COMMONER: INDIA’S FIRST TRIPLE CROWN WINNER – INDIAN DERBY 1954

The Two Thousand Guineas was run for the first time at Newmarket in 1809 and that completed the missing link in the English Triple Crown Races. In 1853, West Australian won all three of them to become the first English Triple Crown winner. Exactly twenty years later came the institution of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico to complete the trio of the races that constitute the American Triple Crown. It was not until 1919 that Sir Barton appeared to win them all. India, on the other hand, saw its first Triple Crown winner emerge within a decade of the Indian St. Leger being run for the first time in 1944. That horse was Commoner.

In December 1952, a little known trainer in Mumbai named Sion F. Nessim had just three horses in his yard. Two were owned by Mr. G. N. Musry — who raced as Mr. Diamond in Western India — while the third was owned by the trainer himself. All three — Royal Guard, Royal Seal and the juvenile Commoner — were bred at the Baroda Stud and all three of them won during that season, the first named winning twice to give Nessim a tally of four wins. Mr. Musry never owned a large string but those that sported his colours had a knack of winning. He had owned Baqlava whose 13 wins from 26 starts included three King-Emperor’s Cup, one Viceroy’s Cup and a triumph in the Eclipse Stakes of India. Baqlava was the last of three horses — Star of Italy, twice and Sans Ame — to have won the ‘Triple Crown’ of the earlier era. What’s more, Baqlava defeated Gwalior’s great horse Finalist every time they clashed and his achievements would have been beyond the wildest dreams of any owner. Commoner can certainly not be spoken of in the same breath as far as pure racing achievements are concerned but he did become the first Indian Triple Crown winner. In owning these two horses, Mr. Diamond certainly crammed into one lifetime what many would consider themselves fortunate to do in two.

A year later, Nessim’s string had doubled but he still ended the year with just four wins, all of them courtesy Commoner. Sion F. Nessim continued to be a ‘small’ trainer and perhaps the first one to agree with the suggestion that his equine star was aptly named.

Commoner, a big, strapping colt with a broad star with a stripe running down his nose also had white on all his four legs. He made his debut on the first Sunday in 1953 in the Ghatkopar Plate scurry. Mr. Diamond had owned his half-sister My Pet and enjoyed a fair amount of success with her. Shamu Chavan got Commoner well away from the

 barrier, made steady progress to take charge at the distance but was overhauled in the closing stages by the Kashmir-owned favourite Rising Day on whom Billy Evans finished full of running to win by half a length. The connections of Commoner were rather pleased with that first-time-out effort. Three weeks later in the Dharwar Plate over the minimum distance, Commoner was even money favourite and he landed the odds in style. This time, Chavan waited with Commoner and produced him with perfect timing to down the Talib-trained Blusheon. The verdict — three-parts of a length — flattered Purtu Singh’s mount, for Chavan had plenty in hand.

Blusheon went on to win twice later in the season while Nessim put Commoner away and broke new ground when he took his ward to Bangalore, choosing to give Pune a miss. Commoner was put through a really searching test in Bangalore, being made to run six times in less than two months. He came out with flying colours, winning thrice, the last two in a space of nine days in August. In his first Bangalore run, Commoner was badly drawn, didn’t get a clear run, was not unduly hustled by Neil Whiteside and allowed to come in an un-extended fifth of 16 runners. At 5/2, he had been backed. The money lost was recouped with interest within four days as Commoner won the Wadiyar Plate (1200 m.) as a 6/4 favourite with Whiteside keeping him handy till the bend, assuming command at the distance and then striding away to win by two and a half lengths. That made him the favourite for the Ramnad Cup in which he was a poor fourth. Chavan was back in the saddle for the Club Cup over a mile and Commoner was the joint favourite for the race with Desert Grace. The public fancies had the finish to themselves as Desert Grace scored by a head. Commoner finished on smoothly and Chavan felt that he had slightly mistimed his run.

Amends were duly made in the Prince Basalat Jah Bahadur Cup (1600 m.) with Chavan driving Commoner out to win by a neck at the odds of 7/2. Eight days later, Stevens took over for the Delhi Plate and Commoner won easily as even money favourite much to the delight of the railbirds. Commoner’s first race in Bangalore was on 17 June and the last on 9 August. During that period he ran six times, won thrice and failed to come on board only in his first run. He had been put through a real grind. The best part was that he had taken it in his stride. He was duly given a well deserved rest during the Pune season. The trainer however, was mindful of what

ahead in Mumbai and as the rains receded, he began to work on his star. By the time the train left Ghorpuri for Mahalakshmi at the end of the Pune season, Commoner was “twelve annas”.

