An Eventful Derby Day

An eventful Indian Derby, run on an eventful day. Mahalakshmi witnessed a thrilling finish to the Derby, the favourite Mount Everest in hot pursuit of Rocklie who had slipped the field and set sail for the post, the filly and the colt fighting it out tenaciously and a photo finish called by the Judge. Then came the controversy. The camera had failed, there was no photo print for the Judge and, as per the Rules, the Judge placed the horses according to his observation. The favourite was placed second and there was some commotion, a bit more than the normal because it was the Derby, the crowd was large, the favourite had lost and the winner hailed from a stable of heavy bettors. There was no disruption of racing and the rest of the program went through without any undue delay.

Sixty years on, it is difficult to comment whether the Judge's placings were correct. But there is a press photograph, albeit from a slightly oblique angle and it would indicate that Rocklie had won. The final verdict, if any, must come from Mr. F.D. Wadia. He had seen the race live from his box on the First Floor of the Members' Stand. He, as the breeder of Mount Everest, was an interested party. Yet, he always maintained that the filly had won fair and square. It should also be mentioned that in those days, the practice whenever there was a photo finish, the numbers of the horses concerned were announced in the order the Judge had seen them pass the post. On that day, the Judge had called Rocklie's number first and he did not know of the camera failure when the announcement was made. (After the Rocklie incident, the practice was changed and the Judge instructed to call out the numbers in the Race Book order. That practice continues to this day).

Later that evening in Delhi, Lata Mangeshkar sang "Ae mere watan ke logo" bringing tears to the Prime Minister's eyes. (Fifty nine years later, on the morning of Zuccarelli's Derby, the Nightingale of India breathed her last.)

And, approaching midnight, a young banker who had dipped his hand in the till to back Mount Everest heavily, walked into the sea off Juhu with his family. Only a small girl survived.

1963 INDIAN DERBY

Bombay, Sunday, 27 January 1963

A Gold trophy value Rs. 3,000; sweepstakes of Rs. 800 with Rs. 55,000 added from the Fund.
Total stakes Rs. 91,000. Winner, the Trophy and Rs. 58,353.75; second, Rs. 17,290; third,Rs. 10,806.25; Rs. 4,550 to the Breeder of the winner. For Indian Colts and Fillies, four year old only (foaled in 1959). Colts 57 kgs., Fillies 55.5 kgs. 2400m.

1. ROCKLIE (S Smith) (8/1)
(ch f Rock of Gibraltar* - Aurelie* by Teleferique)
M/s. R N Kanga & A H Ahmedbhoy

2. Mount Everest (J McGaffin) (6/4, fav)
(b c Decorum* - Evening Tide* by Runway)
Mr. Al M Muthukaruppan Chettiar

3. Viscol (P Khade) (3/1)

(b c Hervine* - Queen of Kandy by Colombo)
Dr. C Rossi

4. Remembrance (S Chavan) (5/1)
(dk b/br f Flower Dust* - Nava Ratna by Short Hand*)
Maharaj Narpat Singh

Also ran: Jhansi-ki-Rani (Bashu), Suryavanshi (M Hayes), Golden Sand (Fakruddin), Gazebo (E J Cracknell), Ethics II (W A Rickaby), Nature Boy (Dashrath Singh), Vanguard (C Morsillo), Shah Jahan (W Snaith) and Triple Star (J H Foley).  13 ran.

Winner trained by A L J Talib

Verdict: Nk, 3, 1  Time: 2.43

Tote: Rs. 49 for win and Rs. 22, Rs. 13 and Rs. 13 for places.

(Rocklie and Ethics II bracketed for win on Tote)

First Indian Derby in which weights were in kilograms and the distance in metres. Only Indian Derby where the camera failed.

Racing Career of Rocklie

Rock of Gibraltar had just three foals in his first crop and Rocklie was the only chestnut among them. Talib was a great admirer of Maharaja of Parlakimedi's gallant stayer ("Wallah, kya ghorra tha") and he was delighted to secure Rocklie for only Rs. 17,000 in the RWITC Sale of 1961. Called “Reshmee” at stud, K K Dogra had described her as "golmatol" and "natkhat". According to him, she was a good doer and she carried a bit of baby fat when she went for the sale. Talib gave Rocklie time and brought her out as a 3YO and raced her twice over short distances before the Bombay season ended.

