Prakash Gosavi's blog

Unsolved mystery to conclude today

2014-09-17T07:00:00.003+05:30

Will RWITC stewards hit a 'Bullseye'?

If the hallowed walls of the committee room of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) had ears, the racing world would be privy to the final proceedings of the murkiest affair in the history of Indian horse racing, namely, the Bullseye doping affair.

The matter will come up for hearing today in a special meeting of the stewards convened for the purpose. Ace jockey-turned-champion trainer Pesi Shroff will be in the dock, and if the RWITC stewards decide to go by past precedence, he may be in for punishment under the clause of 'vicarious liability'. It may be noted, that in December last year Bullseye, a filly trained by Shroff, had tested positive for banned substance boldenone after returning from a stud farm, but before entering Shroff's stables.

Whodunnit

The Bullseye doping case has all the ingredients of an Agatha Christie plot; and so far, has come across as a whodunnit that would have tested the grey cells of Sherlock Holmes if the Englishman were alive today. But of course, the crime branch of Mumbai police is possessed of the affair and have, reportedly, made some progress in the matter though Intelligence Officer Ajay Sawant, when MiD DAY contacted him, refused to divulge details.

The twists in the tale began when Shroff lodged a criminal complaint with Tardeo police against "unknown" perpetrators in January this year, and the case was transferred to the crime branch due to its high-profile nature. The crime branch soon arrested some persons who had traveled with Bullsye to Mumbai on the fateful morning, along with a farrier who was a former employee of the farm, but soon released them.

Unprecedented

Meanwhile, in a surprise decision, 59 horses stationed at the Shroff yard were tested without warning; however, all of them came clean. But this action of the stewards was viewed by the racing fraternity as vindictive, and a fallout of the running feud between former chairman KN Dhunjibhoy who owns Bullseye and Nanoli stud farm, and Vivek Jain, the current chairman who replaced him this year.

The gossip mills went into overdrive when in March, Shroff was handed a nine-month suspension, and deviating from the norm, the suspension order was widely publicized by the RWITC authorities by releasing advertizements in the pages of private race books Cole & BOL. The spat between the two chairmen turned so ugly that Vivek Jain had to finally recuse himself from Shroff's inquiry.

Shocker

The case took a sensational turn when a city newspaper carried a front-page story last month hinting that Cooji Katrak, another high-profile trainer and Shroff's rival, was interrogated by the crime branch in connection with this case after a former assistant trainer, who was himself under the police scanner, turned approver and submitted tapes of telephonic conversations to the investigating officer. Reportedly, he also made a very serious charge that a couple of RWITC members were also involved in the conspiracy.

In the latest development, Cooji Katrak, through his lawyers Jaykar & Partners, has sent a legal notice to the newspaper group, threatening to sue for damages of Rs five crore.

Bizarre

In a most bizarre development last week, rumours started making rounds that RWITC chairman Vivek Jain was questioned by the crime branch in this connection. MiD DAY learns from reliable sources that Pesi Shroff has demanded to know the details of Vivek Jain's interaction with the crime branch, saying that it has vital bearing on his case. However, Shroff refused to either confirm or deny the same, only adding, "The matter is sub-judice, I am advised not to speak to the press."

When asked, inspector Sawant confirmed the interaction with Jain, but refused to divulge details. However, Vivek Jain, when contacted by MiD DAY through phone and email, admitted he had visited the crime branch more than once in connection with this case. Communicating with MiD DAY through email, Jain denied either he or any other RWITC steward or official had any knowledge of the alleged conspiracy, and accused his rivals of maliciously spreading rumours.

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"They have another agenda....a deeper purpose": Vivek Jain

Exerpts from Vivek Jain's interview:

MiD DAY: You had recused yourself from the said inquiry....could you explain then why did the Crime Branch question you in this connection?

Vivek Jain: Possibly because the alleged knowledge of certain stewards came up in the tape-recorded conversations. This needed to be clarified. I sought time and visited the crime branch head to clarify the club's process and procedures, and to seek their advice on how to proceed. It is ridiculous in the extreme to suggest or hint, as is being maliciously spread, that any RWITC steward or official was even remotely aware of any conspiracy even if there was one.

MD: Could you share with our readers the gist of your statement to the crime branch?

VJ: I can do very little at the moment. The enquiry is sub-judice, and it would be prudent not to respond even at the cost of those whipping up the controversy to seemingly get the upper hand. Many members have requested me to speak up in view of all the rumour-mongering, but that can wait. The stewards may consider a formal statement at the appropriate time. I only wish the media too shows restraint and tries to sift the truth from an agenda that goes beyond the enquiry.

MD: Don't you think racing's image has taken a severe beating due to this episode? How do you plan to correct it?
VJ: Yes, all our efforts take a huge setback with some stories, often planted, that have appeared in the press and a few web sites. All those who love the sport are dismayed by such short sightedness. The lease of the club is still due, and this hardly helps our case, and this ought to have been not made as public, and that too by those who have a stake in the game both financially and as lovers of the sport. But they have another agenda, a deeper purpose.

This blog has shifted to my new website

2014-08-27T08:22:00.002+05:30

Visit www.PrakashGosavi.com

My column will be back from Pune season 2014

2014-07-15T13:33:00.004+05:30

The Prakash Gosavi column is back

My racing analysis column, which was hugely popular at the RWITC.com, will be back at my personal website from the forthcoming Pune racing season.

Anyone who registers at www.prakashgosavi.com (registration is FREE) can access the analysis column on every race day of the Pune 2014 racing season.

