Moonlight Romance (China Visit-Wandering Star) etched a place for herself not only in the record books, but also in the hearts of the large crowd of well over 25,000, winning the most important race of the land – The McDowell Signature Indian Derby (Gr1) on the first Sunday of February. Favourite Ocean And Beyond tried all he could and managed to beat every other contender but the queen filly. As the last horse was taken into the gates, the massive crowd came alive with a loud roar. Some of the horses in the gates got nervous, Scionic the most affected.

However, Shobhag Singh, the starter, satisfied that all had settled down, pressed the button amidst yet another ear-shattering roar as the horses shot out of the gates. As they swung away to take the first turn, Batista was sent to the lead and Ocean Admiral ensured that he too was in a position to control the pace of the race at some point soon. Dear Henry raced up next, with Scionic, Macchupicchu, Sunlight, Unleashed and Moonlight Romance forming the mid-bunch, and Berlusconi, Xisca, Ocean And Beyond and Camacho made up the rear bunch.

Batista was too keen and by going straight on instead of taking the turn coming out of the backstretch, completely lost the plot past the half-way stage. Ocean Admiral did not mind that as he took charge and they galloped at a steady pace. Each one was holding his nerve and was playing it safe, playing the waiting game, not wanting to put a foot wrong. Sunlight was the first to make a move and she closed in on Ocean Admiral past the 800. Soon Moonlight Romance started to make rapid headway as did Macchupicchu.

Ocean And Beyond too was urged by Richard Hughes to get closer to the front. Sunlight entered the straight with Macchupicchu and Moonlight Romance breathing down her neck. She fought hard to stick to her diminishing lead, but wilted when the pressure mounted. Prakash pushed Macchupicchu past Sunlight just inside the final 400. Moonlight Romance loomed large alongside Macchupicchu and the duo fought hard for a few strides with the Katrak filly looking menacing on the outside. Hughes brought Ocean And Beyond closer to the fighting duo and tried to slip through between the two, his whip-hand working overtime. David Allan looked more in control and with every passing stride, made it even more difficult for Ocean And Beyond to seize control. David Allan then pushed for home and the final effort was the last nail in the coffin for the favourite.

The spirit of McDowell Signature Indian Derby is one that has no equal. I have mentioned this before, that each one in the crowd has his own horse to cheer and you can hear names of several horses, their supporters screaming to egg them on. The final furlong can be deafening, particularly if there are a few horses going for the kill. However, no matter who the winner is, the spectators cheer in unison for the stupendous achievement of the one horse that wears the Derby crown. This is inexplicable, yet true.

The post-mortem can wait. The calculators or betting balance sheets are shelved; the sore throats are left to be tended later on. But the moment is to acknowledge the defining moment of the new champion. The entire crowd rise to their feet as the ecstatic connections await their pride to join them for the photo-op and the customary lead-in. Moonlight Romance was the instant darling of the crowds. Flowers were showered on the new queen-of-the-turf, as the filly in her majestic gait made for the ‘aisle of success’ back to the paddock. David Allan was greeted with genuine congratulatory remarks.

The jockey waved in sheer glee, his smile broader and oodles of joy writ large on his face. He was the man of the moment, an ever-lasting moment! “She settled comfortably all the way and was ready for the final strike coming into the straight. She had a lot to give and once I unleashed her, she pulled away. I knew I had the race in the pocket with a furlong more to go.

She stays impeccably and has a smooth galloping action. She is a long striding filly with a perfect blend of speed and endurance,” said David Allan. “This is a great moment of my life as a horse-owner. I had two top contenders in this race, yet I was feeling the heat right through the race as no race is won until the horse has crossed the winning post. So all the expectations, pre-race confidence, they all boil down to that one moment of victory,” said Mr Wadhawan. “I am happy that Moonlight Romance performed the way she did. I am not disappointed at Ocean And Beyond’s effort.