She was twice on board in Pune before posting a stylish victory in the Pune City Gold Cup over a mile under Purtu Singh on her sixth start. That convinced the trainer that she would do well over longer trips in her Classic year. Ridden by Stan Smith, she raced six times in her second winter season and earned a paying place in all of them except the inaugural Invitation Cup.

Rocklie raced 27 times at 3 to 6, won 5 races (1600 m. to 2400 m.) and placed 11 times to earn Rs. 1,49,838.37. Apart from winning the Indian Derby, Gr.1, she also won the Aga Khan Cup, Homi Mody Cup, Rajaram Chhatrapati Cup and placed second in Indian Oaks, Gr.1, Indian St. Leger, Gr.1, C N Wadia Gold Cup and third in Indian 1000 Guineas, Gr.1, etc. She was a game, staying filly, who was afflicted with rheumatism and so was not always at her fittest. For a Derby winning filly, she spent an unusually long time on the track before being retired to Manjri Stud.

Mr. R N Kanga

In the mid-1950s, Mr. R N Kanga bought three horses -- Tiziano, Raj Tilak and Redundant -- from Mr. K P Singhania who was then training with K H Irani. Mr. Kanga and Mr. Singhania both continued to train with Khodu Irani but  both soon shifted to Talib's yard. Mr. Kanga had his winners and horses like Temptation and Chatterbox were good enough to run in the Classics. Rocklie, however, provided him with his biggest win.  He usually had shares in horses -- as he did in the Invitation Cup winner Loyal Prince --  and not many carried his slate, yellow sleeves and cap colours. However, some that do come to mind are the Australian mare Desire, Opportunity who won the Nizam's Cup at Secunderabad and a pair of fillies -- Zifi and Young Lady -- who won the Calcutta 1000 Guineas. He served as a Steward of RWITC. Ltd. for over 30 years and was the Chairman of the Club once.

Mr.  Aziz H Ahmedbhoy

Racing was in the blood of the Ahmedbhoy brothers. Their father, who used to race as Mr. Frank, was a prominent owner at Bombay in the early part of the twentieth century, his horses trained by Ghoolamhussein Essaji. Their sister was married to trainer A L J Talib. Talib took his time to settle down as a trainer but once he had learned the ropes, his yard became formidable. It was a betting stable, full of intrepid bettors of whom the Ahmedbhoy brothers were the most notable. Both owned horses, usually in partnership and both had the joy of seeing their colours being carried to a victory in a Classic; Gamble For Love in M H Ahmedbhoy's colours while Liberty Belle sported A H Ahmedbhoy's. Mr. Aziz Ahmedbhoy had also won the Bombay Arab Derby in 1935 with Kanda who was trained by Mahmood Talib.

There was a short period in the 1950s when, following a family tiff, the brothers left Talib's yard and moved to P Rylands. The differences were reconciled and then they moved back to the family fold. Horse names like Peace Offensive, Three Bosses and others marked the reunion. Mr. Aziz Ahmedbhoy was regarded as one of the shrewdest race readers of his time.

A L J Talib

Abdul Lateef Talib was undoubtedly the leading trainer in Western India in the first twenty five years of Indian Classics. Rocklie gave him his fifth and last Indian Derby triumph and when he passed away on the eve of the 1970 Indian Derby -- for which his horse Loyal Prince was the favourite -- he had led in winners of twenty four Indian Classics. That record stood for twenty four years after his death till Rashid Byramji saddled his twenty fifth winner in December 1994.

Talib had his roots in Iraq. He was a member of a family that had been bringing Arab horses to India for a long time. He started his training career in early 1930s and sent out his first winner, the grey Arab horse Falcon on 19 December 1931 at Guindy. He ended that season as the Champion Trainer. He continued to learn the ropes by training at lesser centres but once he had got the grip, he concentrated only on Bombay and Poona and rarely ventured out.

