Even with the course and distance winner New Creation opting to go for the Hindustan Times Palate Fest Indian Oaks, Gr.1 at Mumbai five days later, a strong contingent -- in quantity, if not quality -- has moved to Guindy for the South India Derby, Gr.1 on the traditional Pongal Day. 

Spearheading that force of six challengers is Oomph (Midnight Interlude - Jahanara), winner of the Bangalore 1000 Guineas, Gr.2 and third in the Spartan Poker Indian 1000 Guineas, Gr.1 at Mumbai. One of the nine -- Apollo Bay -- is a maiden. Oomph is the only Classic winner among the visitors. She was three and a half lengths behind La Rondine in her last start with Arabia splitting the pair. La Rondine was a long neck shy of Tudor Treasure in the South India Oaks, Gr.1 while Arabia finished a length and a quarter ahead of My Opinion with Peluche another half a length further away.  On that form line, Oomph can certainly be mentioned in the same breath as Tudor Treasure, My Opinion and Peluche. Her dam is by the sprinter Exceed and Excel and she herself won her only race over 1200 m. She is, however, a half-sister to that good stayer Cavalryman. Their dam is a winner over 2400 m. in France and a half-sister to the black-type winning stayer Double Honour. Unless the influence of Exceed and Excel is pronounced, there is a possibility of Oomph being able to tackle the distance.

Peluche (Phoenix Tower - Lost In Thought), a final entry, has never been off-the-board in his ten starts, has travelled far and wide and is rated higher than Oomph though he is yet to win a black-type race. First he ventured to Calcutta where he was in the lead half-way up the straight in the Calcutta Monsoon Derby, Gr.2 but the local horse Shivansh fought back to grab the prize. On his last start, he was a close third to Arabia in the South India 2000 Guineas, Gr.2, half a length behind My Opinion and a head in front of Angelino. Both Shivansh and Angelino are running the Calcutta Derby and are likely to provide an input to collateral form. That, in a way is academic because how they fare over 2400 m. in no way affects Peluche's performance over the same distance. The Epsom Derby Gr.1 winner Commander In Chief and the Coronation Cup, Gr.1 winner Rainbow Quest figure in the immediate family of Peluche and that is a plus point. His sire Phoenix Tower doesn't get too many classy ones over 2400 m. but he did get Rochester (Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, Gr.1). Interestingly, the great stamina influence Sadler's Wells occupies exactly the same position in Peluche's pedigree as he did in Rochester's.

Filling in for New Creation is her owner's colt Psychic Force (Multidimensional - Psychic Light) who, too, is a final entry. He was first seen in a race only in June of Bangalore's summer season when he made a winning debut. He has followed that with two good wins over a mile -- one of which was a neck victory over Peluche in the Karnataka Police Trophy -- but also run two alarmingly bad races; once in Mysore he veered out badly early in the race and then in the Bangalore 2000 Guineas, Gr.2 where he dropped out like a pricked balloon. He is said to be a haughty customer with a mind of his own. He has been beaten a couple of times over a mile, not going through with his effort. That could mean two things -- one ,that mile is about as far he wants to go or that he doesn't have the speed to match good milers. His dam Psychic Light was born blind and did not race.Her previous three foals have won eight races between them but none beyond 2000 m. The next dam Psychic Flame won the McDowell Indian Derby, Gr.1 as well as the Calcutta Derby, Gr.1. She has produced five winners who have won 14 races but only up to a mile.  Significantly, none of Psychic Flame's descendants have yet won a black-type race.

In India, most of the races beyond 2000 m. are black-type races. It is hence possible that staying horses lacking the requisite class don't get an opportunity to run these races. Hence the stamina, perhaps, remains latent.

In the absence of New Creation, trainer Padmanabhan is coming with Indian Pharaoh (Excellent Art - Running Flame). Excellent Art is yet to produce a Classic winner over 2400 m. There is no doubt that sooner or later he will get one like Phoenix Tower did. The question is when. He has covered some mares who have won Classics over 2400 m. -- like Attractress, Classic Sky, Ice Breaker, In The Spotlight, Pleasure Hunt, Rain Splasher, Running Flame, Warsaw Pact and others -- but they are yet to produce a Classic winner over 2400 m. when mated with Excellent Art.  As such, Indian Pharaoh's run at Chennai will be watched with interest. His dam Running Flame was trained by Padmanabhan and four of her ten wins came over 2400 m. or more. All her foals in India have been trained by Padmanabhan including Borsalino who was by sprinter Choisir. Borsalino won the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 as well as Vijay Textiles Deccan Derby, Gr.1, both over 2000 m. Indian Pharaoh's solitary win so far has been over a mile.

Garrison (Phoenix Tower out of Nanoli Stud Pune Derby winner Gobelin) runs in the same colours as Peluche and his mission could well be to set the pace for his bracket-mate. 

The three local runners will all be carrying the famous gold and brown colours and of them Star Ranking will probably be tasked with front running duties. Tudor Treasure (Saamidd - Isola Tiberina) ran a splendid race in the South India Oaks, Gr.1. She made her run along the rails, was in front for a brief while and went down only by a head to New Creation. The winner raced wide apart in the centre of the track and the jockey would have found it difficult to know his position vis-a-vis  New Ceation. The course commentator certainly did for he called Tudor Treasure as the winner. La Rondine was a long neck behind Tudor Treasure and a line through Arabia gives an edge to the filly over the colts My Opinion and Peluche. If she has got over her Oaks travails, Tudor Treasure has as good chance as any runner in the race.

My Opinion (Dialed In - Love Me Good) is a 'got-abroad' foaled at Sans Craintes Stud. His sire, a winner of the Florida Derby, Gr.1, is one of the most successful young stallions in U.S.A. and stands at the Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky for a fee of US $ 25,000. There aren't many confirmed stayers that he has sired so far. Love Me Good won two races and was third in Our Mims Stakes, L over a mile. Her dam line, too, doesn't show positive stamina evidence. It is, however, it is best not to judge  'got-abroads'  conventionally. Many imported mares, brought up well, give their first foals in India something that is "extra". Take them for what they have achieved. My Opinion has certainly performed creditably. A winner of the Nilgiris Derby, Gr.1, he was third in the Deccan Colts' Championship Stakes, Gr.3, second in Deccan Derby, Gr.1 and second in South India 2000 Guineas, Gr.2. He reduced the verdict between him and Star Superior when running second in the longer Deccan Derby, Gr.1.

PAST THE POST

The comment about 'got-abroads' made above requires, perhaps, a little elaboration. We have had well performed 'got- abroads' in recent years like Jacqueline, Vijays Pride, Machiavellian, Muroi, Tiger Tops, Amazing Grace, Be Safe, Quasar and others, to mention just a few. None of them had fashionable pedigrees and their dams haven't produced a black-type winner in India subsequently.. The saying "Handsome is as handsome does" can well apply to 'got-abroads' in India.