While it did early damage on its course including disrupting the racing schedule at the Mahalaxmi, Cyclone Okchi presented a providential opportunity for the RWITC of hosting a grand Indian Classic double on successive says this weekend. It’s a rare occurrence but the RWITC won’t be complaining too much as the season’s Indian Classic starts off with a bang! Two fabulous fashionable races, star fillies and colts competing hard, a good number of exciting races on each day and a number of international jockeys at work is a menu that will attract any sporting buff. The RWITC has on their part, thrown in several lucrative and attractive prizes up for grabs for the general public and a Derby-like crowd is expected to add to the din in the Grand Stands.

ON day one, that’s Saturday, nine top line fillies have accepted to compete for the Grade I Spartan Poker Indian 1000 Guineas for three year old fillies run over 1600 meters. Despite the cliché ‘uncertainties’ attached to racing in particular, one can safely be certain that the winner will emerge out of either the multi classic winning Lady In Lace or the hitherto unbeaten Ruffina. Manifold is the Dark ‘Un and it won’t exactly shock anyone if she puts it across the top two fancies. The big two will have to watch out for her.

Assessing the chances of the three mentioned above, Lady In Lace seems to hold a very slight edge. She has won over the distance and beyond it too, has the experience and form going for her and due to the rescheduling of the race, has had enough time to recoup from her conquest at Hyderabad and the travel to Mumbai that ensued.  She is at her peak and her mind-boggling win in Pune still draws awe. She has everything going for her and will be there fighting to the finish.

Lady in Lace’s trainer Prasad Raju is upbeat and says “It’s always good to test your filly against the best. Lady In Lace is in top form and as she has proved, very talented as well. She is versatile and has won over varying distances. The mile is right up her alley and in fact I feel it’s her favourite trip. She has travelled well and is top condition. I am confident that she will make us proud.”

Ruffina is already a star filly, unbeaten in the five starts she has had. She amazed everyone right from her debut run and she showed enough evidence that there is something special about her. Ruffina is the one who is blessed with a dash of brilliance and she has been seen pulling away in the straight each time she raced on the Mumbai track. The only time she looked hard pressed was in Pune when she raced after a setback and a long layoff. That she won her only start at Pune despite being under par shows that she is loaded with the class factor and that alone is enough to perform well at top level.  Ruffina will be most tested in this race and there is no reason why she wouldn’t come out with flying colours.

Ruffina’s owner, philanthropist and business tycoon Dr Cyrus Poonawalla says, “She has every aspect that one looks for in a top class filly. She has done everything right and won her prep race impressively showing a good burst of speed. Ruffina is the only unbeaten filly in the race and I hope that she will continue her unbeaten streak on Saturday in the Indian 1000 Guineas.”

Ruffina's trainer Dallas Todywalla was a lot sporting in his views saying “I think this year’s Guineas is a three-way battle between my filly Ruffina, Lady In Race and Manifold. May the best horse win.” Whether he was only too sporting or tight-lipped to reveal more about Ruffina is left to your conclusion.

Manifold was sublime in her Kingfisher Ultra Bangalore Derby (Gr1) conquest as she is the only one to beat top rated colt Castlebridge after he came to hand and struck form with his maiden victory on his third start. He has lost just once from eight starts counting from his first win. That was in the Kingfisher Ultra Bangalore Derby. Manifold has run just twice since then and has a 1:1 result post that win. She lost to Lady In Lace at Hyderabad and won her lead up race in Mumbai recently. Going by her style of running, Manifold would prefer a slightly longer trip to propel herself and that will be exploited by the likes of Lady in Lace and Ruffina. Manifold won’t be able to afford switching off early and then surface with her challenge the way she did in Bangalore. She will have to be alert all the time to match the brilliance of Ruffina in the straight and the throttled-thrust of Lady in Lace which saw her swamp the opposition at Pune. Manifold will however fancy her chances on the longer Mumbai straight and she would want to use every inch of the ground to have her say at the finish.

Any of the other contenders emerging to upset the three mentioned would amount to the glorious uncertainties of the sport.

The RWITC have provided a lovely opportunity to the public by offering a list of attractive prizes to be won. The growing popularity of the Quinella ka Dhamaka which offers a bumper prize of Rs Two Hundred Thousand against an investment of a paltry Rs 200/- on the Quinella pool on a pre-decided race will be on again. Besides this there are various contests linked to the totes that can win prizes such as a Splendour Motor Bike, high end LED TVs, Mobile phones and home appliances etc and public participation to win is extremely high.

Two successive days of Indian Classics is rarest of rare occurrence and if you are in Mumbai make no excuses to stay away from the Mahalaxmi racecourse. There is so much to soak in on racing excitement coming weekend. For those who are out of Mumbai and would miss the action, log on to indiarace.com for all the stride to stride recounts on this enchanting weekend happenings.