Prakash Gosavi

Shroff's daughter blackballed at RWITC

2014-04-10T11:45:00.003+05:30

Pesi Shroff's daughter blackballed at RWITC

Just when champion trainer Pesi Shroff was getting ready to appeal against the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) stewards' decision to suspend him for nine months for his filly Bullseye testing positive for a banned drug, comes the news that his daughter, Anya, an amateur rider herself, has been blackballed by one of the nine committee members of the club when she applied for club membership last month.

However, that does not mean Anya's application has been rejected, because as per change in notification effected on May 1, 2006, a person will be ineligible for membership only if he or she receives 3 negative (NO) votes.

Midday is in possession the letter written by Additional Secretary of RWITC, NHS Mani, informing all committee members about the findings of the ballot held for the purpose.

"All nine committee members had cast their votes," the letter details, "out of 17 candidates, 16 candidates have received nine "YES" [sic] votes, and one candidate, namely Miss Anya P Shroff, has received eight "YES" votes and one "NO" vote."

When mid-day contacted trainer Pesi Shroff at his Pune stables for Anya's contact details, he said, "If true, this is very sad. My daughter is too young and innocent, I request you to keep her out of this." Shroff refused to discuss the matter further.

It may be noted that Pesi Shroff is himself staring at a nine-month suspension for vicarious liability on account of his filly Bullseye testing positive for banned drug boldenone while returning from Nanoli stud farm in December last year. Shroff has filed his appeal against the RWITC stewards' decision with the Board of Appeal (BoA) of the club, and the matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on April 18.

KN Dhunjibhoy, owner of Bullseye and Nanoli stud farm and former chairman of the club, had called Shroff's nine-month suspension and "perverse" and "unprecedented", accusing his arch rival, current chairman Vivek Jain, of being "biased" against him, his farm and his trainer. In a recent ruling last week related to the same case, the RWITC stewards also imposed a two-year ban on all horses coming from Nanoli stud farm, in effect, putting a check on movement of racehorses visiting the farm for rest.

The battlelines were clearly drawn when the race club also took another unprecedented step when it released Shroff's detailed suspension order as "advertisement" in "Cole" race book, and also published the detailed minutes of that particular meeting on its official website, from where popular racing websites Indiarace.com and RacingPulse.in picked them up for re-publication, giving rise to ferocious debate in racing fraternity divided into two camps, one pro-Shroff and the other pro-RWITC.

Against this backdrop, it is no wonder that one negative vote on Anya Shroff's application has yet again stirred a hornet's nest, and rumours are flying thick and high as to who of the nine gentlemen did not want Pesi Shroff's daughter as a club member. There are accusations of "vendetta" and counter-accusations of "conspiracy", indicating that the august club's hallowed committee room will stay a divided house for a long time from now, or at least, until the next general body elections due in December this year.

Midday tried to speak to all the nine committee members who voted on the the 17 applications for club membership which included Anya Shroff's. While four of them--Champaklal Zaveri, Ram Shroff, SC Jain & Shyam Ruia--were not available, the others were unanimous in expressing shock and surprise at the revelation. Below are some of their reactions:

Geoffrey Nagpal: Are you sure? I don't think it's true. This may be a rumour, you better check it.

Jaydev Mody: My God, really? I am surprised and shocked!

Gulamhusein Vahanvaty: I am absolutely shocked. Pesi Shroff's daughter is a welcome addition to the club. I can't imagine why anyone would do it. This smacks of a conspiracy.

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Who is Anya Shroff?

Anya Shroff, 19, is the only daughter of trainer Pesi Shroff, the country's most celebrated jockey who holds a record for winning eight Indian Derby titles. Anya comes from a horse loving family which boasts of accomplished amateur riders like Tehmina Shroff, Jimmy and Nan Umrigar among her grandparents, and the late Karl Umrigar as maternal uncle. She has been riding since the age of 5, weighs 41 kg, and is interested in making a career in dressage and show riding. Only last week, she participated in the Delhi horse show, after only nine months of formal training.

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I smell conspiracy: Vivek Jain

"I am shocked by this revelation. She (Anya) comes from a family with racing background, and in fact, I was the first to welcome her and say she didn't need introduction when she appeared for the interview. There is definitely something more here than meets the eye. I think our members and the racing public are intelligent enough to read between the lines. There have already been attempts to malign my image recently, and this smells like a conspiracy to discredit me and my supporters on the committee. In fact, I did not even seal my ballot, and gave it to a senior administrative officer to be put into the box."

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Let there be a polygraph test: KN Dhunjibhoy

"This is absurd. I would think she (Anya) was the most eligible among the 17 candidates who were interviewed that day. She rides every morning and evening, she attends the races, and she comes from a horse loving family. This is not done to a 19-year old innocent girl, only a person full of vindictiveness can think of doing it."

When informed that a couple of his colleagues on the committee termed this as a conspiracy, Dhunjibhoy said, "Let there be a polygraph test for all. At least once and for all the racing public will know who has been lying all the time."

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(c) MiD DAY

Derby report

2014-02-03T06:51:00.001+05:30

ALAINDAIR SHOCKS 'EM

Written off summarily by the pundits after his loss at the hands of Murioi in the Indian 2000 Guineas, Alaindair trained by Altamash Ahmed used the 25,000-strong Derby crowd as witness to avenge his humiliation and inflict a crushing defeat on his conqueror Murioi and 13 other thoroughbreds by posting a sensational victory in the grade 1, McDowell Signature Indian Derby at the Mahalaxmi racecourse on Sunday.

Barring Ameeta Mehra who bred the Multidimensional - God's Grace four year old at her Usha stud farm and also has a share in him, Alaindair's Derby victory gave all others--trainer Altamash Ahmed, jockey YS Srinath and owners Dr Nevill Devlaliwalla and Gaurav Sethi--their first taste of the heady Derby success.

