13 April,2009 09:20 AM IST | | Corresppondent
It was dress to impress as summer dresses notched up sartorial points in the Derby style stakes. Strappy, flowy, light cotton dresses were everywhere as the temperature climbed through the sizzling afternoon. Vijay Mallya arrived on time but left early after his horse Set Alight failed to live up to the favourite billing
Deborah D'Mello celebrating an Easter Sunday at the racecourse said, 'It is much cooler up in the stands, where there is some breeze at least," while her friend Parul Gandhi looked like she would like to jump into a little fountain on the lawns. Oh, these crazy days of Mumbai summer.
Singlet bar
Though the dress code said casual, several men did wear their blazers, but there were others who took dressing down too far. Like Rahul Sood from Gamdevi, a sporadic race-goer who wore capris that seemed precariously low and a white t-shirt, besides flip flops. "Actually, I was going to wear a singlet, but then decided on a t-shirt. I hope next time, the dress code is: shirtless," he said.
Jar, yaar
Beer flew thick and fast and tempers frayed as people longed for something cool to drink. A gentleman was overhead saying irritably, "Give me that entire jar, I am telling you give me that jar. I will pay you for it, I do not know how many glasses it makes but I want the jar." By jar, he referred to a mixer, which was churning watermelon juice.
Hot shots
Meanwhile, the heat did not keep crowds away. In fact, it was a huge turnout and a delighted Vivek Jain, Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) chief of the media and marketing committee said, "It was a good show. This is how racing should be" as television cameramen tripped over each other on the dais to get their shots.
Wallets light
Set Alight surely made lots of wallets light. As outsider Antonios pipped the favourite, a punter joked as his friend prodded him to have a strawberry milkshake post-Derby. "Fifty rupees?u00a0 he squeaked, I can't afford it yaar, not after this loss. Idhar sing-chana nahi milega?"
Where, Mr. Mallya?
Mr Flamboyant himself, Vijay Mallya seemed to be conspicuous by his absence at the podium for the prize distribution.
Did Mallya leave because his horse, Set Alight was beaten? But the big racehorse owner had arrived two hours late at the pre-race press conference. Yesterday, he vamoosed a few minutes early from the ceremony. Strange are the ways of these billionaires.
