Pesi Shroff trained Zuccarelli maintained the spectacular march with an emphatic win in the Gr 1 Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, the biggest race of the Indian Racing Calendar at the Mahalakshmi on Sunday. Jockey Trevor Patel`s riding was free of any error as he guided the Bangalore Derby winner to an esy win. This was the first Indian Derby success for Trevor in his decade-long career as a top-notch jockey.

Zuccarelli provided owner Khushroo Dhunjibhoy with the first success in this mega event as a breeder and owner. Zuccarelli was bred at the Nanoli Stud Farm and is the progeny of the highly successful stallion Western Aristocrat out of Circle of Bliss who incidentally had finished second-best in the Indian Oaks. Incidentally, Bergis Desai who was a partner with Khushroo in Indian Derby-winning Jacqueline had relinquished his share and thus lost the opportunity of having another winner of the Indian Derby. Zuccarelli who was reportedly an orphan foal has proved to be a late-maturing horse, each run of him an improvement over the previous one.

An excited Khushroo Dhunjibhoy said: ``After Zuccarelli`s spectacular win in the Bangalore Derby by about 15 lengths, I was pretty confident that Zuccarelli had the stuff in him to win the Indian Derby. If my memory serves me right, only two horses have the Derby by such big margins namely Red Cockade and Zuccarelli and went on to achieve greater laurels.``

‘`Zuccarelli settled down beautifully in the race and his temperament and maturity confirmed the fact that he was is a fast learner. I was pretty confident all along that my horse would land the spoils. When I easily overtook Miracle early in the stretch, I could sense the opportunity and once my horse accelerated, I knew it was going to be my way all the way.” Trevor said. Trevor was called back to ride Zuccarelli from Qatar where he had gone to do freelance in the hope of good opportunities and better exposure. ‘My brief stint there surely helped me a lot especially since the racing schedule in India had gone topsy turvy due to the Pandemic. I will stay on in India till the Invitation Cup before taking a call whether to get back to Qatar.”
For trainer Pesi Shroff, this was his back-to-back success in the Indian Derby having won last year on Immortality. He was double-handed for this race with the unbeaten Miracle with her towering presence heading the betting market. However, Miracle found it hard to negotiate the mile and a half trip in a true run race and finished disappointing fourth many lengths behind the winner. ‘` ``Zuccarelli showed a vast improvement and did everything that was asked of him. We will take a call about the Invitation Cup later. Miracle simply did not stay as the race timing itself indicates it was a true run Derby race,`` said trainer Pesi Shroff.

Without doubt, Zuccarelli had all the attributes of a true Derby horse, blessed with stamina and an amazing turn of foot which proved to be too potent for the opposition.

Rajesh Narredu trained A Star Is Born gave a valiant chase but found the winner proving too good. Jockey Suraj Narredu had kept A Star Is Born way off the pace and a few lengths adrift of Zuccarelli. ‘`This had no bearing on the result as the better horse in the day won the race,`` said Suraj Narredu.

Coming back to the race, the race was run along predictable lines. Souza, the designated pacemaker took quite a while to hit the front with Chopin settled comfortably in the second position followed by Winmylove, Regal Command while the fancied Miracle, Zuccarelli, A Star Is Born and Faith of Success were at the rear of the field. The action became frenetic as the field approached the final bend, with the pace picking up and the fancied runners jockeying to hold prime positions. Chopin enjoyed an uncontested lead in the front and had a break of over six to eight lengths when Zuccarelli and the rest made their bid.

For anyone panning the field, it was clear that the best moving horse was Zuccarelli while Miracle, the strong favourite to maintain her winning ways, was struggling to pick up speed and was the first horse to beat when the race came to the boil. Trevor Patel on Zuccarelli bided his time before setting alight the second favourite who covered the ground with raking strides in the manner of a true Derby horse and had the race sewn up a long way from home. A Star Is Born made a valiant attempt but it was clear that the bird had flown. Chopin stayed on strongly to finish third with Miracle ending up a disappointing fourth.

With the government easing restrictions only a few days ago, it was good to see the Derby being run in the presence of a fairly big gathering. ``It is good to have the racegoers back whether they shout praise or otherwise,`` said Chairman Vijay Shrike.

The traditional glamour and glitz might have been missing from the Derby Day but the important thing is that racing would be back on the rails with the attendant enthusiasm now that the dreaded Pandemic appears to be receding.