The massive crowd noisily cheered the 15 Derby runners as the gates clicked open for the greatest race of the Indian racing calendar. Within final moments leading to the start of the race, faovurite Murioi was backed to the exclusion of all his rivals, getting hammered down to 5 to 4, while palpable lack of support for Jeremiah drove his odds up to 9 to 2, with all others being pushed beyond the double-digit mark. Alaindair was quoted at 15 to 1, and with some support, finally closed at 13 to 1.

Jockey Srinath settled Alaindair on the inner rails in mid-bunch even as Isn't She Special (David Allan up) employed the same tactics that earned her the Oaks victory and hit the front, closely chased by Archie, Jeremiah, Southern Emperor, Starry Eyes, Agostini and Murioi, followed by Alaindair and the rest. More or less same order prevailed until they approached the final turn when Jeremiah (S Zervan up) made his move to pounce on Isn't She Special and Starry Eyes (Sandesh up) moved up fast on the inner rails to come into contention, but before Jeremiah could catch Isn't She Special, CD Hayes put favourite Murioi into top gear who devoured ground to assume command, and for a moment it looked this 72nd edition of the Derby would break its image as the graveyard of favourites.

But in a brilliant move that dripped of supreme confidence, jockey YS Srinath pulled out Alaindair to get almost onto the center of the track, and unleashed a powerful stretch run that was simply scintillating. Alaindair responded magnificently to Srinath's call and pounced on Murioi with such savage force that it ceased to be a contest in the last 100 meters. A dispirited Murioi finally slipped to fourth spot as Starry Eyes and Circle Of Life managed to edge him out at the wire.

Srinath 'over the moon'
"I am over the moon," jockey Srinath, who won his first Indian Derby in what most perceive as the last leg of his career, said after the race, "even after crossing the winning post, I couldn't believe I have won the Derby! It all looked so unreal."

Srinath added, "When I saw Murioi making his move so early, I knew this was the day I would get him, and switched to the outside to make my bid."

Owners delirious
Owner Dr Nevill Devlaliwalla, in whose colours Alaindair ran, was jumping with joy as he shook what looked like an unending stream of people wanting to shake hands with him and congratulate. Later, from the trophy presentation arena, he said, "When I saw Srinath pulling Alaindair out and setting him alight, I knew my horse was going to be there, we would now finish one or two."

Gaurav Sethi, who owns a part in Alaindair, confessed he felt delirious, when he said, "I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight, maybe I am going to keep on talking about this non-stop until I fall off to sleep."

Trainer thrilled
Trainer Altamash Ahmed, who had nursed Derby hopes last year for An Acquired Taste owned by the same connections which were later belied, considered himself lucky that he didn't have to wait long. "Winning the Indian Derby is a dream for every professional, this is a great moment, I have no words to express my gratitude--God has been very kind."

'Shabash, my boys!'
"I dedicate this success to my staff at the Usha stud," Ameeta Mehra, who bred Alaindair said in a live interview, "my boys, if you are watching this or listening to me right now, I want you to know that this has become possible only because of your hard work, well done my boys."

(C) MiD DAY

Q & A about Classes

2013-11-20T11:28:00.001+05:30

To know everything about the Handicapping Classes, RWITC's new initiative for racegoers, please click this link.

FREE Handicapping Classes

2013-11-18T18:31:00.003+05:30

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

The Royal Western India Turf Club
(RWITC)
presents

FREE Handicapping Classes
(for novices/beginners/racing enthusiasts)

The classes will be conducted
by Prakash Gosavi,

Racing correspondent of
RWITC's media partner MiD DAY

15 Special Coaching batches

The dates (with code) for the batch

1. Sunday, November 24 (code: 2411)
2. Sunday, December 1 (code: 0112)
3. Sunday, December 15 (code: 1512)
4. Sunday, December 22 (code: 2212)
5. Sunday, January 5 (code: 0501)
6. Saturday, January 18 (code: 1801)
7. Saturday, February 1 (code: 0102)
8. Sunday, February 2 (code: 0202)
9. Sunday, February 16 (code: 1602)
10. Sunday, February 23 (code: 2302)
11. Sunday, March 9 (code: 0903)
12. Sunday, March 23 (code: 2303)
13. Sunday, March 30 (code: 3003)
14. Sunday, April 6 (code: 0604)
15. Sunday, April 13 (code: 1304)

Time: 9.30 AM sharp
on the dates mentioned above

Venue: Owners' Association Lounge,

Members' Enclosure, Mahalaxmi racecourse

Hurry up!!! Limited seats in each batch.

Admission STRICTLY on
first-booked-first-served basis

Book your seat NOW to avoid disappointment

Call Ms Nanda on 022-23071441

or send SMS giving your name followed by date code
to 09322223710

For example, if your name is Hitesh Gandhi,
and you are interested in attending on February 16,

SMS "Hitesh Gandhi 1602" to 09322223710
(You will receive confirmation within 48 hours)

==============

This game CAN be beaten

2013-11-05T08:36:00.002+05:30

Dear friends,

In December 2011, I entered into a five-season contract to write The Prakash Gosavi column, a column analyzing races and recommending bets on the Royal Western India Turf Club's (RWITC) official web site. With four seasons over and only the final season to go, my performance was reviewed recently for the benefit of the column's followers.

Here is the article that discussed the performance, which turned a 1k bet (from a capital base of Rs 10,000) into close to 100,000 in only 22 months.

If you don't have time to read the entire article, you can just click this link to look at the performance sheet.

And now, the most incredible part. Remember that money management formula I devised for the stock market which was actually based on my money management research related to racing?

Well, if one had started with the same 1k bet, but instead of betting only 1k on each horse, if one had used my money management formula, what would have been the result?

Check out THIS LINK.

