THE SOUND OF HOOVES AT MAHALAXMIWINTER MEETING 2018

The sound of hooves at the Mahalaxmi race course is always welcomed with warm enthusiasm
as the season starts, sans the cool weather that should accompany it. Just when the weather turns favourable in Pune, horses are brought down to Mumbai that still has a lingering October heat, and they run the risk of losing condition before they start their long campaign that the Mumbai season entails. The rumour that the winter season may commence in Pune next year, so that horses can benefit from the winter that sets in there by the first week of November, has found favour with many.
The season kicked off on November 18, 2018 with 30 Club’s Race Days and 5 Special Race Days set to comprise racing action till the season concludes on April 14, 2019. Total stakes for these days is 13.26crore rupees along with about 47.5 lac as trophy value. This does not include the races to be run on Indian Derby weekend as the program has yet to be finalized.
As Sir Cecil has totally dominated the racing scene this year, most colts have travelled to destinations other than that which he chooses to race on. They can stay away from him for a while, but the ultimate clash in the Indian Classics will happen and Mahalaxmi eagerly awaits this champion. As for the fillies, none can match his class or strides, and so they fight on in the Classics of their gender with pride. The first Indian Classic will be run shortly and the Mysore 1000 Guineas winner Isn’t She Lovely, looks set to dominate. Oomph reigned supreme in the Bangalore 1000 Guineas and is ready to offer a stiff challenge. So are some of the other contenders.

ISN’T SHE LOVELY
(Excellent Art-In The Spotlight) ch f rated 74
She has won four of her six starts, including the first Group race of her career, the Mysore 1000 Guineas. In the Fillies Championship Stakes in Bangalore she was third to Punjabi Girl, who was sent off to Kolkata to annexe the fillies Classic, but disappointed finishing fourth to Adjudicate. Isn’t She Lovely has won her preparatory race over the 7f trip in Bangalore in 1:23.55s and is now ready to take on the best there is of her gender in the Indian 1000 Guineas. She is the highest rated filly in this field of eleven, and with David Allan in the saddle, will be the leading contender for the title.

OOMPH

OOMPH
(Midnight Interlude-Jahanara) b f rated 57
She was a maiden before she left for Bangalore for the 1000 Guineas, and tremendous optimism surrounded her run there. She had stern opposition, yet she proved her mettle and shed her maiden status, doing so in Classic style. While her runs have not been consistent, she has now won a Classic and will try to take it one notch higher. How she travels and has come out of her race will be a factor to take into consideration. In our preview we did mention that she would have to up the ‘oomph’ factor to make a difference, and she certainly did that well. She stunned us once, can she do it again?

STRONG STORM

STRONG STORM
(Strong Suit-Seeking Glory) b f rated 43
This filly came into the spotlight with a four length win over Truly Epic on the second start of her career. In her quest for Classic glory she was sent to Hyderabad where she finished third to Realmsoffantasy in the Fillies Championship Stakes, and then ran a disappointing race in the 1000 Guineas in Mysore. She has then brought out over the mile in Mumbai where she finished second to Lucky Luciano in a Class IV race. Will fight hard to get into the frame.

TIC TAC IPSY TIPSY
(Western Aristocrat-Mutually Mine) b f rated 42
A final entry in this line up for the Indian 1000 Guineas must lead one to believe that she has something special about her. Trainer Prasanna Kumar did bring Knotty Ash down for the Pune Derby and he almost created the greatest upset in the race. Tic Tac Ipsy Tipsy won the first race of her career over 7f in Bangalore

ARABIA

and was then thrown into the deep end finishing last but one in the Fillies Championship Stakes. I can’t find anything special, can you?

ARABIA
(Multidimensional-Adamile) b f rated 41
This well bred filly has raced twice over 6f, winning on her second outing beating the highly regarded Between The Waters by 4 lengths in 1:11.16s. Her manner of winning was impressive and this full sister to Myrtlewood and Amelia will try to emulate her predecessors. Her dam had won four Group races including two Classics over the mile trip. She has the pedigree to take her over the distance with ease and can cause trouble, but is one asking for too much too soon?

EYES FOR YOU

EYES FOR YOU
(Multidimensional-Margarita Rita) b f rated 40
She started her career in seventh place in the B K Rattonsey Memorial Maiden Multi-Million then came out and beat El Comandante by 4½ lengths over 6f. She then ran a Cass IV-7f race at the end of the Pune season finishing ¾ lengths in third to Grand Tenton. She has good pedigree but does she have the experience to pull this off?

MERLOT
(Saamidd-Tourmalet) b f rated 40
She shed her maiden status on her very first outing over 7f, then finished 2½ lengths in third to Truly Epic in the Rajendrasinhji Million over the mile. In preparation for the Classics she was seen in the Maharaja of Morvi Trophy where Intense Stylist got the better of her by 3½ lengths while conceding 4½ kgs as well. She did finish 5 lengths ahead of Anatevka and 11 lengths ahead of Improvisso in the race, so she stands on better ground where they are concerned. The only concern will be the trip she made to Hyderabad for the Golconda 1000 Guineas, where she travelled wide during the race and came to within ½ length of the winner Realmsoffantasy at the line. How she has travelled and taken the race will have an impact on how she performs but she has the credentials to cause trouble for the top rated horse.

ANATEVKA
(Multidimensional-Smashing) b f rated 38
The winner of a single 7f race from five starts, shed her maiden status on her third run. Running in open company, she was beaten by Bronx by 3½ lengths over 7f and then again over the same distance at the start of this season by Intense Stylist and Merlot in the Maharaja Of Morvi Trophy. At level weights she finished 5 lengths behind Merlot, whom she will face again in this Classic. While Merlot has travelled to Hyderabad for the fillies equivalent there, Anatavka is fresh and ready for the challenge.

IMPROVISSO

IMPROVISSO
(Paco Boy-Excellent Day) b f rated 38
This got-abroad has had a single win on the third start of her career over the 6f trip. With eyes on the fillies Classic she was seen contesting the Maharaja Of Morvi Trophy finishing last but one home in a seven horse field, way behind both Merlot and Anatevka whom she will find it hard to the tables on them.

LA RONDINE

LA RONDINE
(Kingda Ka-Rahy’s Serenade) b f rated 38
She shed her maiden status on her one and only career outing beating Flaming Martini by two lengths in 1:11.03s. Her pedigree, foremost in the ranks at Nanoli Stud Farm, has proven most successful. So whether she can prove her mettle against more seasoned campaigners so soon, is to be seen, but she is nevertheless one of the promising stars for the future.

PRINCESS ELIZA
(Net Whizz-Poor Old Eliza) ch f rated 27
She has had two runs finishing fifth on the first occasion, and third to Hammersmith and Gold Hind on her last start. It will be nice to parade in the paddock on fillies Classic day but it will be a tough call for her.