The Mumbai season kicked off on 7 November 1953 and Commoner had an outing in the Sion Plate over 1200m. Chavan let him loll in the rear but got him to stretch a bit in the straight. The following Saturday was the R. R. Ruia Gold Cup over a mile. Though installed a 2/1 favourite in the nine horse field, Commoner was far from ready. On top it, Chavan got into a pocket and by the time Commoner found galloping room, Desert Light (Billy Evans up) had pocketed the race. Commoner was third, nearly five lengths behind the winner with Bright Steel splitting the pair.

A fortnight later came the Maharaja of Morvi Gold Cup over 1400m. His two races had brought Commoner along nicely but there was still something that needed fine tuning. The Ruia run had cost Commoner many friends and he was allowed to start at the outrageously high odds of 7/1 with the Talib-trained filly Princess Dilawar garnering all the support and ending at odds-on. When the tapes went up Rangeeli swerved across Commoner and impeded the colt. Commoner was last but one at the bend, Chavan brought him round wide but once in the straight he produced a dazzling run to leave them all marking time. The jockey had eased him as he crossed the post a length and a half ahead of Pyara. The favourite finished a tame third.

Next stop for Commoner was the Indian 2000 Guineas in mid-December. Now Mr. Diamond’s colt was as well strung as a Stradivarius. It was a ten-strong field and surprisingly, the Talib runner Play Safe was better backed on the tote though the books had Commoner as the favourite at 4/1 while Play Safe was at 9/2. The odds appeared rather generous on both the colts. Chavan gave Commoner exactly the same ride as in the Morvi. Second last till midway, Commoner improved round the bend on the outside to be third and when the trigger was pressed, the response was instantaneous. Mr. Diamond’s bay bounded forward with gusto to reel in Play Safe and Bright Steel who were battling it out.

There were two important decisions that were taken in Commoner’s career. First was to go to Bangalore and skip Pune. The second was to send Commoner straight for the Indian Derby without a prep run. Results have certainly vindicated both those decisions. After having been run on a Sunday the previous three years, the Indian Derby was scheduled for 23 January 1954 which was a Saturday as of yore. That placed some of fans in a dilemma for Saturday was also the first day of the Ranji Trophy match between Bombay and Maharashtra at Brabourne Stadium.

Cricket and racing have several common fans and some of them decided that cricket at the Brabourne, lunch at Emile Gourdon’s excellent eatery on the Churchgate Street

(Gourdon’s was renowned for its steaks but some reckoned that their escalope and fried oysters with tartare sauce were to ‘die for’) and then racing at Mahalakshmi was the way to go. Batting first, Maharashtra was in disarray against the Bombay seamers and the leg-spin of Shinde. Those who wanted to see the end of the Maharashtra innings had to wait for long as Bapu Nadkarni — who scored his maiden first class hundred — and Sadu Patil added over a hundred runs for the last wicket. There was just about enough time to catch a Hillman cab and head for Mahalakshmi to see the Derby runners in the paddock.

Commoner was the clear public fancy and only an odd book had him at 6/4. Most other bookmakers quoted him at much lower. Play Safe, on whom Eric Eldin replaced B. Damodar, at 1¾ was his main rival with the remaining eleven runners in double digits. Between the ‘2000’ and the Derby, Play Safe had had an encouraging outing under Eldin and that had buoyed the optimism in the Rylands camp. The 50/1 chance Stealer led with gay abandon from the start till rounding the final bend with Roda Bay and Self Respect, a stable-mate of Play Safe following him. Eldin had made good progress round the bend and he squeezed through an opening to assume command past the First Enclosure and looked a possible winner. Chavan in the meanwhile, gave another rendition of the Morvi and ‘2000’ runs, keeping Commoner well off the pace, coming round the field casually, balancing Commoner once they straightened, then unleashing the powerful finishing burst. Timing of that burst was crucial and Chavan got it perfectly. He collared Play Safe and won cleverly by half a length with Eldin’s mount just managing to cling on to the runner-up spot by a head from Desert Light, another late finisher.

