BLAST FROM THE PAST

Held at The Aquis Park, Gold Coast Turf Club in Queensland, the ‘Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival’ is an event organized over a 10-day period each January, which coincides with their flagship yearling sale. The attraction of the carnival is ‘The Magic     Millions Classic’, a listed race for the two-year-olds in Australia, restricted to the horses who were bought at the Magic Millions sale the preceding year.It readily became most sought-after juvenile contest ‘down under’, which not only offered a huge purse, but also an added spur to the breeders. The race was first run in 1987, the same year Australia won their first Cricket World Cup. That world cup final was held at the Mecca of Indian cricket – Eden Gardens, and it was not long before the Mecca of Indian racing – Mahalaxmi racecourse, saw an Indian variant of Magic Million – The Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi Million, Gr.1. 

“We do need to be aware of our history, because if you don’t know where you come from, how will you appreciate where you’re headed?” In the late 1980’s, The National Horse Breeding Society Of India (NHBSI) got together to find a common ground to boost the breeding and racing in the country, and ended up with the concept of ‘’The Breeders’ Million Race”. The Poonawallas guaranteed a Million Rupees for its inaugural running in 1990. Since its inception, the race’s growth saw a paradigm shift, with the last year’s edition offering about 15 million INR. That said, the race also gives a face to the leading juvenile in the country, of course until some other horse makes a mark later in the Bangalore summer season.

TRENDS AND PATTERNS

Though the PBMM, Gr.1 is a money-spinner for the ones involved, there is one jinx that takes a bit of sheen away from it. In its 3 decade-old history, none of the 30 winners could ever win the Indian Derby. In asserting this, a few words of explanation are in order. The gap between both the races for a particular crop is almost a year. For equines to carry form over such duration is difficult. Also, both races are run at contrasting distances, and hence it’s eventougher for a horse to be that versatile. Besides that, both races are Gr.1, and so ‘peak readiness’ is a pre-requisite, which of course is a by-product of many factors.

‘Three is a straight line’, they say, and that fits perfectly here. The last 3 winners were not only bred at the sponsor’s farm, but also owned by them. Out of Sunday’s 11 runners, 7 were bred at the Poonawalla farm, and so chances are brightthat they may make it 4-in-a-row. Only one favorite – Ruffina (2017) obliged in the last decade. She was also the only ‘unbeaten’ horse to win the race over the same period, and there are 4 horses in Sunday’s field with an unblemished record. The field however will miss Black Pearl thecolt from Calcutta who is unbeaten in his four startstill date. Scratched from the race at an early stage as he was “too small” and not much was expected of him because of his lack of size. Black Pearl however has already attained a ‘cult status’ among racing fans in the countrywith his eye-catching wins!

SUNDAY’S STAR CAST

In the last 10 years, only twice could the fillies win this race – Ruffina (2017) & Missing You (2019) and the former went in The PBMM unbeaten in 2 starts. With similar credentials as Ruffina's, Forest Flame (LeitirMor – Memory Bay) appears the best ‘kid on the block’. She made her debut in December, beating Golden Oaks by 5 1/2 lengths. On the Derby day at Mumbai, Forest Flame won The EbcoWorksmart Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Gr.3 by a staggering 9 1/4 lengths, beating the favorite Monarchos. She was running with the pack and broke away from the field only in the last 300m, and that pretty much showed the gap of class between her and the others. Forest Flame is one of two course-and-distance winners and surely has the feel of the track better than anyone else. Her year older full brother Mystic Bay, has run only up to a mile with modest success.

The Derby Day at Mumbai hosted three“terms” races for juveniles, and all the three winners are a part of Sunday’s field. Other than Forest Flame, S.Padmanabhan-trained Golden Oaks won The BK Rattonsey Memorial Maiden Multi Million by 2 1/2 lengths. However, the field he beat was anything but fancy. For Golden Oaks to bridge that 5 1/2 length defeat would take some effort, and only time will tell if that gap can be bridged on the long Mahalaxmi straight. For the record, only two outstation horses – Murioi (2013) &Corfe Castle (2018) have won this race in the past decade.