He is a good horse too. I got the first two placing in the McDowell Signature Indian Derby, I couldn’t have asked for more. I thank the professionals who pulled this off for me,” he concluded before being mobbed with shake-hands and affectionate pats on the back. Mr Prem Tharani was equally elated. “Moonlight Romance has proved that she is the best in the business. We knew it was a close call between her and Ocean And Beyond. Moonlight Romance stayed that wee bit better on the day. I wouldn’t write O & B off! He gets another platform early March in the invitation Cup. Our other horse Sun Kingdom, the Bangalore Winter Derby winner, will also arrive for the Invitation.

I must also mention that both Xisca and Macchupicchu too ran a fantastic race. Xisca in particular, after all the travel she had, did a splendid job to run a noteworthy third. Sunlight too, for me, ran a good race.” Trainer Cooji Katrak recorded his first Indian Derby victory. “It’s a great feeling and the joy of seeing your work being accomplished in such a successful manner is heartening. My entire team has worked hard and this is completely satisfying. I was behind the scene with Velvet Rope’s Derby success, but Moonlight Romance is special as she gave me the joy of leading-in an Indian Derby winner. I was surprised when Hughes opted to partner Ocean And Beyond and told him so, but David Allan did ample justice and rode a good race.

I still think that Hayes (Siachen) made the difference in the Indian 1000 Guineas and had my jockey (Suraj) followed my instructions to the ‘T’, things may have been different. I have nothing much to say. Moonlight Romance has made a loud statement and made us all proud. Hopefully, we will now look at assigning her to add the Invitation Cup to her tally,” said the trainer. Ms Ameeta Mehra was thrilled. After all, for her Usha Stud Farm, this was a record 12th Indian Derby triumph. “It is a great sense of satisfaction when you see your own bred scale the greatest heights. I remember being impressed with her as a yearling. She had a great attitude even then.

Those who had seen her first were apprehensive to possess her, as at that time China Visit had yet to prove to some. However, Cooji Katrak picked her as his first choice. He has shown tremendous faith in her abilities and the result you just saw. She looked more like a colt then and had an attitude to match. In her foaling year, there were more than 160 got-abroads, many of them being live foals. Moonlight Romance, an Indian bred filly, has come out and beaten them all. This is a major statement that Indian bred horses are right up there with the international competition,” said Ms Ameeta Mehra. Mr Vivek Jain and Dr Vijay Mallya then drove on to the track where the presentation podium was placed, right across the Grand Stands.

The idea initially was to drive the winning connections. However, the entire camp stayed put on the track for the presentation. Actor Abhay Deol graced the occasion being the brand ambassador for the McDowell Signature Indian Derby 2011. For M/s Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, Waryam Singh and Prem Tharani , the owners of Moonlight Romance, their first Indian Derby success brought an added joy of winning the top two placing of the richest race in the history of Indian racing. The victory was worth Rs 1,30,83,000 and an attractive trophy worth Rs 1,00,000 to adorn their shelf.

The McDowell Signature Indian Derby lived up to its hype and splendour. The live entertainment was tops with tributes to Freddie Mercury and the Pussycat Dolls going down well with the crowds. The acrobatic Shaolin Monk tribe was striking well with the masses. The huge 16,000 square feet air-conditioned hangar was a welcome relief and the saddle-up cocktail was an ideal refresher. A Mercedes Benz as a bumper prize and a host of other high-flying goodies for the general public made it a day to remember for those who thronged the Mahalaxmi turf.

Dapper men and dainty damsels showing off their wares is a common practice on a McDowell Derby day and this year was no exception. Hats of all shapes and sizes were aplenty. It was a perfect racing fest that happens just once a year for us humans; for the equines, it is once in a life time! For the first-timers this was a new experience and I am sure, their ‘romance’ with the racecourse has only just begun. Moonlight Romance simply had to make an impact and who would not return to see her in action once again renewing the battle in the Invitation Cup on the first Sunday of March!