For the first time a colt had won the ‘2000’ as well as the Derby and the Triple Crown beckoned. The pressure on Sion F. Nessim must have been immense but he handled it well. Commoner was installed an odds-on favourite for the Indian St. Leger and it was the first time in his career that he had enjoyed such overwhelming support. Shamu Chavan and Commoner duly repaid the confidence reposed in them with another come-from-the-back effort, precisely timed and executed. Mr. Hugo Wachsman’s Indian Oaks winner Vedette finished a length and a quarter behind the winner with Bright Steel holding Play Safe for the paying place.

There can be no doubt that in becoming the first Indian Triple Crown winner Commoner will always have an assured place in the history of Indian racing. He consistently confirmed the form and that is always a sign of a good horse. However, there are other facts which rub the gloss off his achievement. The 1950 crop of Thoroughbreds born in India numbered just 118 — the smallest ever — and so he had limited opposition to overcome. Also, his winning time in the ‘2000’ as well as the Derby is the second slowest recorded. A

horse though, can only beat what lines up against him and Commoner did that in eight of his 14 starts to earn `1,25,276 for Mr. Diamond.

Commoner never raced after the Indian St. Leger, preferring to discard his racing plates at the zenith of his glory. He was retired to Bhopal Stud and covered his first mares in 1955. The following year, Nawab Yemin-ul-Mulk of Bhopal gave him to Mr. Inayat Ali Khan who moved him to Muzzafarnagar. In his eight years at stud, Commoner covered 20 mares including his own sister On Trust, twice. The incestuous mating failed to produce a foal as On Trust remained barren on both the occasions. He had five foals of whom only one — Miss Commoner — was named. Miss Commoner raced a few times without winning. After 1962, no returns for Commoner were received and eventually he was struck off the Register of Stallions.

The interesting part of Commoner’s pedigree was that his sire was a son of Spearmint out of a mare whose dam was by St. Just. His damsire Pomme d’Api was by a son of Spearmint out of a St. Just mare. Commoner was thus inbred to the Spearmint-St. Just cross. Commoner’s sire Spadassin, who was bred by M. Francois Dupre, was also responsible for Indian Derby winners Jeanne d’Arc and Martial Law. When Princess Beautiful, the first winner of the Indian Derby was sent to England she was in foal to Spadassin. That foal was named Sirius who won three races in England. Of his younger half-brothers, Dante won the Epsom Derby; Sayajirao won the St. Leger at Doncaster in Baroda’s colours; Pratapsinh came to India and stood at Baroda while Da Vinci held court at Mr. M. P. Davis’s Andanipura Stud. Spadassin died of colic at Baroda in 1950. His first foal was Jeanne d’Arc while his last was Commoner. There cannot be a better epitaph for the son of Spike Island.

At the dispersal of Sir Eric Hulton’s bloodstock, Sir Victor Sassoon purchased the mare Rosalia whose half-sister Gay Rose he already owned. Their dam Rosemarin was a half-sister

Roseway who had won the One Thousand Guineas for Sir Hulton. In time, Sir Sassoon shipped two daughters of Rosalia — Pink Parchment and Crimson Rambler– and a daughter of Gay Rose called Provence Rose to India. He raced with Pink Parchment and Provence Rose in India before presenting them to the Eve Bloodstock Scheme. Crimson Rambler was bought from Sir Sassoon by the Nawab of Bhopal. Pink Parchment is the grandam of Commoner; Provence Rose the grandam of Indian Oaks winner Arosa while Crimson Rambler kept up the family tradition by becoming the third dam of Indian Derby winner Nijinsky.

Sion F. Nessim, an Arab Jew, first appeared on the Indian racing scene in 1932-33 at Mumbai as an owner-trainer. His entire string consisted of Arabs and he won 10 races with Arab Queen, Jawahir, Tair al Iraq, Al Barg and Wali’abad. Then, for a time, he split his string and entrusted the training of his horses to S. M. Khemara in Mumbai, Sorab Khan and Syed Mehdi in Chennai and H. R. Somekh in Bangalore. From 1936-37 onwards, he once again started training his own horses and usually managed to lead in about 10 winners a year. At the time of Commoner, Mr. Diamond had more horses in training with W. Buckley. The last winner that he trained was Mr. Diamond’s Amira (P. Khade) at Mumbai on 16 March 1957. He faded into the sunset after that but his name cannot be erased from the record books.