The third of the three Derby Day winners, Giant Star (Excellent Art – Sweeping Star) won The Dr. MAM Ramaswamy Multi Million at 1600m by 2 1/2 lengths. In the last furlong, Giant Star veered outwards, apparently shying away from the whip, and had to be steadied. The trainer was asked to show his charge in a mock race, where Giant Star did give a satisfying display. It is odd for a horse to debut at a mile, let alone win, and it so appears that Giant Star is bred to stay. His dam won two ordinary races at 1800m. As trainer MaleshNarredu is under suspension, trainer DeepeshNarredu will saddle both his horses.

In the past decade, three winners of this race had won The Gool S.Poonawalla Million, Gr.3 in the lead up to The PBMM, and MaleshNarredu’s second ward California (Speaking Of Which – Godspeed) has taken a similar route.On her last start, California broke away from the field, cantering home with 7 lengths to spare the runner-up. Before that, California had lost her first start as a favorite to Monarchos by 2 1/2 lengths in January. Hence, a line through Monarchos puts California a waybehind Forest Flame. Interestingly, California has been given 5 workouts in the past fortnight and that sums up her preparedness for Sunday. Out of an Indian 1000 Guineas, Gr.1 winner Godspeed, California has an uphill task to put it across the three Derby Day winners.

From the city of pearls, Lombardy (LeitirMor – Lombardia) has won both her starts. She won her maiden by 3 1/2 lengths in December before putting in another winning gallop last month, beating Air Blast by 1 1/4 lengths. She runs after5 weeks, which appears a bit more than the ideal gap. Her half-brother Velocidad won twiceover 2000m and once over 2400m.

Air Blast (Air Support – Sabre Dance) won his maiden start impressively. Once lagging behind almost 10th of 13 runners, Air Blast displayed a remarkable gallop in the straight, pretty much like his name, winning by 2 3/4 lengths.That delight was however short-lived as he soon lost to Lombardy in Hyderabad. Air Blast’s half-sister Mariinsky (Burden Of Proof – Sabre Dance) was the winner of The Bangalore 1000 Guineas, Gr.2 and The Indian 1000 Guineas, Gr.1 anda half-brother Fleeting Arrow won The Bangalore 2000 Guineas, Gr.2.

The last of four outstation challengers, Violin (Phoenix Tower – Nojoom) is coming into the race with the shortest gap. She debuted on 7th Feb in Bangalore, thrashing the field by 7 3/4 lengths on a tight rein, giving ample indication of what she is capable of. Dallas Todywalla-trained Successor (LeitirMor – Sweeping Success) won his last start in January by 2 lengths. Dallas Todywalla has trained 5 winners of this race, a record he shares with S.Ganapathy.

In 2012, MK Jadhav saddled the winner of this race – Hachiko, who was ridden by the late B.Prakash, who has been the most successful jockey in this race with 5 wins. MansinghJadhav’s son A.M.Jadhavis represented byExcelerator (Excellent Art – Queen’s Guest). He is a full-brother to The F.D.Wadia Cup, Gr.3 winner Golden Guest.Taimur (Multidimensional – Tammy O) is winless in three starts, but runs in the colours of the owner who has tasted the maximum success in this race, with 7 wins. Though unlikely, Taimur’s victory willfind mention in some newspapersthatare otherwise filled witha namesake juvenile celebrity! Super Girl (Arazan – Mauna Kea) finished 9 3/4 lengths behind Forest Flame in her only run.

THE DENOUEMENT

On account of her last win, Forest Flame is the one who appears the best bet. The manner of both her victories was imposing and that sets her on course to earn a name as the best juvenile in the country. Golden Oaks was beaten fair-and-square by Forest Flame in December and it remains to be seen if he can bridge the 5 1/2 length deficit. Gr.3 Million winner California is expected to build momentum from her last win. Giant Star and Violin may come to blows for the minor places.