Indian Derby: Will it be Murioi on D-Day?

MUMBAI: Bet till you sweat is the line the railbirds love to toe in the richest and the most glamorous event in the Indian racing calendar, the Mc-Dowell Signature Indian Derby, but in the big showdown at sundown on Super Sunday, it will pay to exercise caution taking into account that more than half dozen contestants among the 15 hopefuls are in with a definite chance to land the Derby riches, a whopping Rs 1.9.3 crore on offer to the winner on D-day.
The two classy colts on the circuit, the local main hope Jeremiah who to his credit has recorded five straight victories including two Derby victories at Hyderabad and Pune and the Bangalore challenger Murioi, winner of the Indian 2000 Guineas top the list among the colts while the fillies challenge will be spearheaded by Circle Of Life who finished second behind Isn't She Special , the winner of the 'Ladies Derby' the Indian Oaks.
The winner of the Bangalore winter Derby winner, Agostini, the summer Derby winner Alaindair and the winner of the blue riband of the Mysore season, Southern Emperor are the three other Derby winners apart from Jeremiah and it is needless to mention that all the nine colts and the six fillies claiming a statutory gender allowance of 1.5 kilos are judiciously prepared for the mega event.
The fact that the champion trainer Pesi Shroff, who holds a whiphand in the event and the owners Haresh Mehta, Jaydev Mody and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala have chosen to stick with the young Zervan who partnered Jeremiah in his two Derby wins suggests that the Shroff think-tank is confident while the connections of Murioi have brought in Irish pro Chris Hayes to guide the fortunes of Murioi after Sreekanth's below par effort on Southern Emperor in the Hyderabad Derby.
The top international saddle artiste Richard Hughes who is a darling of the Mumbai racing buffs will again partner Circle Of Life.
Hughes, it appeared was a trifle overconfident while piloting Circle Of Life in the Oaks which cost him dear and this time around the champion will be looking to make amends on the bred in the purple filly while providing the ladies cheer brigade a reason to smile on the D-day.
Six foreign riders are up against the best nine Indian boys in the big test and going by the book of form, Zervan astride Jeremiah, Hayes piloting Murioi and Hughes on Circle Of Life are the three frontliners for the Derby sash.
So all said and done, the stage is set and the thunder of hooves on sundown will provide a lyrical ring to the winners of the richest event.