Enjoy. Here is wishing a very happy and profitable new year to you and your family,

Prakash Gosavi

Do away with thousandth of a second

2013-08-16T08:42:00.000+05:30

Seeing is believing

A recent dead heat at Pune in Turf Club Trophy (Pic: RWITC)

Close photo finish verdicts, especially in horse racing where fortunes may be made or unmade on the outcome, is a touchy subject, and generally the root of heartburn for punters on the losing side of the decision. The author suggests there is a much simpler solution available which the race clubs must implement to win back their core customers' confidence......

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TWO RACES run last week at two different centers have thrown up a very serious question that horse racing administrators in the country will have to attend to without any delay—because if they don't, unrest among professionals and punters who view themselves as victims of a questionable decision may reach a flashpoint someday.

On Monday (Aug 4), at Malakpet racecourse in Hyderabad, two horses—Palm Springs & Magical Spell—crossed the wire together in P M Bokadawala Memoroial Cup. It was a very close finish, even the vertical line drawn on the photo print seemed to be touching the noses of both the horses. But the judge ruled Palm Springs as the winner because the digital camera's software displayed time of 1:28.095 for Palm Springs, and 1:28.096 for Magical Spell, a difference one thousandth part of a second.

Four days later (Friday, Aug 9), the same thing happened at Bangalore when a photo finish verdict between Paras Mani & Perfect Soul in the Leading Owner Cup was resolved in favour of the former—who was adjudged winner by two thousandth parts of a second—again, though the line drawn on the print looked like touching noses of both the horses.

Unprecedented

However, there was one thing different in the Bangalore episode. Neil Darashah, trainer of Perfect Soul who was adjudged as loser, did something that was definitely unprecedented in the history of Indian racing—and perhaps world racing too. He lodged a protest not for a foul against the winning horse or the winning rider, but against the judge's decision. In Neil's opinion, his horse Perfect Soul had not lost, and the judge should have declared a dead-heat.

"I saw the print, and felt it was impossible to tell which horse had won, both horses' noses looked like touching the line drawn by the judge," Neil Darashah told MiD DAY over the phone, "so I was within my rights to lodge a protest against the decision." Interestingly, Neil also cited the precedent of another case from the past, involving horses trained by two other trainers—Irfan Ghatala & Darius Byramji—being declared as dead-heated under the same circumstances, ignoring the digital timing which would have ruled in favour of only one of them as winner.

However, Neil's objection was overruled, and rather quickly too, not by deliberating on the point he had raised about the photo print and the line drawn by the judge, but solely on the ground that the timing generated by the camera software implied that Paras Mani had crossed the wire first—by a microscopic margin of two thousandth parts of a second!

Verifiability is important

I strongly feel the Bangalore stewards failed to grasp the gravity of the point raised by Neil Darashah. In this game where crores of rupees are bet on the nose of a horse, it's not just a question of giving a "technically" right decision, but also giving a believable, and more importantly, a "verifiable" verdict.

The bettors don't understand your high tech software or how it functions—they want to see, on television screens, with their own eyes, the photo finish shot with its mirror image so that they can confirm for themselves that the lines are properly drawn and are perfectly vertical, and that both the horses' lines (connecting the nose of a horse and its mirror image) can be seen as "distinct", "separate" and "perfectly parallel" lines.

Then and only then the loser is going to be convinced that his horse has lost—not otherwise.

Without providing any of this, if the race clubs think they are simply going to tell their losing customers, 'Sir, you have lost by one thousandth part of a second because our camera software says so', the day is not far when such decisions will meet with angry—and perhaps violent protests. The administrators ought to realize that a sensitive and critical decision like a photo finish verdict in horse racing, which could potentially swing fortunes worth millions either way, must be backed by a credible and verifiable proof process, and not just a verbal assurance of some electronic system's flawlessness.

A simple test

Actually, there is quite a simple and straightforward test that dictates when it is obligatory to declare a dead heat between two horses, and it is this:

If, on a standard size print, despite best efforts, the judge cannot draw, touching the noses of the two horses, two distinct, separate and parallel lines which are discernible to the naked eye, it ought to be declared as a dead heat.

Learn from the greatest race

The race clubs must seriously reflect why, even today, for the most popular athletic race in the world—the men's 100-meter sprint—times are published only up to two places of the decimal. Even its records are talked in those terms: Carl Lewis (9.86), Steve Mullings (9.80), Asafa Powell (9.72) and now Usain Bolt (9.58)—don't they have the latest technology? Sure they do. But more important, they have the common sense not to unnecessarily complicate the matter for their billions of followers.

The race clubs have all the more reason to limit the time to this (100th of a second) scale, because on a standard size photo print, 1/100th of a second can be told apart by two distinct lines, but if you wish to draw two discernible lines a thousandth of a second apart, then you would need paper size that is 100 times bigger, because the nature of magnification for an image is not just linear (10 times), but proportional to the area (10 x 10 = 100) times.

There would also be another problem. The moment you magnify the image, the sharpness of the image is lost, diffusion sets in, and the outline of a horse's nose tends to merge with the background shadow, so that by itself defeats the purpose. If for nothing else, then at least for this reason the Indian race clubs must at once revert back to the times that are limited to only two places of decimals.

Mirror image lends sanctity

Sometimes, the photo finish print is not immediately shown. If shown, the mirror image is mostly missing, not realizing that sanctity of the whole process depends on the mirror image. Lines can be drawn any which way to give a wrong impression in close calls. There is a whole science of optical illusion to support this apprehension.

Also, all over the world, the person officiating as judge, relying on his own eye, is obligated to write down his decision as soon as the horses pass the winning post, and seal it before consulting the photo finish camera or watching the slow motion replay. The reason for this ritual is very important. In the rare case when the camera might fail for some reason, the stewards are supposed to call for this sealed envelope and open it to announce the judge's verdict. This gesture of recording the first impressions before any other factor can sway your mind is packed with wisdom.

