Mumbai will turn its attention to Mahalaxmi on Sunday, February 1, when the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) stages its most anticipated race day of the season. From 2:15pm to 7:15pm, the historic Mahalaxmi Racecourse will host a premium nine-race programme, headlined by the Villoo C. Poonawalla Indian Derby, the most prestigious title in Indian flat racing. With nearly ₹4 crore in prize money for the feature alone, Derby Day is set to deliver high-stakes competition, elite talent and a defining moment for a generation of four-year-olds.
The centrepiece of the afternoon will be Race 7, the Villoo C. Poonawalla Indian Derby (Grade I), scheduled for 5:45pm. Run over the classic 2400 metres, the race is open to Indian four-year-olds only and carries a commanding prize purse of ₹3,92,00,000. Eleven contenders will go to post, each representing months of preparation, ambition and expectation, knowing that Derby success confers status beyond a single season.
The Derby line-up reflects both depth and intrigue. Baychimo, trained by Adhirajsingh Jodha and ridden by Suraj Narredu, will enter with proven stamina and big-race credentials. Stable companion Sovereign King, partnered by Antony Raj S., strengthens the same yard’s challenge. Champion trainer P. Shroff will saddle a powerful contingent, including Red Bishop with P. Trevor, Rosario under Kirtish Bhagat, Zacharias guided by Vivek G., and Kings Gambit ridden by Yash Narredu, ensuring tactical depth and sustained pressure throughout the contest.
The challenge from the M. K. Jadhav stable will come through Stormy Sea, partnered by Prashant P. Dhebe, Dreamer with N. S. Parmar, and Kavya, ridden by David Allan, all expected to appreciate the demanding Derby trip. Adding further intrigue is Fynbos, trained by P. Shroff and ridden by internationally acclaimed jockey Tom Marquand, while Pristine Glory, trained by Karthik Ganapathy and partnered by C. S. Jodha, completes a field where stamina, timing and judgement will prove decisive.
The Derby will be supported by a full card of high-quality races, beginning with Race 1, the Tattersalls Million, a Class IV event for Indian horses rated 20 to 46. Scheduled at 2:15pm, the 1400-metre contest will feature 11 runners competing for ₹12,00,000. Race 2, the Keki D. Mehta Memorial Million, will follow at 2:45pm, a 1600-metre maiden for three-year-old Indian horses, with 7 runners chasing a prize purse of ₹15,00,000.
The quality will rise further with Race 3, the Rusi Patel Trophy (Grade III), set for 3:15pm. Run over 1600 metres for horses aged four and above, the race carries ₹15,00,000 in prize money. Race 4, the Sir Homi Mehta Million, scheduled at 3:45pm, will see nine maiden three-year-olds contest a 1200-metre sprint for ₹15,00,000.
At 4:30pm, attention will turn to Race 5, the Thackers Eclipse Stakes of India (Grade II), a prestigious 2000-metre contest for horses aged four and over, offering ₹30,00,000 in stakes. The build-up to the Derby will continue with Race 6, the Rattonsey Multi-Million, at 5:00pm, where three-year-olds will compete over 1400 metres for a lucrative prize of ₹25,00,000.
Following the Derby, the action will resume with Race 8, the Coromandel Gromor Million powered by Coromandel International Ltd, a Class II sprint over 1200 metres at 6:35pm, carrying ₹10,00,000 in prize money. The curtain will come down with Race 9, the Queen’s Necklace Million, a Class V contest for Indian horses rated 1 to 26, run over 1200 metres at 7:15pm, also worth ₹10,00,000.
As the floodlights take over and the grandstands fill, Mumbai Racecards 1 February are set to showcase Indian racing at its highest level. One race will decide the crown, but every contest on the card will contribute to a day defined by quality, competition and classic ambition.
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