Maureen Wadia is an exceptional person. That she is all grace and poise is well known. The synergy she created at the Mahalaxmi racecourse yesterday was tremendous. At least two equines– Angelique and Harmonica – seemed to have soaked in the synergy and produced an exhilarating display of a power-packed finish to topple Yana and Astral Flash who had both shaped like winners until the last stride. I am sure you will not complain if I put the race issue on the back burner for the present and delve into matters other than just racing. After all it’s not every day that the racing action takes a back seat over certain evidently more serious matters.
 |
| Mr. Zyen Mirza & Trainer P SHroff leading Angelique (Imran Chisty Up), winner of The C N Wadia Gold Cup Gr-II |
One’s heart went out to the equally brave wives of the Heros and it is these wives who are now burdened with coping with the heavy loss of the dearest member of their families, killed in cold blood by such mindless acts of terrorism. The Paddock viewing area was jam-packed. Members and the race goers were vehemently applauding in unison during the facilitation ceremony.
Then they were three little children crippled by fate for no fault of theirs. These innocent children have overcome great physical handicap and multiple surgeries. They are battling hard against all odds and winning this crucial battle with sheer grit and exemplary courage. Everyone around must have felt a lump in their throats as the little children were brought on to the podium by their parents to receive the awards for defeating the cruel hand of destiny that has befallen on them. The entire audience had crowded around the paddock. The loud roar of applause and cheer that greeted the children was an accurate gauge of the pulse of the thousands present, that they were in complete awe of these brave little kids and praying for their quick and complete recovery.
The scenario soon changed to treat the largest crowd of the season with a blitz of glamour that the Wadia Gold Cup always brings along. First it was the ravishingly young damsels and the dashing ‘studs’ (pardon the pun), who cat-walked in the paddock to some lively music in the background. The top 20 finalists of the Mrs. Gladrags Pageant later appeared in traditional Indian bridal wear aptly complementing the natural beauty of the Indian Woman. Mrs. Sophiya Handa was the winner and crowned by last year’s beauty queen Mrs. Madhvi Awasthi. Mrs. Sheerya Rai and Shivalika Sharma were the two runners up.
Young boys and girls from the Bai Jerbai School then provided a lively folk dance performance to a couple of rhythmic Bollywood numbers. That brought back the smiles on the 9000 odd crowd that cheered the kids with enthusiasm and shouts for an encore.
The members were in for a special wine treat and relaxing foot massages were offered as well, at a designated area.
Back to the core issue now, the C N Wadia Gold Cup (Gr 2) was a racing spectacle. Noble Prince was the popular choice and Yana had a fair share of supporters. Angelique was the only other runner in the fray who had some following as well, though the odds offered on her were lucrative.
Maximise and Nitrous made most of the running initially with the fancied trio in the mid bunch. With four furlongs left to go, Noble Prince started to bid for the lead, seeing this Daniel Grant quickly shifted to top gear and forged ahead with Yana. On hindsight, this may have been a tactical error considering the outcome of the race. Yana was pushed to accelerate while negotiating the turn and sent sailing to the front as the heads turned for home. Was this perhaps a wee bit early? Should not have Grant waited until they straightened up? Did Grant hurry as he saw Noble Prince make a forward move? The verdict was extremely marginal, but the impact was colossal. The point is debatable and inconclusive. At that point, Grant was the best judge, but on the racetrack, the best have faltered too!
The script was just the kind of potboiler that takes one to the threshold of frenzy! Angelique and her camp will certainly not complain. Imran Chisty continued displaying the splendid form he is in and is certainly riding with aplomb. He got Angelique on the outside at the top of the straight, past the 400 started to work up a good rhythm, and maintained a sustained assault all through the homestretch. He had ground to cover, and Yana was not shortening her strides. Angelique (Elusive Pimpernel – Nafazaka) had to do all the hard work and needed a Herculean effort. With 200 to go, Yana still was in complete command as only Angelique was in the vicinity. The gap of over two lengths and the winning post in sight and Yana going full throttle made the task look improbable. Imran Chisty still believed he could do it and I will not be surprised if he was the only one optimistic at that juncture. He got Angelique to produce her fastest finishing effort yet and got the Dr. Vijay Mallya owned mare to snatch victory from right under Yana’s nose. The timing of the race - 2:29.79, was a fragment short of the record timing (2:29.74). Angelique was trained by SS Attaollahi and bred at the Deshmesh Stud Farm.
The C N Wadia day was thoroughly enjoyable and all those present at the racecourse will surely take back fond memories having spent a great Sunday afternoon. The RWITC on their part have showcased the day extremely well. The racing in Mumbai is definitely making up in quality and such events add immense entertainment value which go a long way in encouraging new entrants and higher attendance at the racecourse.