However, this practice is not scrupulously followed in Indian race clubs, and definitely not at the Bangalore race club. Because when camera failed during the finish of race #36 of the current Bangalore season, though most hawk-eyed punters felt certain that Royal Admiral had failed to catch up with Rebuttal's Hope, the judge, after repeatedly watching the replay, declared a dead-heat and played safe.

(c) MiD DAY

Hughes apologizes to RWITC

2012-12-11T11:23:00.001+05:30

Richard Hughes astride Jacqueline after her 2000 Guineas victory

Hughes apologizes; likely to ride in 1000 Guineas

Prakash Gosavi
gosavi@mid-day.com

In what is being viewed as an embarrassing gesture for a world renowned jockey of his stature, English rider Richard Hughes has delivered an unequivocal apology to the stewards and adminstration of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) Ltd for the scandalous remarks he had made against them both on social media sites and in his autobiography, "A Weight Off My Mind".

It may be recalled that Richard Hughes was suspended by RWITC stewards for six weeks for not following instructions of the trainer on a horse named Jacqueline Smile in February this year. Hughes' appeal against the decision was also turned down by the board of appeal, and he was forced to miss the start of the English flat racing season of 2012 because the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) refused to stay the ban imposed by the Mumbai race club.

The jockey in his autobiography published three months later, in a chapter titled "Mumbai Madness--the Indian Experience", had termed the rule "stupid" and called the RWITC stewards "naive enough to act on gossip & innuendo". Hughes had also accused them of "burying their heads in the sand", and therefore, "unable to get Indian racing in line with world racing". He had concluded the chapter by terming his last visit to India as "a nightmare", further declaring, "Surely, I can't envisage me riding in India again."

Apparently, Hughes, who won the coveted English flat championship for the first time this year after being runner up four times earlier, seems to have had a change of heart in less than a year after penning those words, after he found himself unable to refuse a reportedly lucrative offer to ride for high profile trainer Pesi Shroff in the forthcoming Indian Classics at Mahalaxmi.

But when Hughes applied for a licence to ride at Mahalaxmi last week, the RWITC stewards put their foot down, and made clear they would consider it only if Hughes rendered an unequivocal apology for his remarks which had received wide publicity all over the racing world.

Hughes was thus left with no alternative but to eat humble pie; and in a letter written to the club last Thursday, he has clarified that those comments were made "in the heat of the moment", and added, "I hereby withdraw any remarks which have caused distress, and I unreservedly apologize to you all for any embarrassment and offence caused."

The apology has finally cleared the deck for the arrival of the ace English jockey who is expected to ride filly Portia in the grade 1, Indian 1000 Guineas this Sunday at Mahalaxmi.

(c) MiD DAY

Todywalla begins with a big bang

2012-11-21T07:24:00.004+05:30

Dallas Todywalla begins with a big bang,

but says, "Pesi Shroff can steamroll me"

Prakash Gosavi
gosavi@mid-day.com

Trainer Dallas Todywalla, who bagged the Pune championship last month by leading in 27 winners during the monsoon meet, made a fresh bid for the Mumbai season when four of his six runners on the inaugural day's card at Mahalaxmi returned to the winner's enclosure. Todywalla's winners included Brindaban, a two-year-old who made a smashing winning debut in the Star Crowned Plate, and Step Up, who won the Race Of Hope Gold Cup, the feature event of Tuesday's nine-race card--both winning their respective events in a start-to-finish manner as did Hill Ranger, another Todywalla-trained horse, who picked up the upper division of the ORIS trophy.

Interestingly, three of Todywalla's quartet of winners were partnered by Bangalore-based jockey Suraj Narredu, who also bagged the day's riding honours, edging out S Zervan & A Sandesh who both rode two winners each.

"I couldn't have asked for a better start," Todywalla, who has 15 championship trophies adorning his showcase, told MiD DAY, "but don't read too much into it. It wouldn't be an easy task for me as many of my horses have already gone up in handicap a great deal thanks to a good Pune season. Yes, I have 26 decent youngsters, but I can't think of championship with Pesi Shroff around--he can steamroll me! I will be happy if I can finish runner up to him, or maybe run him close."

Incidentally, trainer Pesi Shroff, along with his jockey S Zervan, also notched up two wins for Vijay Shirke & partners--Portia winning the Maharaja Of Morvi Trophy & Silver Birch picking up the Mathradas Goculdas Trophy, while trainer Karthik saddled Dr Ramaswamy's Turf Lightning who made every post of the Charles Forbes Trophy a winning one in the hands of foreigner Liam P Jones who tasted his first success on an Indian racetrack.

(c) MiD DAY

Dashrath Singh interview

2012-10-15T05:55:00.003+05:30

Never expected such a dream weekend: Dashrath

By Prakash Gosavi

Winning as many as seven races over one weekend, and topping it with the first ever Classic success, was not really something jockey Dashrath Singh had expected even in his wildest dreams. The modest, soft-spoken 27 year old jockey on Sunday won the Nanoli Stud Pune Derby with the Bezan Chenoy-trained Commander, a 7-1 shot who fought every inch of the last furlong of the mile-and-a-quarter trip with the Malesh Narredu-trained Shivalik Hero (B Sreekanth up) to finally prevail by a proverbial whisker. In terms of timing, the verdict was only two-hundredths of a second.

Jockey Dashrath Singh spoke to MiD DAY after winning the Pune Derby. Excerpts from the exclusive chat:

MD: How did you get the ride astride Commander?
DS: (Trainer) Bezan (Chenoy) sir had asked me some time back if I would ride Commander as they were planning to pitch him in the Derby fray by paying the final entry fee. Mr Sultan Singh, who has bred the horse and also owns it, had also spoken to me.

