Relief as horses run to form after lay-off

MUMBAI: One couldn't help drawing aparallel between Mumbai city's recovery from the three-day terror blasts andthat of the Mumbai race season which was crippled for two months owing to an actof god - equine influenza. The city up and about inside a week. Alot of the 1200 horses affected were up about and running at smart speeds duringthe opening weekend of the season.None more so that Spitz, the horseof the father-son duo of Shashi Chand Jain and Vivek Jain, who won Sunday'sfeature race, the La Ditta Crystal trophy. Shashi Jain Jain said,"The jockey had won on her in Pune, she is a known winner." Jockey SamuelFargeat said, "She is fast, she responded to the challenge." Vivek Jain said,"The horse's mother was called Aquatic Wonder. So I named her after Mark Spitz,the Olympic swimming legend."It was the first time a race wassponsored by a Japanese company. There was Japanese cuisine and the 'sushi' wasin big demand and they had to stop serving for a while. Harry Chang, of LaDitta, said they would repeat the treat on other race days.Thetalking point was the after-effects of the horses of running after beingsidelined for two months. All trainers said the horses were none the worse forthe pressure. "There was no coughing, nasal discharge, blowing or distressing,"said Dr D Swaminathan, senior veterinary officer of the RWITC. Askedabout the bleeding of three horses on Saturday the vet said it was owing to thewarm conditions. "It can happen even in normal conditions." Trainer Imtiaz Saitsaid, "You test yourself after a treadmill workout. The best place to see themis after them come in. No one looked in distress."Above all it wasgood to find a link between the blasts and the racing. The RWITC, in sync withthe philanthrophic mood of the city for the blast victims, handed cheques worthRs 10 lakhs to the four commandos of the National Security Guards who died inthe operations. The Martyrs Cup was run as homage to to the guardsand Gen Hooda of the NSG received the cheque. Vivek Jain, chairman of thestewards, said the total attendance for the opening Mumbai was 4,000 and forPune (off course) was 2,000," good for starters."Pesi Shroff, whohad a winner, said, "It will be a short and sharp season. We will have to keepour wits about us to ensure the horses are in the best of health and fitness andmake the most of it."Another trainer, Bezan Chenoy, said, "Thehorses have recovered well but time will tell how complete it is." Magan SinghJodha said, "The horses being better rested than before and this will be a yearof records."Mansoor Shah said, "The new season will be verycompetitive. The recovery of the horses has been good and they have done wellwith the work given to them."*First time sponsors in La Ditta, BJETS and KunigalStud.*Indian St Leger been shifted to Pune,Indian Turf InvitationCup Weekend pushed to 2010.*McDowell Indian Derby prize money Rs1.75 crore, with the winner claiming more than Rs 1 crore - an unprecedentedfirst prize for any event in India.*Mid-day, Network 18 mediapartners,Four Seasons hospitality partner; club website ready*Higher15% performance incentive for owners.*Minimum Rs 1m in all Grade 3races; Rs 1.5m in Grade 2 and between Rs 1 to 2m in the sponsored juvenilemillions.