Nattily dressed, he always donned an Arab cap. Himself fond of good food, he fed his horses well -- he is supposed to have initiated the practice of feeding them with the "paaya" soup -- and worked them hard. His horses were always immaculately turned out and when they hit form, he exploited them to the hilt. He reeled off a hat-trick within a fortnight with Ethics II in March 1963 which included the A C Ardeshir Trophy and H H The Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia Trophy; with Mansab he won the Eve Champion Cup in February 1964, the Zinosca colt having won a race the previous day; and he won two races on the same day with the imported Solar Prince filly Camisole, (Of course, Camisole's two wins on 24 August 1954 were not planned; Talib had forgotten to scratch her from one the races !).   

Stanley Reginald Smith (1913 - 1991)

Having won the race the previous year on Loyal Manzar, Stan Smith, Rocklie's rider, became the first jockey to post back-to-back victories in the Indian Derby. Both horses were trained by Talib who was the first trainer to saddle Indian Derby winners in consecutive years (Chakori 1946 and Bucephalus 1947).

Born in Croydon, Surrey, Stan Smith read an advertisement in a newspaper offering a job opportunity for an aspiring jockey in France. Smith applied for it and was delighted to be accepted. He served his apprenticeship under George Batchelor and rode his first winner in 1927. He also rode over jumps. After the war ended, he found things difficult in France and so he returned to England and later settled in Newmarket. He rode just about enough winners to keep him going but he had the trust of some eminent owners. On going back after Rocklie's Derby win , he had his best season in England riding 41 winners. As the oldest jockey then riding in England, he won the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar in 1968 for The Queen, a win which he cherished a lot.

Stan Smith first came to India to ride for Talib in the 1959-60. He rode with a long rein and his technique did not suit all horses but Talib felt that it was good for the juveniles. In his later years, he rode in India even during the Pune season. There was nothing flashy about his riding but he was dependable and rarely lost races which he should have won.

ROCKLIE, ch f 1959
(3 May) (Eighth Foal)
Bred by H H The Maharajadhiraj of Jammu and Kashmir
Bred at Jammu Stud, Nagbani, Jammu

Dosage Profile: 2-0-4-4-0  Dosage Index:  0.67

Rocklie's dam, Aurelie, had been bought in Germany -- where she was called Alpenblume -- by Mr. R B Strasburger who raced her in France. Aurelie failed to win in her seven starts but placed third in Prix Mieuxce. She was at her owner's stud for five years during which she produced three foals; one died young, San Diego (by Le Paillon), was a winner in France and Wayne II (Petition), who won thrice in France and also placed second in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket and Prix d'Arenberg at Chantilly. Aurelie was in foal to Mr. Starsburger's own stallion Worden II when Kashmir bought her and she came to India.

Aurelie produced seven foals in India and they were all fillies. Golden Pollen, an elder Flower Dust half-sister to Rocklie, won the South India Oaks and barring the Raj Kapoor owned Triveni, all have been producers at stud. That has enabled Aurelie to establish herself as a Blue Hen. 36 Classic winners descend from Aurelie in India and the last one was War Hammer, the unbeaten winner of The Indian Derby 2020, so the family is very much vibrant. One breeder who had an eye for established Indian families was "Sonny" Brar of Dashmesh Stud. He virtually hoarded every Aurelie family filly he could lay his hands on. Aurelie's grandam Our Liz continues to figure in the pedigrees of good present day horses even abroad.

Rocklie's first mate at stud was Star of Gwalior to whom she threw Nasibdaar, a talented but unsound individual. After being empty the following year, she moved to Yeravada Stud where, covered by Hervine, she produced Storm. Storm, unlike some of Rocklie's other produce, was a tough sort who placed in all three Triple Crown races. A short-head second in the Derby to Prince Khartoum meant that Rocklie was denied a unique distinction; she would have become the only Indian Derby winner to have produced the winner of The Indian Derby. What's more, the horse who denied that distinction was a son of her own sire ! Storm's full-brother Ramgarh was fair sort and then Rocklie, on her first visit to Prince Pradeep got Nectar Queen. The product of two Indian Derby winners produced a Bangalore St. Leger winner. After a barren visit to Valoroso, Rocklie continued to visit Prince Pradeep to get the average General Patton, Pink Passion and a colt who was put down.

After five years without a live foal, the owners were willing to sell Rocklie and "Sonny" Brar was more than happy to buy. A change of location often does wonders and Rocklie produced a Ballo filly named Nawazish. Nawazish, in turn, produced a very good filly in Classic Style but thereafter, the line passed into mediocrity.

