Come Sunday and we will see a unique event. The first ever Classic anywhere contested by five year-olds. The purists may have their own views but this rare occurrence is the result of a force majeure situation imposed by the pandemic. The St. Leger is normally contested by four year-olds late in their Classic year. With no racing at Pune this year, R.W.I.T.C., Ltd. postponed the race to the following racing year so as to ensure that the  2016 crop is not denied the opportunity to showcase its staying stars. The Club deserves compliments for this move.

Thus. the Indian St. Leger returns to its original venue where it started as the Governor-General's Cup in 1944. It moved to Pune in 1970 where it was contested for twenty one years before moving back to Mumbai in 1991. There was a one-off renewal at Pune in 2009 but from 2011 onwards it was staged across the Ghats. It is a coincidence that on the two previous occasions that the race returned to Mumbai, it was won by a filly -- Majestic Eagle (1991) and Change of Luck (2010). The portents are that on this return, too, a filly (apologies; read that as 'a mare') will best the males and emerge triumphant. Numerically, the males (one entire and two geldings) are on par with the three mares. One simple fact, though, shows how superior the trio of mares is. Less than three weeks ago, Wizard of Stocks, the highest rated male, was slammed a good six and a quarter lengths by Parisian, the lowest rated of the three mares !

The small field of  six runners includes three mares in Juliette, Anjeze and Parisian. All three of them are rated higher than their male rivals and have won on their last starts. Just four rating points cover the three mares so they are very evenly matched. Juliette holds the top rating and is a  winner of  five  races from 10 starts and has been off the board only once in her career which was on her debut as a two year-old. She  was so impressive when she won the Indian Oaks, Gr.1 last year that she immediately captured many hearts as befits her name and had the maximum support on the Tote in the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, Gr.1. Running just two weeks after her exertion in the Oaks, she finished only fourth behind War Hammer, Trouvaille and Wizard of Stocks. On her next start she was second to Adjudicate in the Indian Turf Invitation Cup, Gr.1 at Mysore where she not only reversed the placing with Wizard of Stocks but had Anjeze finishing behind her. Juliette has won both her starts after the resumption of racing picking up Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia Trophy, Gr.2 and WIRHOA Eclipse Stakes of India. She again beat Wizard of Stocks in both those races. Juliette now stands tall, bidding to complete a black-type hat-trick and win her second Classic. She will be ridden by A. Sandesh who needs one more St. Leger win to tie with Shamu Chavan at the top of the table.

Anjeze is a winner of Bangalore 1000 Guineas, Gr.2 and Bangalore Oaks, Gr.2. She was second to War Hammer in the Shree Meenakshi Sundreshwara Bangalore Derby, Gr.1 and fourth behind Adjudicate, Juliette and Desert God in the Indian Turf Invitation Cup, Gr.1 at Mysore. On her last start in the Bangalore Stayers' Trial Stakes, she just about won from Sporting Memories and Salazaar -- on whom the riding of Suraj Narredu has been officially questioned -- but the time was rather moderate. It was a small, four horse field and the pace is often muddling in such races. What it does signify, however, is that she is fit and well. Her jockey P. Trevor is the only other rider with a St. Leger win against his name. That came astride Amazing Grace a few years back.

The progressive Parisian  (Champs Elysees - Anywaysmile) is the least experienced runner in the field  having raced just five times so far. Had this race been run in September as usual, it is doubtful if Parisian would have participated, for though she had won both her starts till then, she was rated a mere 56 and had not raced beyond a mile. After racing had resumed, she won a Class 3 race over 2000 m. in style by five lengths. On her next start, she came up against Juliette in the Eclipse who gave her eight kgs. and beat her by nearly two lengths. Her beating Wizard of Stocks in the Hyderabad Race Club Trophy over 2400 m. by a shade over six lengths was an eye-catching performance that has upped her rating and brought her right into contention. Parisian is yet to win a black-type race and she is crossing swords with three Classic winners. Her graph, though, is upward bound.  

Most people are aware of Juliette and Anjeze and what they have achieved. Both have been discussed in detail in the past. Parisian has edged herself into the spotlight only recently and so deserves a longer appraisal. She runs in the colours of the prominent owner Mr. Vijay Shirke who for sometime has been importing mares and distributing them to various farms on terms. He gave three mares to Usha Stud in 2016 including the dam of Parisian. The key to understanding Parisian is her sire Champs Elysees, a full-brother to Dansili and Cacique. Champs Elysees has had a chequered career at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud. He is a good sire of fillies who require time and distance to show their best. The average winning distance of his progeny abroad is 2400 m. In India, his daughters Heather and Auburn have done well for Mr. Shirke. Pesi Shroff, who trains Parisian, excels with fillies and has a  way with late maturing, staying horses so Parisian is in the right yard. Mind you, Parisian is punching a bit above her weight in a contest like this but it will be dangerous for her rivals to take her lightly. 

Like Parisian, Wizard of Stocks will be running in the Shirke colours. He made the pace in for Parisian last time out and could be on a similar mission on Sunday. Wizard of Stocks has just one win from a dozen starts and that came over twenty one months ago. Winning is a habit which the gelded son of Speaking of Which has not acquired, though he has often been on the board in graded races. Of late, he has been seen to be tardy at the gates but that would not matter in a race this long. 

Sir Supremo won the South India Derby, Gr.1 making all the running in heavy going over a year ago. Since then, he has raced just twice. First,  in the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, Gr.1 where he was nineteenth of twenty runners and then on this year's Republic Day at Bangalore in the Class 1 Mysore Race Club Trophy over a mile. In that race the only horse he was ahead of at any time in the race was Rafa who had lost a few lengths at the start. He does not have any track work recorded on this site since his last race. The remaining runner, Daddy's Pride, last won a race in August 2019. He did run third behind Trouvaille and Wizard of Stocks in Pune Derby, Gr.1 but hasn't done anything worthy of note since. 

The distance of 2800 m. is what lends a unique appeal to a St. Leger. Most runners essay this trip for the first time -- as all six runners do this year -- so they are venturing into an unknown space. Just as 2400 m. exposes winners over 2000 m. who have no further stamina, the St. Leger sometimes finds out Oaks and Derby winners. Out and out stayers have sometimes put it across Classic winners in a St. Leger in the past.  In support of that statement, the names of St. Leger winners like Linden Flora, Mayapan, Tribute, Pennywise, Warsaw Pact, Noble Prince, An Acquired Taste and Caprisca come to mind readily.

Trends of the Last Ten Years

All the ten St. Leger winners in the immediate past have  run over 2400 m. in their previous start and seven of them were winners. Six favourites, five top-rated runners, four fillies and three 'got-abroads' have been successful. The average field has been five runners and the average field rating 91. This year, the size of the field as well as the average rating (93) is slightly higher. 

PAST THE POST

In a long distance race, the judgement of pace is the most important perquisite. Suraj Narredu is probably the best all round jockey in the country today but two jockeys who have a good strike rate in staying races are A. Sandesh and Y.S. Srinath. Sandesh has four St. Leger wins in the last ten ten years while Srinath has two.