The popularity of the Indian Derby was never in question. Besides the entire racing fraternity in the country, the Indian Derby is the only race that has attracted the interests of a huge fan-base among the not-so-familiar section of the populace. In Mumbai, the home of the McDowell Signature Indian Derby, the frenzy and the hype created is ever soaring. The result of the Derby is "Breaking News" material.

Dr Vijay Mallya, the King of Good Times, has nurtured this Mega-event as one of his favourite babies. His tryst with the Indian Derby dates back to February 1985. Twenty Seven years and counting! He brought the entertainment quotient to the Mahalaxmi racecourse as only he can. The glamour attached to the event has been of highest standards and the attires you see on the Derby day at the racecourse, is what sets as the fashion trend for the entire corresponding year.

The Derby-eve party thrown by the liquor baron was as traditional as the Derby itself. Requests for invites would drive the organizing committee into a tizzy. Gate crashers would almost outnumber the guests' list. The huge lawns of the RWITC would be a hub of activity filled with a sea of humanity. That was how the Derby weekend would unfold in the good old days.

Over the years, with the complex change in the gen-next, the concept of entertainment has changed considerably. Thankfully, Dr Mallya has 'matched strides' with the times and the repertoire of this flamboyant gentleman has proved unimaginably diverse. The racing patrons in Mumbai are fortunate by the presence of this large-hearted individual and his penchant to provide the best of entertainment has been a true blessing for the sport.

Mr Vivek Jain, the Chairman of the RWITC, has through sheer devotion and relentless perseverance, played a marathon part in attracting new sponsorships and worked equally hard at retaining the regular sponsors as well. Even before he headed the Club, he played an active part as the Chairman of the Marketing Committee. His PR exercises handled by a team of hand-picked experts and overseen by him directly, laid a strong foundation to ensure that the sport of horseracing was promoted well across the media. With a handful racing journalists and inadequate print presence, Mr Jain himself started to write columns in various print media for a prolonged period of time and he does it even now, though not as frequently.

When two such committed individuals come together and with a common interest, the outcome can be assumed to be tremendous. But what was announced at a press conference on Thursday 27th Januray 2011, at the Club House of the RWITC, to put it mildly, was incredible!

Mr Vivek Jain, along with the Executive Vice-President of the United Spirits Ltd, proudly announced that the association between the two had been officially extended by another five years, stretching the alliance up to 2017 with regard to the sponsorship of the Indian Derby. It is evident that Mr Jain and his team used their astute negotiation skills to the hilt and procured the richest ever figure - a staggering Rs 28 Crore! This is for the term 2013 to 2017. Thus the already rich stakes will get even richer and from 2013 onwards, the winners of the McDowell Signature Indian Derby will earn stakes between Rs 2.5 Crore to 3 Crore!

An evidently content Chairman of the RWITC, Mr Vivek Jain said, "It is the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the Indian racing scenario and perhaps the biggest in terms of stakes (Prize money to the winner) for any individual sporting event in India. I am thankful to the USL and to Dr Vijay Mallya for the faith and confidence they have placed in the RWITC. We will ensure that the McDowell Signature Indian Derby will hold its own place in the annals of sporting events in the country." Mr Amrit Thomas, Executive Vice-President, USL, who represented his corporate, said, "The McDowell Signature Indian Derby is an iconic event and the USL is proud to be associated with this high-profile race for the top-class thoroughbreds. This is the most coveted crown in horse-racing. With 27 years of our continued association with the Indian Derby, it is perhaps the longest extended corporate association for an elite sport in India. The McDowell Indian Signature Derby is a 'Signature' moment that crowns the best horse in India and is a shining example of a great lifestyle sporting event that firmly places Mumbai and India on the world Derby map."

Mr Vivek Jain also announced that as a bonus, the Indian St Leger, which will be henceforth run in Pune, will also be sponsored by the UB Group. This will add a lot of colour to the Pune season and with a healthy list of sponsored races in Pune, the Indian St Leger will be an ideal 'sign off' for the Indian Classic at the end of the year.

The McDowell Signature Indian Derby weekend is scheduled to take off on the 5th and 6th of February 2011. There are a host of activities leading up to the biggest weekend in Indian racing Calendar. The "Breakfast with the Champions" is an interesting exercise aimed at providing a full-fledged insight to the media on what it takes in fine-tuning a race horse for the biggest assignment of his/her career.

The media gathering would be taken on a guided tour to the restricted stable areas and given first-hand account of a day in the life of a racehorse. Their feed routine, a tour of the equine swimming pool and the equine hospital is sure to draw a lot of interest and it would be handy information for the press to relate and inform their loyal readership. And, for the first time, an opportunity for the press to witness a racehorse workout on an equine treadmill galloping at high speed. One of the younger journalists from a popular tabloid was so excited that she asked me if she could take a peek at a horse on the treadmill right after the press conference. She didn't mind skipping the dinner to follow. She said she could not wait until the scheduled date! I had to convince her that horses don’t have treadmills in their bedrooms!

The "Post Position Draw Party" is another pre-Derby feature that would take place later in the evening on the same day as the guided tour. The connections of the horses get an opportunity to pick the draw themselves and to play a part in the fortunes of the draw number for their horses. This event will be spiced up with a mix of spectacular fashion, music and entertaining shows, followed by cocktails and dinner.

"On the Derby weekend," Mr Thomas informed, "A huge air-conditioned hangar covering 16,000 square feet will be specially erected for members and their guests to relax and the entertainment lined up would be of top international quality. Internationally famous artists will provide top-class entertainment."

A tribute to Freddie Mercury and the Pussycat Dolls will be the highlight of the weekend entertainment. Billy West, regarded as Europe's best clone of Freddie Murphy, will have the crowd enthralled. Sharing the space with him will be the Pussycat Dollies. There will be a special breathtaking display of Martial Art artistry by the especially flown-in Shaolin Monks, masters in the act. The Derby weekend then is all set to bring in the best of entertainment from across the globe, off the race track to the Mumbaikars. The equine champions on the race track will provide the ultimate icing on the cake!

The golden 'Horse-and-rider' exquisitely crafted Trophy looked very attractive as Mr Vivek Jain and Mr Amrit Thomas jointly unveiled the Trophy for the McDowell Signature Indian Derby 2011. The trophy is valued at Rs 100,000. The photographers were seen 'jockeying' for position to capture the breathtaking trophy, a fantasy of every racehorse owner in the land. A record stakes of close to Rs 2.20 Crore will be offered as prize money and the winner is expected to net stakes in the region of Rs 1.5 Crore. The Wadhawan camp would be sitting pretty, as both the top horses Ocean And Beyond and Moonlight Romance come from their string. Jockey Richard Hughes' decision on what he would pick to ride will be awaited keenly. Both SK Suderji and CD Katrak, trainers of Ocean And Beyond and Moonlight Romance respectively, would be hoping to cash in on Richard's terrific form. After guiding Jacqueline to her record-breaking run of victories in the Indian Classics last year, Richard has shown his magic touch yet again, having already bagged the Indian 2000 Guineas and the Bangalore Derby for the Wadhawans this year.

Mr Jain and Mr Thomas then raised the traditional Derby toast, christened the "Saddle Up" Cocktail, named after Dr Vijay Mallya's famous horse Saddle up, who won the Champion horse title overseas. The Stars, the glitterati and the elite of Mumbai are keeping their preferred fashion designers busy. The moment of excitement is fast approaching. Mumbai, the city that never sleeps, is wide awake and coming alive for the only race that grabs their imagination - The McDowell Signature Indian Derby (Grade 1). Be there on the 5th and 6th of February 2011.