Rock of Gibraltar

Bred by the Westcote Stud, Rock of Gibraltar was foaled at Brownstown Stud in Ireland where his dam was to be covered by Windsor Slipper. Trained by Maj. M B Pope, he ran six times at 2 in England for his owner Maj. H S Cayzer, placing third once at Birmingham. His final start was in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot where he finished just behind the favourite Umberto, though he was not in the frame. That race is usually contested by potential stayers so it was a clue to what was expected of the colt.

A sturdy, thickset individual, Rock of Gibraltar came to India as a three year-old for the Maharaja of Parlakimedi and went into Capt. "Dinky" Fownes's yard at Calcutta. He was given time to settle and acclimatise and taken to Bangalore for the summer where he had three easy runs over sprints, placing third in one of them. Back in Calcutta he did win the Governor's Cup but was otherwise disappointing. He won two races in the Bangalore Summer Season which followed including the Maharaja's Cup (Khade up) in which he gave 1 st. 6lbs. to the favourite Grandame owned by Mr. M.P. Davis. There were high hopes of him for that Calcutta winter season but once again he won just one race in which he just scrambled home. A poor third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup to Good Business II convinced his owner that the horse did not like Calcutta.

As usual, he spent his third Indian summer in Bangalore but did not race. The Maharaja of Parlakimedi had a smart three year-old colt, Balchand, whom he was aiming at the Indian Classics. Balchand and Rock of Gibraltar were sent to Western India after Bangalore and reached Dady Adenwalla's establishment after a short spell with Rylands.   

At Mahalakshmi, Rock of Gibraltar was a transformed horse. From 13 starts, he won seven races including the Eclipse Stakes of India, Western India Gold Cup, twice, C N Wadia Gold Cup, Aga Khan's Spring Cup, Byculla Club Cup and Turf Club Cup. The Eclipse Stakes of India may have been the most prestigious race that he won but his most brilliant win came in the Byculla Club Cup. Earlier that day, Kashmir's Kimsel had foiled Balchand's Indian Triple Crown bid in the Indian St. Leger, establishing a new track record in the process. In the Byculla Club Cup, Rock of Gibraltar gave 2 st. and a 20 lengths beating to Kashmir's favourite Soldina Slipper and clipping 5.4 seconds of Kimsel's record ! The grey's record lasted for less than an hour.

Rock of Gibraltar was retired to Stud where more glories awaited him. He first stood at Jammu Stud and after Mr. Suresh Mahindra had purchased Kashmir's entire stock and moved it South, at Greenacres Stud at Thevur. Rock of Gibraltar was the first stallion to sire ten individual Classic winners in India and qualify for the Wall of Fame. With 19 individual Classic winners who won 41 Classics, he topped the all-time table of Classic Sires till Everyday II went past him. He won each of the five Indian Classics with a different horse and with Spadassin he held the record of having sired winners of three Indian Derbies. He died on 10 April 1976 at Thevur at the ripe age of 25. Unfortunately, as a broodmare sire, his record has been just average.

PAST THE POST

The 'Indian Thoroughbred' would have never become a reality but for the staunch support of the princely patrons. Mysore, Jodhpore and Patiala had established stud farms in the 19th century and though Jodhpore and Patiala dropped out, Mysore's Kunigal Stud still exists. In the first half of the 20th century, the Chief of Kagal and the Maharajas of Kolhapur, Baroda, Gwalior and Kashmir as well the Nawabs of Bhopal stepped in. Jammu Stud was established at Nagbani in the late 1930s and it was the first to close down after the death of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir passed away in 1961.

Jammu Stud's tally of a dozen Classic wins was bettered by Yeravada, Manjri, Bhopal and Kunigal when the last crop born at Jammu had finished its Classic year.  Jammu started slowly and it was only when the Maharaja started buying Classic winning fillies like Tosca and Neolight and supplemented it with shrewd imports on the advice of his friend Mr. R B Strasburger that the Jammu Stud started to come into the limelight. Mr. Suresh Mahindra was fortunate enough to acquire two established stallions in Flower Dust and Rock of Gibraltar along with a glittering collection of mares. On the virgin land at Thevur, they hit new heights and launched Greenacres Stud as a worthy challenger to Yeravada Stud.