Officially, the first Sprinters' Cup was run 1980 and won by Guindy Girl. The previous year at Mumbai, a Sprinters' Cup was also run  a day before Own Opinion's Invitation Cup which was claimed by Every Time. Both the races were contested over 1200 m. by four year-olds and over and were terms events, though the terms were slightly different at Calcutta. Both the races also had outstation runners. Maybe, Every Time's race was not strictly an "invitation" race but it was certainly a precursor. Counting that, nine Sprinters' Cup have been run at Mahalakshmi. Two outstation challengers -- Tiger Dundee (1994) and Palazzio's Sun (2010) -- have won at Mahalakshmi. The track at Mumbai has the longest straight in India but five winners of the race did so going start to finish.

Trends (Last Ten Years)

The average field rating is 107 while the average rating of the winners is 115. Five top rated sprinters have scored. Horses aged 4 or 5 have won six times, leaving four to the older horses. All the winners had raced over 1200 m. in their previous start and three of them were winners. Four favourites have won and the only filly to win is Ruffina who won twice. Shroff has saddled five winners while jockeys Jimmy Fortune and A. Sandesh have ridden the winner twice.

The Golden Trio

Corfe Castle (Excellent Art - Miss Danehill), the defending champion, may not have the same aura as his full-sister Ruffina but he certainly possesses a record that bears comparison. Like the filly, he is a winner of the Poonawalla Breeders' Multi-Million, Gr.1 and the Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1 and if he were to win on Sunday, he would emulate his sister. For their dam Miss Danehill, it would be unique to see her produce winning the race four years running. Ruffina never won a Classic; Corfe Castle is a winner of the Golconda 2000 Guineas, Gr.2. Both prefer to come from off the pace. Corfe Castle may have been a bit lucky at Mysore because Iron Age (Strong Suit - Intrigue) and Multifaceted (Multidimensional - Dhaawiah) cut each other's throat from the start, spent themselves before the race took a serious turn and presented the race to Corfe Castle on a platter. A horse has to be good enough to grab the fortuitous opportunities that come your way and Corfe Castle did just that. He is a course and distance winner and is unbeaten at Mahalakshmi. This will be Corfe Castle's twentieth race and the English jockey David Egan will be riding him for the first time.

Multifaceted is a full-brother to Manifold, a winner of Kingfisher Derby, Gr.1 and Villoo Poonawalla Indian Oaks, Gr.1. He made a winning debut late, a fortnight before he turned four. Then, probably because of his sister's exploits over a distance, he ran in the Catalyst Properties Bangalore Derby, Gr.1 and beat just one home. His next outing was at a mile after which he was switched to shorter distances. He has gone from strength to strength since then, winning ten of his fifteen starts, six at 1200 m. and four at 1400 m. A bit head-strong, he perhaps better at 1200 m. He seems to have mellowed of late and settled well in his last two starts under P.S. Chouhan. He has never run before at Mumbai and how he adapts to the track will be crucial. With Chouhan claimed to ride Enigma, Multifaceted will have Suraj Narredu in the saddle. The jockey has won thrice from five starts on Darius Byramji's ward.

The task of leading the home forces falls on the shoulders of Iron Age. Unlike the other two, Iron Age is a pure sprinter. A confirmed front runner, he is unbeaten at Pune and over a scurry. Only twice in his 21 start career has he ventured -- unsuccessfully, it must be said -- beyond 1200 m. At the same time, if there is a chink in his armour, it is also over 1200 m. at Mahalakshmi. In seven starts over 1200 m. at Mumbai he has been beaten four times. Perhaps, the long straight finds him out. Multifaceted, having learned his lesson in Mysore, is unlikely to re-engage him in a match. The question which arises is who can take him out of his comfort zone. It's a vital question that can decide how the race is run and won.  He is a year-older than Corfe Castle and Multifaceted but is good to remember that Atilla, Nefyn and Adam have won five five Sprinters' Cups between them when they were six or older. A. Sandesh has ridden Iron Age twice before and won both the times.

The Field

Cavallo Veloce was nominated for the race but was not entered. He was good enough to be bracketed with the three mentioned and make it a Golden Quartet. This is the smallest field to do battle for the Sprinters' crown since Polar Falcon faced just six rivals in 2000. The average field rating is 103.

In March, Corfe Castle, Cavallo Veloce and Iron Age ran in the S.C. Jain Sprinters' Championship, Gr.2, the perfect lead-up to the Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1, then scheduled for mid-April. The second wave of the virus then broke out and racing went into hibernation. So, that lead-up race is no longer relevant. Much will depend on the present preparedness of the principals, tactics employed and how the race actually pans out. A fascinating contest is very much on the cards.  Perhaps, the most competitive of the day.
 
PAST THE POST

With all the Gr.1 races being run on the same day, there is no opportunity for a Sprinters' Cup-Super Mile Double this year. It is an incredibly difficult task and only two horses -- Bergamo (1985) and Strengthtostrength (2002) -- have managed to do it.  Spectacular Quest also did it but not in the same year.

Six horses have won the Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1 twice -- Klairon Gold (1983 and 1984), Oasis Star (2008 and 2009), Attila (2011 and 2012), Nefyn (2013 and 2014), Adam (2016 and 2017) and Ruffina (2018 and 2019). Corfe Castle could add his name to the list this year.