MD: Did you fancy his chances? How confident were you before the race?
DS: Frankly, I did think we had a chance because I had once tracked alongside Commander & Shakti Singh with the filly Vittoria. I knew he had come up after his last run, and in fact, when Sultan sir phoned on Saturday, I told him I expected to finish in one-two.

MD: What were the instructions given to you in the paddock?
DS: Bezan sir does not burden with too much advice. He just told me to ride my own race, so I was quite relaxed though this was Derby.

MD: Did the race unfold as per your expectations and plan?
DS: You cannot have a plan for a race like the Derby because everyone is thinking only for himself and his horse. Yes, I was not really bothered about the favourite (An Acquired Taste). I had checked the runs of all rivals, and I felt Shivalik Hero was the horse to beat. So I just tried to keep close to him until the race heated up.

MD: During the neck & neck battle in the final furlong, did the fear of losing cross your mind?
DS: No, the way we two were going, I always knew I am not going to concede the advantage. Commander was a very well prepared horse, so it was not difficult to control the situation. Yes, the verdict was a short head, but I think we were always in command.

MD: Had you called your family or friends to witness your first Derby victory?
DS: (laughs) No. That's because in the past whenever I called them, I failed, and became a butt of joke among my friends.

MD: Your first Derby victory.....
DS: Yes, and my first Classic too. Since last year, I have had mounts in both Mumbai & Pune Derby, but Commander was the first horse with a realistic chance. I am glad we made it.

MD: You were absolutely on a roll....winning seven races over the weekend. Did you see it coming?
DS: No. Actually most of my mounts had only outside chance in their respective races, so frankly, I never really expected such a dream weekend.

(c) MiD DAY

Missed Opportunities

2012-09-07T10:46:00.002+05:30

(NOTE: For Saturday, Sept 8 PUNE races analysis, please click here)

The gentleman who asked me why I tipped Catharsis against Bizarro (please refer Comments section in the Katrak interview) was kind enough to mail me the original list I had painstakingly prepared for the My Stable column at Indiarace.com for the Pune season.

One glance at the list is enough to give the proof of both--the system's power & my own criminal negligence in managing to lose the list--as 14 of the 36 horses have already won so far, one of them more than once.

I shudder to think how many times I have tipped AGAINST my own My Stable list horses out of ignorance.

One never ceases to learn the hard way.

My apologies to the dedicated followers of My Stable.

My Stable FAQ

2012-06-02T07:25:00.002+05:30

MY STABLE FAQ

Why My Stable?

All over the world some of the best brains of all generations have been attracted to this game, and their standard approach to beat this game has always been to study the form of each and every horse in each and every race, form opinions about their relative abilities, and then decide the betting action. This elaborate process consumes too much time and involves too much decision-making stress at the end of which most people (4,999 out of 5,000 as per the Betfair statistic) still manage to lose money over the long term.

Why put in the donkey's labour if you are anyway going to lose money at the end of it all?

A point that is worth noting is despite sophisticated technology, including computers, to help manage data and devise newer and finer methods, NOT ONE PUNTER IN THE WORLD has been able to give credible proof that he has a method or a system that has given him consistent profits over the long term.

Could something be radically wrong with the standard approach everyone brings to this game?

My Stable is an experiment devised to investigate this possibility.

How is My Stable different from the standard approach?

It's a contrarian approach that is so extreme it refuses to even look at any horse that is NOT on its own short-list! And the "detailed study of every runner in every race to determine their relative abilities" is considered an unpardonable sin!

We will be focusing on less than 5% of the horses stationed at Bangalore this season, saving more than 95% labour, time, energy--whatever you choose to call it. For this experiment of My Stable, I have short-listed 28 horses which, I think, if judiciously placed by their trainers, should be able to strike sooner than later because they are very close to their winning form and winning mark (rating).

On what basis have you selected these horses?

A good question. If you look at the list, you will see it has a mix of horses young and old, consistent & inconsistent, speedy and come-from-behind and in-form & out-of-form--and they come from a motley crowd of 17 different trainers! But they have one thing in common. Sometime in their last couple of runs they have given me the impression that they should be getting ready for a big effort in near future. The insights I have gained from Dynamic Handicapping & FINOO research (for more info, visit prakashgosavi.blogspot.in) make me believe so.

Will a My Stable horse be deleted from the list after it runs once?

No. My Stable horses will be tracked every time they choose to run during the entire season unless they are taken off the list.

How does a My Stable horse go off the list then?

A My Stable horse will go off the list ONLY IF
i) it goes up in rating substantially (generally, after a winning effort)
ii) it develops bad mannerisms
iii) there is an unmistakable loss of form
iv) it is injured

How does the My Stable system function?

Every time a My Stable horse is entered in a race, we will take a call if it calls for a bet or we pass the race, by judging the following factors:
i) class level at which it is entered,
ii) suitability of the trip,
iii) the jockey's skill level & current form,
iv) and the trainer intent (this will judged by track trials pattern, equipment, choice of jockey & last but not the least, the movement of odds).

You mean we will not look at who he has to compete with?

NO, we will NOT look at the rivals at all, nor try to evaluate them.

Our only concern will be to decide if our horse can be expected to put his best foot forward today, and if yes, if the price is agreeable.

It may happen often that everything looks good except the price (too cramped odds), so we pass the race, the horse wins, and because rating now goes up, we will have to take the horse off the list. This case depicts a scenario where we failed to book the profit on a My Stable horse--but no regrets. Patience is the name of the game. Remember, races are forever, and fresh horses will get onto the list every week (after noting track trials and watching the weekend races, we may add more horses to the list as the season progresses) and, hopefully, will give us new opportunities.

