The highlights of the Indian horse racing season are just around the corner with four of the year’s five classics set to take place either side of the new year.
Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai is gearing up for some of the biggest days on the calendar with big prizes and Grade 1 glory up for grabs starting in December.
The season in Mumbai officially gets underway on November 24 with the first of 26 race meetings staged by the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC). In total ₹21 crore will be up for grabs across those meetings.
It is in December that the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas are staged as the first of five classic – following the same classic pattern as their British equivalents.
The 1,000 Guineas takes place on December 15 and sees the country’s top three-year-old fillies go head-to-head in December chasing black type in the classic. In 2023, it was won by Jendayi, ridden by UK-based jockey Oisin Murphy.
Fillies could instead opt to run in the 2,000 Guineas on December 22, which also takes place in December and typically only sees three-year-old colts collide over the mile distance (1600m).
Not many fillies take up the opportunity, including in 2023 when Believe pulled off an upset as a 20/1 winner of an all-colt contestedGrade 1.
The big-race action continues in January when the Indian Oaks takes place on January 11 as India’s equivalent to the Epsom Oaks in the UK.
In the 2024 Oaks, Jendayi was sent off as the 1/9 favourite and didn’t disappoint horse racing experts Blackbook.com.au as she followed up the 1,000 Guineas victory with another stylish victory with Murphy on board again.
On February 2, the focus switches to the Indian Derby in which Jendayi tried to create history in 2024. She could only finish fourth behind winner Enabler, who took the Grade 1 for the Narredus.
Who will follow him on the roll of honour on the first Sunday in February when Mumbai stages the first of 11 evening meetings?
The last of the classics is the Indian St Leger, which like the UK equivalent takes place in September and is the staying test over 1m 6f of Pune Racecourse.
It was another win for Satish Narredu and Suraj Nerredu in 2024 when Touch Of Grey outstayed his rivals including odds-on favourite Jamari, who could only finish fourth.
It promises to be another high-class year for the five classics with the next crop of three-year-olds looking to etch their name in history and folklore in Mumbai and Pune.
