aika got the race on an objection). Earlier, the filly had beaten Fabulous in the Air Force Cup over 1400 m. by five lengths, giving 1.5 kgs. Proserpine's sire's only Classic winner in India is Maple Star (Indian Oaks, Gr.1) while her dam is a full-sister to Bruckner (Eveready Calcutta Derby, Gr.1) and a three-parts sister Sergeant At Arms. Like Captain Morgan she is has a DI of 3.00 but the portents are that she could have the puff to last the trip. She is the only filly in the field and attempting to become the 12th to win the Bangalore Derby.

Sporting Pleasure (Arazan - Enthused) doesn't really have the form required. His pedigree and his trainer's impressive strike-rate in Classics, however, merit a mention. The colt's grandam is a full-sister to four Gr.1 Classic winners -- Smart Chieftan, Classical Act, Southern Empire and Change of Luck -- and he belongs to the Schiaparelli family which has provided more Classic winners in India than any other clan. 

Battalion, Captain Morgan and Proserpine are final entries; between them they have added Rs. 27 lakhs to the overall stakes. The average field rating of 63.4 is nearly ten points less than the average of recent years. The top eight horses are packed in a tight band of 18 points and none of them has conclusively demonstrated their ability to excel over 2400 m. That is what adds to the fascination of the race. The one who posesess the right blend of class and stamina and, most importantly encountering no hard luck story, will emerge victorious. The 'right blend of class and stamina' is difficult to assess and hard luck stories cannot be predicted. What we do know, however, is that four favourites and three top-rated horses have won in the last ten years, there being no Bangalore Derby in 2008.

PAST THE POST

This is the race which provided Vasant Shinde with the first of his 109 Classic winners with Half A Crown in 1975. That is a Classic tally bettered by only one jockey in India -- his nephew B. Prakash. In all, Shinde rode seven winners of the Bangalore Derby; the most by any jockey.

Only Cordon Bleu has completed the Bangalore Derby-Indian Derby double. Saddle Up did do so but was disqualified when his post-race samples came positive. Some of the notable horses who failed in their double attempt include Everynsky, Summer Dust, Icebreaker, Becket and Sun Kingdom. 

Half-brothers Amathos and Royal Russian both won the Bangalore Derby.

R.R. Byramji stands alone at the top of the table having saddled 10 winners. The next best tally is to the credit of S. Ganapathy who has six including five in consecutive years.