For today's My Stable analysis, please click here.

My Stable: My new experiment

2012-05-29T10:24:00.003+05:30

After the stupendous success of combining the unique insights of Dynamic Ratings & FINOO in my column at the Royal Western India Turf Club site which yielded an ROI (return of investment) of 45% in five months between December 1, 2011 & April 29, 2012) I am now taking fresh guard to make another handicapping experiment.

I have nicknamed the venture "My Stable", and view it as a new way to look at the old-fashioned handicapping. My Stable will feature on India's most popular racing website Indiarace.com from Saturday, June 2, 2012. You will know more about it here.

Regards,

Prakash Gosavi

New twist to Boldenone controversy

2012-03-07T11:20:00.001+05:30

FDA vindicates trainer Shorff's stand

IN A development that may turn the ill-famed 'boldenone' case on its head, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra unit, yesterday ruled that the horse feed supplied by the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to trainers tested positive for banned drug boldenone. Administration of boldenone, a steroid, is considered a very serious offence, and three trainers--Pesi Shroff, Cooji Katrak & S K Sunderji--whose horses had tested positive in January last year for the same, were suspended for various periods.

The FDA thus vindicated the stand taken by champion trainer Pesi Shroff who had all along maintained that the feed, manufactured by a German manufacturer, which he had procured through the club, was the actual source of boldenone contamination, and challenged his one-month suspension in a court of law. "Yes, I have received a communication from the FDA saying the feed samples they collected have tested positive for boldenone," Shroff said when contacted by MiD DAY, "however, the matter is sub-judice, so I do not wish to make any comment."

However, horse owner Vijay Shirke, for whom Shroff trained Eloise who was involved in the boldenone controversy, told MiD DAY he was not surprised by the FDA findings. "My trainer had tested the feed, submitted the report to the stewards," he said, "in all fairness, they should have at least tried to verify his claim independently. If this (FDA's finding) is true, the least that the club can do now is to expunge the stigma from the trainer's record and annul the punishment."

"I have not yet been informed about this development," Vivek Jain, chairman of the club, told MiD DAY, "but if true, since there is a legal overtone to this case, we will seek advice from our counsel as to what course of action the club should pursue."

(MiD DAY)

Beginners want to know more

2011-11-24T09:10:00.001+05:30

Beginners want to know more.

Tribute to a crusader

2011-11-16T19:03:00.001+05:30

The Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) has scheduled, on tomorrow's card, the J V Shukla 'Ashwamitra' Trophy, in memory of one of the most active racing journalists of a bygone era.

To read an article from the archives which I had penned to pay tribute to him, click here.

Dhunjibhoy smells conspiracy and sabotage

2011-10-14T10:59:00.002+05:30

"We need to get to the bottom of this": KN Dhunjibhoy

The boldenone drug scandal that rocked the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) and its top professionals took a dramatic turn on Thursday. In a bold move that is bound to have far-reaching implications for the sport in western India, K N Dhunjibhoy, owner of the Nanoli stud farm, directed his private trainer Shyam Habbu to lodge a complaint with the Pune police.

It may be noted that Nanoli stud farm, which sponsors the grade 1 Pune Derby every year, was in the news in August this year when three horses from the farm tested positive for banned drug boldenone after they arrived at the race club's stables in Pune. Trainer Shyam Habbu in whose care the horses were listed was fined Rs 175,000 for vicarious liability by the RWITC stewards.

"We have been in this business for 17 years, more than 250 horses have come and gone from our farm in all these years, and we have never had a problem," Dhunjibhoy told MiD DAY, "we suspect there is more to this than meets the eye."

Dhunjibhoy, who also trains his horses with champion trainer Pesi Shroff, did not rule out a conspiracy or sabotage angle in the whole affair. "We have had great success in recent years, especially with Pesi Shroff-trained horses," he revealed, "and interestingly, these horses were initially meant for Pesi Shroff's yard, but Pesi, for some reason, advised me to send them to Habbu, a fact that no one knew besides us. So I suspect whosoever got at the horses did so to get Pesi into big trouble."

Shyam Habbu, on Dhunjibhoy's instructions, has given names of ten key persons to the police who are working at both the farms owned by Dhunjibhoy--Nanoli stud & Manju Meadows--and also at the RWITC stables. When MiD DAY asked Dhunjibhoy why he did not take help of private sleuths to get to the bottom of this instead of seeking police help, he said, "There wouldn't be legitimacy to the findings if I put private detectives on the job, I want this entire investigation to be transparent & above board, so I have approached the police authorities."

(c) MiD DAY

Karmic connection

2011-10-11T07:18:00.003+05:30

Image credit: RWITC Ltd

By Suraj Narredu

The more I think the more I believe our family has a karmic connection with the Pune Derby. As you know we basically hail from Pune, and though my family has settled in Bangalore after my father Satish made it his home, my uncle Malesh still lives here. He is the one who almost monopolised the Nanoli Stud Pune Derby, winning it seven times. My father had his share with two wins astride Dr Ramaswamy's Scenic Royale and Forest Fantasy. So I was obviously looking forward to continue the family tradition.

I also was itching to win the Classic for another reason. In recent weeks, despite my best efforts I had to play second fiddle to winners in three group races at three different centers--Kolkata, Hyderabad & Mysore. Of course I lost to far superior horses, but I was getting more eager to win a Classic now.

I had a good horse this time in Hills And Stars--she had won her races easily although not everyone was impressed because what she beat was not much. But the trainer (Vinayak) was very confident. I had ridden her in her last start so I was sure she was equal to the task on hand. I thought if the pace could be fast, she would have the best chance--I was secretly praying for a fast pace.

