03 February,2020 08:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Prakash Gosavi
Jockey Suraj Narredu guides War Hammer across the winning post in the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby at Mahalaxmi on Sunday. Pic/ Shadab Khan
In the end, what was hyped as the greatest contest turned out to be a no contest.
Bangalore-based trainer Prasanna Kumar's colt War Hammer inflicted a crushing defeat on his 19 rivals and lifted in style the exquisite gold trophy of the Grade 1, Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, the fourth and final Classic of the Mahalaxmi season 2019-20.
Jockey Suraj Narredu, is having the greatest season of his career. Suraj had notched up 2,000th career win a month ago, The Derby crowd gave a standing ovation to the equine and human superstars here.
Suraj settled War Hammer closer to the pace as Consigliori (P Trevor up) essayed his customary front-running role, followed by Wizard Of Stocks (L Roche up), with War Hammer keeping company to Royal Crystal (S John up), with Juliette (C O'Donoghue up) nearly 15 lengths behind.
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Consigliori threw in the towel approaching the 400m marker as Roche astride Wizard of Stocks assumed command, with Royal Crystal running at his best speed to stay in the same place. Just then, Suraj smoothly switched War Hammer to the outside, and after a brief fight, overpowered Wizard Of Stocks, and sailed away for a comfortable victory of over seven lengths over Trouvaille (N Mackay up), who finished well to take up the runner up berth, ahead of Wizard Of Stocks who just about held on from a fast-finishing Juliette.
Suraj's father Satish was ecstatic. He waited in the weighing room for his son to alight from War Hammer, lifted him like a baby and kissed him on his cheeks. "I am in seventh heaven. He [Suraj] has done everything that a father can hope for and be proud of," he told mid-day with tears of joy.
War Hammer maintained his unbeaten status, adding his eighth straight success from as many starts. He silenced doubters, who openly expressed surprise when his trainer shouted from the rooftops that he was bringing in a horse who would prove too good for his rivals.
War Hammer's victory was astounding for another reason. No horse in Indian Derby history had ever treated such a large field, comprising eight regional Derby winners, with such contempt, and with such a margin (over seven lengths). The unbeaten colt took home R1,09,29,500 in prize money.
The Air Support-Soviet Lake four-year-old colt was bred at Kunigal stud farm. "After the Invitation Cup next month, this horse deserves to race abroad and make the country proud," Dr Dinesh of the Kunigal stud farm said.
Owners of War Hammer, a quartet of friends - Dr CA Prashanth, Gautam Basapa, B S Manjunath and P Apana Subaiya - were a happy bunch. "We all sat together last Sunday night after War Hammer won the Bangalore Derby, thought a lot, and then decided to travel to Mahalaxmi," they said.
War Hammer justified their decision and how!
Matheran boy A Sandesh rode his 1000th winner at Mahalaxmi on Sunday, astride Flying Visit, who won a thrilling battle with P Trevor astride favourite Cosmic Ray. In a quick felicitation ceremony arranged by the race club to celebrate the ace jockey's landmark, Sandesh thanked trainer Rehanullah Khan, who took him under his care and had saddled Pepe Junior, Sandesh's first winner. - PG
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