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| Maharaja Vijaysinhji with Windsor Lad, 1934 |
After succeeding his father Maharana Chhatrasinhji as ruler of the 4,000-square-kilometre Rajpipla State in the Rewakantha Agency of the Bombay Presidency in the year 1915, Vijaysinhji was bestowed with the title of Maharaja in 1921. To study the workings of modern infrastructures of the western society, he travelled extensively to the British Isles, Europe and United States of America. During one if the visits, he called on President Warren Harding in Washington, USA. He even gained knowledge of the stock exchange in New York. Later, he bought an estate near London on the banks of the Thames a 24-room Victorian mansion named ‘The Manor’ at Old Windsor in Berkshire.
The world’s leading trainers and jockeys were regular guests at Maharaja Vijaysinhji’s sprawling seaside ‘Palm Beach’ Napeansea Road residence at Bombay, and the grand ‘Sommerville Guest House’ at Nandod (New Rajpipla town), the capital of Rajpipla State. A renowned jockey, Steve Donoghue, who was an expert on the great Epsom Derby, visited Rajpipla in 1924. On his advice, Vijaysinhji started taking interest in the British racing. For him, Donoghue purchased "Embargo" that summer, and even went on to excel him to victory in the Irish 2000 Guineas and Irish Derby in 1926 as well.
Winning charm of Irish blue riband races made Vijaysinhji, who was knighted the previous year, try his hands in horse breeding. For this, he consulted the trainer Fred Darling, who was also a famous commentator. He set up a stud in England with Embargo as sire.
In July, 1932, Darling’s protégé Marcus Marsh, who had joined hands with the Maharaja, spotted a promising colt at the Newmarket sales and succeeded in purchasing him. They named him Windsor Lad, and put him under the tutelage of Marsh, who was the younger son of the late Richard Marsh who led three Derby winners for King Edward VII, and later trained the horses of the reigning King George V.
In 1933, Windsor Lad tasted victory in the Criterion at Newmarket. As a three-year-old in 1934, he later bagged the 2,400-metre Chester Vase and the mile's Newmarket Stakes.
The day finally came for which owners, professionals and the racing fraternity waited for - the Derby. Windsor Lad had to face the strong line-up including the favourite and unbeaten Colombo, winner of seven races in 1933 and two in the then current season. However, a lack of stamina of the latter over 12 furlongs made the Maharaja confident.
Epsom Downs recorded a huge gentry of an estimated half a million on June 6, 1934. Apart from the King George V and Queen Mary, the Duke and Duchess of York - who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, parents of the present Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the family along and the King of Greece were there. The Prince of Wales, who succeeded as King Edward VIII but abdicated soon, also graced the occasion.
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It was a glorious day for India, as soon after the victory, the jubilant 44-year-old Maharaja raised a toast with the King in the Royal box. Later, during the Second World War, Vijaysinhji donated two spitfire aircrafts named "Rajpipla" and "Windsor Lad". The Maharaja was honoured with an MBE in 1945, and when the winds of change wafted in, he merged his State with the Union of India in 1948, bringing down the curtain on the 600-year rule of the Gohil Rajputs over Rajpipla State.
The Royal Western India Turb Club Ltd organises a race named after Rajpipla. However, the time has come for the Indian racing fraternity to commemorate the achievement of what an Indian did in the west 75 years ago.
Indra Vikram Singh, who is the grandson of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla, is planning to celebrate the occasion in the big way with his family at Rajpipla. He is also narrating the 1934 Derby victory in details in his forthcoming book ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’.
No other Indian owner had won the Epsom Derby before, or after.
