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THE MAHARAJA SIR HARISINGHJI TROPHY (Gr.2)

By Shashank Dixit | 05 Apr 2019 | MUMBAI


Shashank Dixit

Named after the last ruling king of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, The Maharaja Sir Harisinghji Trophy (Gr.2) was first run as early as 1953 in Mumbai. HH Maharaja Hari Singh Ji sponsored this race in the initial years. After his death in 1961, RWITC named the race in his honor. This race exemplifies long-time involvement of the royal family in horse racing. The running of this race is one of the many milestones of an extensive history between the family of Hari Singh Ji and the racing at the Mahalaxmi racecourse.

The race was formerly run in the early part of the Mumbai winter season, however, over the years it got shifted to the summers. The terms and distance of the race have always remained the same. Being run in the fag end of the 5-month long season has forced smaller fields and lesser competition. However, 6 Indian Derby winners in Balam, Bright Hanover, Thunder Storm, Squanderer, Royal Tern & Noble Eagle have gone on to win this race. After Noble Eagle won it in 2003, no Indian Derby winner other than Alaindair participated in this race. Unfortunately, Alaindair lost in both his attempts in 2016 & 2017.

The 66th edition of The Maharaja Sir Harisinghji Trophy (Gr.2) has 5 runners. One name that stands head and shoulders above the rest is the champion miler of the country, Serjeant At Arms (Ikhtyar – Rahy’s Serenade), who needs no introduction to the racing folks. A winner of 13 of 16 starts, Serjeant At Arms has decimated his rivals with such sheer audacity, that almost every mile race which he runs, seems to be at his mercy. On Sunday, Serjeant At Arms will grace the turf with a similar reputation, coming fresh off an effortless victory in The Maj PK Mehra Super Mile Cup (Gr.1). Serjeant At Arms has run at a mile 8 times, winning all but one – The Rusi Patel Trophy (Gr.3) on the Derby Day at Mumbai. That run can be ignored, as it was his first race coming back from the stables of Graham Motion at Maryland, USA. He found no luck offshore but he still remains a force within the country. The Maj PK Mehra Super Mile Cup (Gr.1) & The Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) are arguably the most prestigious and competitive mile races in the country and Serjeant At Arms has won both, in fact, the Super Mile Cup twice and without breaking a sweat each time. Hence, there is understandably very less that one could argue against his chances on Sunday, even with the top handicap that he will carry. He is the highest rated runner in the field (122) and also a course and distance winner. If Serjeant At Arms fails to pass the post first on Sunday, his loss will be attributed to the glorious uncertainties of the game or an off-day-in-the-office, something that Serjeant the superstar is not known for.

Between Serjeant At Arms’ two Super Mile Cup wins, it was Whomakestherules (Multidimensional – Pricewise) who won that race in his absence last year at Kolkata in record time. In the early part of their careers, Serjeant At Arms and Whomakestherules were arch-rivals. Their first bout was in The Colts Championship Stakes (Gr.1) at Bangalore at 1600m, where Serjeant At Arms won imperiously, about 4 ½ lengths ahead of the Multidimensional bred colt. Three weeks later, at 2000m in The Kingfisher Ultra Derby Bangalore (Gr.1), Whomakestherules managed to close that gap to 2 ¾ lengths, though he finished fourth behind Serjeant At Arms. Their recent clash was in The PK Mehra Super Mile Cup (Gr.1) on 3rd March, where he finished a poor 6th behind Serjeant At Arms. Whomakestherules has traveled so much throughout his career, that it could have given even Marco Polo & Christopher Columbus a huge complex. He has run 7 times at Bangalore, 6 at Kolkata, 4 times each at Mumbai and Pune and thrice at Hyderabad. This ‘wanderlust’ might well be a reason for his inconsistency. Since his Calcutta 2000 Guineas (Gr.2) win in December 2016, he has won just two of his next 16 starts, spread across 855 days. What adds more to his woes is that fact that he is the only horse in this field, without a course and distance win. Running at level weights (60kgs) is another cause of concern for him but one factor that catches attention is the company of his amulet-like rider Suraj Narredu. He has been ridden by 6 jockeys in his 24 starts till date but all his 7 wins have come with Suraj Narredu in the saddle, who will most likely again partner him on Sunday.

Vasant Shinde has won this race 5 times, the most for a jockey. Should he get declared to ride, which in all likeliness he will, A Sandesh will look to equal Shinde’s record with Caprisca (Steinbeck – Xisca). A Sandesh has won this race 4 times, with Colombiana (2017), Supreme Star (2014), Hachiko (2013) and Misschevious Trot (2011) in a dead-heat with Sprint Star. The 5-year old gelding Caprisca is a winner of 7 of his 19 starts, including The Indian St. Leger (Gr.1) at Pune. His 7 wins have come across five different distances, from 1400m to 2800m, much like his dam Xisca who too showed similar attributes. Caprisca thus gives enough evidence of his versatility. However, his record at a mile seems quite unimpressive. Caprisca has won just one race out of five at 1600m, and that too in handicap company. He is coming off a win in The CN Wadia Gold Cup (Gr.2) at 2400m, which might give a little bit of confidence. Caprisca has never come across Serjeant At Arms, but once against Whomakestherules, in The Aquaguard Championship RWITC Ltd Gold Cup (Gr.2) at Pune last year where he was 1 ¾ length ahead of him. That run, however, might not be a very reliable yardstick for Sunday's race. The Imtiaz Sait-A Sandesh duo won this race in a dead-heat with Misschevious Trot in 2011.

Another contender from Imtiaz Sait’s yard is B Fifty Two (Phoenix Tower – Bailey’s On Line). B Fifty Two has seldom been fancied for a win, however, all his 9 wins have come when they were least expected. Two of those wins have come in The Eclipse Stakes Of India (Gr.2) in consecutive years. B Fifty Two has throughout his career shown remarkable unpredictability in his runs, with the most notable one being against Temerity in Eclipse Stakes last year. With horses like Rochester, Pioneer & Dancing Dragon, Phoenix Tower has of late managed to beat the perception that his progenies are no better at more than a mile. B Fifty Two can also be a worthy name in that list, having won 5 races at 2000m. For him, 1600m might be a little too sharp on Sunday, more so with the horses he will run against.

The only horse in the field with a rating less than 100, is Turning Point (Surfrider – Avec Plaisir), carrying a feather handicap of 50.5kgs. Turning Point has won 6 of his 20 starts, with 3 wins each at 1400m & 1600m. All those 6 wins have come at Mumbai. Though Turning Point was never a classic contender of her generation, she has gradually been coming up in the handicap classes. She is the probably the best-yet that Surfrider has produced, along with Timeless who also has 6 wins. However, she will need a lot more time and exposure of such races, to give something to speak about in future. One factor which might be of some help is that she is a 3-time course and distance winner, more than anyone else in this field. Turning Point largely stands very little chance in front of the heavyweights she is pitted against, however, a win on Sunday might well be a "turning-point" of her career.

Thus, in a nutshell, Serjeant At Arms will eye another one and a half minutes of dominance, in a race which is a stepping stone to his 2019 Bangalore summer plans. Whomakestherules & Caprisca would mostly contest for the silver spoon. B Fifty Two can well be the dark-horse here with Turning Point giving enough reasons to be look forward to this race. The Maharaja Sir HariSinghji Trophy (Gr.2) hence promises an exciting culmination of the 2018-19 Mumbai season, with it’s fair share of turf-drama!!