Like his trainer, Mr. G. N. Musry was an Arab Jew but a wealthy one. The first horse that raced in his colours was the Arab Remmes during the Mumbai season of 1916-17. Remmes was usually ridden by W. Buckley. An enthusiastic owner, he never had many horses and raced at Calcutta as well as Mumbai. J. E. Malone, Roy Higgins, H. R. Somekh, Dinshaw, W. Coomber, Alec Higgins, F. J. Trahan, W. Buckley and finally Sion F. Nessim were the prominent trainers who had the charge of his horses during his forty odd years on the turf. Apart from Commoner and Baqlava, he owned the Arab Chief Ruler whom he sold to Baroda for whom he won many big races. Goodwill and Priority were his other good sorts in Western India.

With Goodwill and Priority, he seemed to have a strong hand for the 1945-46 Indian Classics. Goodwill, trained by Alec Higgins was unbeaten in his first five starts. Higgins lost his license in the Han (owned by Capt. S. A. Rashid, later to own Bucephalus) episode and Mr. Diamond had to find a new trainer. His choice fell on F. J. Trahan. Trahan sent out Goodwill to win the Colts’ Trial in Pune and extend his winning run to six. On the same day, Trahan also won the Fillies’ Trial with Morvi’s China Doll for a grand double. However, in a subsequent development, China Doll was disqualified and both Trahan and Morvi were warned off. Within a fortnight, Mr. Diamond found himself looking for a trainer for the second time. It was to W. Coomber’s yard that Mr. Diamond’s horses went.

In Mumbai, Goodwill who was beaten by the fillies Chakori and Pillar To Post in his lead-up races went out of stable jockey T. Burn’s favour. The yard however, had another likely sort in Priority, a bracket-mate of Goodwill. Priority started as the favourite for the Indian 2000 Guineas as well the Indian Derby and could only finish fourth with Goodwill getting the better of him in the former race. Priority also ran fourth in the Indian St. Leger. Perhaps, it was some sort of a dress rehearsal for Commoner’s Triple Crown!

Shamu Chavan was a contemporary of Kheem Singh and Pandu Khade. It was a golden batch of apprentices which produced these three stalwarts. Khade was the first Indian jockey to win an Indian Classic (Doorani’s Indian St. Leger); Kheem Singh was the first Indian jockey to win the Indian Derby with Balam; but Chavan upstaged them both becoming the first jockey to win the Indian Triple Crown. Chavan was apprenticed to trainer G. L. Shinde and what is generally not known is that he rode his first winner well before Kheem Singh or Khade did. That winner came on 29 March 1941 astride Gwalior’s grey mare Vijay Kumari who was trained by Aziz Mahmoud. Chavan’s first Classic winner was Summer Lightning on whom he won the Indian St. Leger beating the Khade-ridden Indian Derby winner Mansoor Beg by a length. On 11 November 1979, Chavan became the fourth Indian jockey — after P. Shanker, Jagdish and Khade — to ride 1000 winners. That win came aboard Silvery Moon who was trained by his son C. S. Chavan. His last winner — Barkha in 1983 — was trained by his brother Ganpat. He continued to ride for a few a few more years before finally hanging up his boots and packing his whip. Not quite, really. He was always around the weighing room and every time it rained in Pune and the track needed to be tested out, the Stewards invariably asked Shamu to go around on a hack.

In all, Chavan rode winners of 26 Classics including five of the Indian Oaks, a record which still stands. In 1957-58, he won the Indian 1000 Guineas, Indian Oaks and the Indian St. Leger –a sort of Fillies’ Triple Crown — on Kashmir’s filly Sunny Downs trained by his brother Ganpat. He lacked the finesse of Khade and Kheem Singh but he could outride them both in a set-to for his powerful finish was legendary.

PAST THE POST

Just for the record, nine other horses have emulated Commoner by winning the Indian Triple Crown. They are Loyal Manzar (1961-62), Prince Pradeep (1963-64), Red Rufus (1965-66), Our Select (1967-68), Squanderer (1976-77), Almanac (1981-82), Astonish (1991-92), Indictment (1996- 97) and Smart Chieftain (1999-2000). We are still awaiting the first Triple Crown winner of the 21st century.

FEBRUARY-MARCH 2014