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For a man who has won numerous championships and titles on the local turf, name and fame have become a part and parcel of Suraj Narredu's life. At a young age of 24, he is well within sight of a thousand career wins. The past weekend provided him with a golden opportunity to show his skills outside the country. He was nominated to represent India at "The International Jockey's Weekend" held at The Mauritius Turf Club on the 5th and 6th of December. Top jockeys from many European countries were slated to participate in this event. Suraj was excited at the prospects of showing his skills on such a large stage, and left Bangalore hoping to score a win with one of his many mounts. One wonders if he ever thought that he would do better than that, and actually return home with the coveted "Championship Trophy" in the Rising Stars Category.
The stars of the weekend are permitted to wave their national flags on the turf, and it was a matter of pride and honour for Suraj to proudly hold the Indian Flag after completing his second victory with IL MAGNIFICO in the opening race on Sunday. He was a little dejected after losing in two close finishes on Saturday. The camera had to be consulted in these races and both the times the verdict went against him. He had to wait till the seventh race before steering Bourne Supreme for his first success. A total of 2 Wins, 2 Seconds and a third place over two days of racing were enough for him to score 35 points (10 for a win, 6 for finishing second and 3 for the third spot), and finish ahead of Frenchman Maxime Guyon, whose tally stood at 31.
Mauritius has a huge Indian population and the crowd was delighted with Suraj’s performance. He was accorded a thunderous applause after returning to the unsaddling enclosure. The roar became louder when he walked up the ramp to receive the "Championship Trophy" from the Chairman of the Club. Suraj was very emotional while talking to Indiarace from Mauritius. He thanked God for all his blessings and good fortune. Suraj confirmed that the first win on Saturday astride Bourne Supreme was the 900th winner of his career, and that his quest for the coveted "1000" has started in right earnest.
While many Indian boys have participated and won races overseas, this is the first time that an Indian jockey has come back with the overall championship at an International Competition. It was a proud moment for him, his family and for the entire Indian racing fraternity that he was representing in Mauritius. Suraj has been walking away with the riding honours at his home centre. It shall perhaps be the fastest "Thousand" in the history of Indian racing, the day he completes it. Many would argue that with so much racing all over the country, it has become easier to score at a brisk pace. It must be remembered that the competition too has become tougher, and it takes a good jockey to win repeatedly.
Those of you who wish to see the actual running of the races over this important weekend, detailed results and racing commentary can visit www.mauritiusturfclub.com, and do the same.
