It is often said after a race, "Run it again and we may have a different result". That reaction is common when the result has been a close one or something unforeseen has affected the outcome drastically. Less than three months ago, the Spartan Poker Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1 was run at Mahalakshmi. It was won by Multifaceted by a neck from Corfe Castle with Enigma and Iron Age not far away, a shade over three lengths covering the runners in the frame. There were no hard luck stories but the result was a close one, prompting the belief that a re-run could alter it. The same four horses, carrying the same weights are set for a battle over the same distance on Saturday. The only difference would be the change of venue as we move from the shores of Arabian Sea to the coast of Bay of Bengal.

The indications are that the quartet will again dominate. Of the four, Iron Age and Enigma will be having their first run at Guindy; Multifaceted has raced there twice, both times over 1400 m. and won once while Corfe Castle, too, has had the same number of starts without winning.

Trends (Last Ten Years)

This race generally draws the largest field of the four invitational events with thirteen runners being the average and a field rating of 107. The average rating of the winners is much higher at 117 and six top rated runners have been successful. Four winners had won their previous start but only two four year-olds and a lone filly, Ruffina, have won; Ruffina, though, scored back-to-back victories. Western India sprinters have been simply dominant, winning nine times. Pesi Shroff has led in four winners and the same number were born at Usha Stud. Last year, there was too long a gap between the S.C. Jain Sprinters' Championship, Gr.2 and the Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1. This year, there is the customary gap of three weeks and it is good to remember that six winners of the Sprinters' Cup had warmed up with a run the S.C. Jain Sprinters' Championship, Gr.2.

The Star Cast

Multifaceted was deprived of a race run when the Sprinters' Trial Stakes at Bangalore was declared void for paucity of acceptors. He has had a mock race, the best alternative in the circumstances. Thus, he will be running a proper race after a gap of about 75 days. That is a distinct disadvantage. He has won previously with longer gaps but those were ordinary handicap races and not an elite race for sprinters. On his first start at Guindy, he was beaten by Cavallo Veloce in January last year. Since then, he has strung together five straight wins, including a revenge over Cavallo Veloce, and he still holds the best credentials, especially as he appears to have mellowed and learned to stalk the pace instead of fight for the lead. His spurt of 38.5 for 600 m. on the outer sand at Bangalore is a kind of workout rarely done. With Suraj Narredu committed to Ashwa Bravo, P. Trevor rides the gelding for the first time but he has been getting to know him by regularly schooling him on the morning track for over a month.

Corfe Castle won the Bangalore Turf Club Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1 at Mysore two years ago. That was the race in which Iron Age and Multifaceted cut each other's throats and paved the way for Corfe Castle to swoop from behind. Since then his form has been a bit patchy with just two wins from nine starts but he remains a player for the big occasion and he almost caught Multifaceted last time they met in Mumbai. He has had a good warm-up in Hyderabad where he exploited the 2 kgs. advantage to hold Ashwa Bravo -- running in the same colours -- by a neck. As he invariably comes from behind, his jockey has to time his run precisely. Never before has an invitational race seen two previous winners coming back for another shot at glory. Corfe Castle is the 'veteran' of the race having participated in it thrice previously and David Egan is coming to partner him. The jockey has never ridden him before.

Iron Age has run twice since the last Sprinters' Cup without winning and Enigma re-asserted her superiority over him in their last meeting. The son of Strong Suit is put off if he is harried for the lead and seems to have lost some of his earlier blinding speed. Iron Age is from the same family as dual Sprinters' Cup heroine Oasis Star and like her, bred at the Manjri Stud. His pedigree has some very interesting patterns and his connections must be hoping that like Nefyn, another Manjri-bred dual Sprinters' Cup winner, Iron Age can win his first Sprinters' Cup at the age of 7. He and Enigma will be making their Guindy debuts, his trainer has led in three winners of the race previously on the course while Pesi Shroff, who schools Enigma, has ridden one winner and trained another at this venue.With just six starts so far, Enigma is the least experienced runner but that also means that she may have some more improvement still left in her while her older rivals have reached a plateau. Strictly on pedigree, Enigma is more suited to a mile than a sprint but her astute trainer has not sent her beyond 1200 m. yet. S. John has been booked to ride Iron Age for the first time but P.S. Chouan maintains his association with the filly.

The Spoilers

The race is being sponsored by Mr. Zavaray Poonawalla who has a live contender in Corfe Castle. With Ashwa Bravo, he has another arrow in his quiver. The son of Leitir Mor enjoys a higher rating than Corfe Castle; however, he is more of a 1400 m. specialist and not a pure sprinter. He has won twice over 1200 m. but neither of those two races was a black-type contest. He is, perhaps, a tactical entry. He may be used to challenge Multifaceted as soon as he begins his run, wear him down and clear the hurdle for Corfe Castle. Suraj Narredu, who has ridden him to victory in both his black-type wins, will be in the saddle.

One other horse with aspirations is the local ace Cavallo Veloce (Lucifer Sam - Mink Mitten). The oldest horse in the race, he is a winner of 15 races with seven of those over 1400 m. and six at 1200 m. He has speed but is not one who tears away to the front. This will be his third tilt at the Sprinters' Cup. On the board in his first two, he did not participate in the renewals at Mysore and Mumbai. He was beaten third over 1400 m. towards the end of January and looked in need of the race as he was under the silks after a gap of four months. If he has come on for the run, he will vie for a place in the frame. He is the last horse to have beaten Multifaceted but he has never tackled Darius Byramji's ward over a sprint. A. Imran Khan, who is very familiar with the entire, has been given the reins.

The Field

The nine runner field (average rating 108) contains two fillies but not a single four year-old. The three locals -- Cavallo Veloce, Leopard Rock and Wakeful -- are all course course and distance winners; the Mumbai trio -- Iron Age, Enigma and Joaquin -- will have their first run at Guindy.

PAST THE POST

After Maj. P.K. Mehra passed away tragically in a helicopter crash, Usha Stud instituted the Maj. P.K. Mehra Memorial Super Mile Cup, Gr.1 in his honour and memory. Ideally, the chosen race would have been the Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1 for speed was Maj. Mehra's passion. However, the Sprinters' Cup was already under a sponsorship contract while the Super Mile was not.

The impact of Usha-breds on the Sprinters' Cup has been profound with sixteen victories. That's around 40% ! The Usha Stud stallions who have sired a winner of the race are Grey Graston, Common Land, Treasure Leaf, Razeen, China Visit and Multidimensional. The ones to make the most impact on the race are Common Land and, surprisingly, Razeen. Common Land's record of eight wins -- including four in consecutive years -- still stands and he also sired Klairon Gold, the first horse to win the race twice. Common Land also figures as the damsire of two winners. When one thinks of Razeen, it is essentially in the context of Classic stamina, though, his daughter Shamaal did win the race in 2004. Since then, his other daughters account for seven wins through Spectacular Quest, Attila, Nefyn and Adam, the last three named winning twice each.

The sponsorship of the Sprinters' Cup has been toing and froing of late and Usha Stud could well take it up on a permanent basis and call it the Usha Stud Common Land-Razeen Sprinters' Cup, Gr.1.