Wow again this summer champion trainer Pesi Shroff holds a whip hand in the blue riband of the season, the Zavaray S Poonawalla Bangalore Derby which offers a rich purse of Rs,1.48 crore to the winner. After recording a Derby hat-trick last year, Santissimo from his powerful yard powering home to wear the Derby sash following the two earlier winners, Supernatural (2022) and Jamari (2023), Pesi Shroff is in line for the Grand Slam. And in what appears a very open Derby, the champion is in with a big chance to provide the silver lining and steal the limelight again on the big stage. Two of his three runners, champion filly Fynbos and the talented colt Red Bishop are frontline contenders in the mega event, which has attracted 10 top colts and six classy fillies ready to make the big splash on Sunday. 

After her facile victory in the Fillies Championship Stakes, Fynbos, it is the opinion of most old hats in the game, appears to have improved and Pesi endorsed the view at the draw of lots and meet the stars evening hosted by the BTC on Thursday. Top gun Trevor Patel, who partnered the filly in the first classic of the season has again chosen to partner her in favour of Red Bishop and that sets the orange light glowing, indicating that the classy daughter of Kingda Ka is in with a real chance to make it the Ladies Day Out on the big day. 

Top saddle artiste Sandesh will guide the fortunes of Red Bishop. The frontline contender who was seen finishing on fastest at end in the Colts classic has maintained form taking into account his impressive performances on the trial track and most knowledgeable are of the view that the 2000 metres classic journey suits his style. Pesi while pointing out that a couple of top colts in the fray do have the ability to test the Queen filly Fynbos revealed that Red Bishop is on top of his game and he too is in with a big shout. 

Apart from the two fancied runners from Pesi's stable, the winner of the Colts Trial, Sovereign King from Adhirajsingh Jodha's yard and the local mainhope Prokofiev from the stables of leading trainer Prasanna Kumar are the top fancies to crack the pot of gold. Adhirajsingh, it must be mentioned has left no stone unturned in his effort to send out the `King' spot on for the event knowing that the champion colt needs to stretch every sinew and produce his best career effort to establish that Singh Is King. Prokofiev, unlucky in his last attempt in the second classic of the season, his jockey Mukesh Kumar losing his whip at a crucial stage of the race will now have a new pilot in the big gold hunt. Suraj Narredu listed to partner the bred in the purple game galloper made no secret of his opinion that Prokofiev is as good as any in the big hunt and that luck of the race will play a big role in the 16-horse field. 
 
The MK Jadhav schooled Stormy Sea who finished second behind Sovereign King in the Colts, Elysium from Sulaiman Attaollahi's yard and the Hyderabad challenger Northern Waves satisfied with their preparations are hoping to upset the applecart of the favourites in the showdown at sundown. Nikhil Parmar guiding the fortunes of Stormy Sea satisfied with the preparations of his mount, is confident that Stormy Sea will be involved in the finish. Elysium did shed her maiden status in style but pitted against the best in only her third career start, she is short on the big race experience. 

Well all said and done the stage is set for the extravaganza and in this big guts and glory exercise may the best horse win.