The Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Derby (Gr 1) is set to light up the iconic Mahalaxmi racecourse this Sunday, February 1, turning the historic venue into a spot of high drama.
For the next five years, the blue riband event will carry the sponsorship of Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, the patriarch of the Poonawalla Group, and his son Adar, dedicated to the memory of Cyrus’s late wife Villoo, whose passion for horses and racing ran as deep as the love she inspired in those around her.
Every racing centre in India has its own Derby, but only Mumbai’s Derby is called the ‘Indian’ Derby and for good reason. First run in 1943, well before Independence dawned in 1947, it was conceived by visionaries, who dreamed of crowning the nation’s premier four-year-old equine contest as a true test of class over the classic mile-and-a-half (2400m) trip.
The clockwise loop around Mahalaxmi is a brutal test of speed, stamina, heart and preparation. In just two-and-a-half minutes, four years of breeding dreams, training strategy, and jockey skill combine into one burst of energy.
For trainers, jockeys and owners, leading a Derby winner in front of the jam-packed Mahalaxmi stands is the ultimate lifetime ambition. The collective roar — something like a quick exhale by 20,000 fans — as the field shoots from the gates is an experience of pure, primal energy.
If you are a first-time Derby visitor, don’t let it bother you that everyone is talking about the colt Baychimo or the filly Fynbos. The Derby has had its share of upsets in the past. And with so much at stake, every jockey will battle every yard of the mile-and-a-half trip as the stands roar, hearts race, and one horse etches its name into history.
Rs 1 cr-plus jackpot!
The Derby day jackpot may swell to R1 crore-plus thanks to a brought forward amount of R50 lakh added to the second jackpot pool. The second jackpot pool races will be the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th. A ticket costs only Rs 10 and if a single ticket correctly nominates the five race winners, you could win R1 crore-plus, breaking the record set by film lyricist Rajendra Krishna, who won Rs 48 lakh on a single ticket in 1971.