I was keenly watching how the track played on Sunday. In the earlier races, most winners emerged from the horses who kept up with the pace, so I decided to play it that way. You can see though I raced fifth or sixth, I was never more than 3-4 lengths off the leader at any stage.

Luckily for me Pronto Star set a fast pace, and when he came apart Lake Michigan took over momentarily to bring us into the homestretch. My filly was moving so well at the time and was so keen that I let her have her way and eased her into the lead. And the moment I urged her, she skipped away with such force we had a 3 length lead in a trice. I knew no horse would be able to challenge us now and we had won the race.

(As told to Prakash Gosavi)

Boldenone case comes to conclusion

2011-10-01T06:16:00.000+05:30

Katrak gets relief, Shroff doesn't

After a marathon meeting at the Pune racecourse on Friday afternoon that lasted over five hours, the Board Of Appeal (BoA) of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) gave their final verdict in the Boldenone case. Trainer Cooji Katrak's punishment was reduced to 85 days from the earlier 120 days, while Pesi Shroff, who was awarded a month's suspension, failed to get any relief.

The two top trainers of western India, along with another trainer SK Sunderji, were punished by the RWITC stewards last month on account of their horses, who participated in the Indian 1000 & 2000 Guineas in December 2010, testing positive for banned substance Boldenone. Sunderji, who got one month's suspension, chose not to appeal against the verdict and is already undergoing the punishment, while Katrak and Shroff made fresh submissions to the Board Of Appeal yesterday.

Both Shroff & Katrak's respective punishments will come into effect form Monday, October 3 which means that Shroff will not be able to saddle horses in the Nanoli Pune Derby (October 9), and Katrak will be out of action until December 26, and will not only miss the start of the Mahalaxmi season but also the first two Classics--the 1000 & 2000 Guineas.

(c) MiD DAY

Boldenone verdict out

2011-08-31T08:15:00.002+05:30

Trainers sentenced for 'vicarious' liability

Prakash Gosavi
gosavi@mid-day.com

The verdict was finally out on the most sensational drug case in the history of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) Ltd when a body of five stewards, headed by club chairman Vivek Jain, handed out punishments to the three high profile trainers--Pesi Shroff, Cooji Katrak and Shiraz Sunderji--whose horses had tested positive for banned drug bolenone in December last year.

"We have gone strictly by the rule book and past precedent," Vivek Jain told MiD DAY after the meeting, "there was no clear evidence to suggest that the trainers were guilty of administering the alleged drug, but there is a clause of vicarious liability under which the sentences have been handed out."

Pesi Shroff, for whom it was the first offence, was given only a one-month suspension along with a fine of Rs 10,000, while Shiraz Sunderji (45 days & Rs 20,000 fine) & Cooji Katrak (120 days & Rs 20,000 fine for two horses, for two horses) received longer sentences for having past history of violations.

In their defence, the trainers had collectively argued that the feed that the club supplied to them, manufactured by a German company, was given to the said horses, and that it was contaminated with Boldenone. To support their argument, the trainers had also submitted reports of two laboratories--Davis, California & Bhagawati, Hyderabad--which clearly mentioned that fact. When MiD DAY asked Jain about the same, he replied, "That argument could not be accepted as mitigating circumstances because several horses in western India who received the same supplements were tested but none of them, other than these horses, tested positive."

When contacted, Pesi Shroff, the most famous of the trio and a living legend of the sport, offered a one-line comment, "I have a recourse to appeal, and I will file it."

All three sentences are expected to take effect from the next week (September 5) unless the board of appeal of the RWITC needs more time to deliberate on the appeals filed by the trainers.

(c) MiD DAY

Bizarre & Unprecedented Decision

2011-08-08T11:33:00.005+05:30

Controversial decision by RWITC stewards
"God, please don't forgive them because they know exactly what they are doing," this quote from Antony Lobo, a racegoer for over 20 years, accurately summed up the anger and frustration felt by almost all sections of the racing fraternity after the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) stewards announced a bizarre verdict in the last race of the Sunday card.

The controversial decision is bound to be debated in racing world for a long time. The stewards declared San Rafael (C Rajendra up) as a non-starter despite the horse having come under the starter's order, run his race, and finished fourth. Incidentally, the race was won by the favourite, the Narendra Lagad-trained Prince Of Troy.

The unprecedented decision deprived San Rafael's owners stakes money, and hit the punters where it hurt most: those who had backed the winner lost 20% of their gains, and those who had backed the first three finishers for place had to do away with a whopping 50% of their profits, to compensate for refund of bets on the non-starter.

The incident that prompted steward's intervention was caused by human error, as the start for the race was given before the blindfolds on San Rafael were removed, denying him a fair start, the horse lost a crucial 1.20 seconds before he could come out of the stall.

"If they (stewards) felt the start was not fair to all," said a senior club member who did not wish to be named, "the only option was to declare the race null & void, and refund all bets."

"It's a motivated decision," a bookmaker told MiD DAY on the condition of anonymity, "it's an open secret that there was heavy betting on the winner done by a particular group whom the stewards do not dare to displease." The bookmaker, in support of his argument, pointed out that when the same connections had bet on another horse from the same stable two years ago at Pune who had eventually lost, the stewards had, in another controversial and unprecedented decision (The Sparkling Spirit episode, September 2009), declared the race null & void, resulting in this group being saved from huge losses.

MiD DAY contacted RWITC chairman Vivek Jain for his take on the matter, but in an SMS sent to this correspondent, Jain informed, "I left at 4.15 pm (the race was run after 5.30 pm), and did not know what happened thereafter."
(c) MiD DAY

Gate Threat

2011-07-29T11:15:00.000+05:30

Alert jockeys avoid accident

Had it not been for quick reflexes and the presence of mind of jockeys who rode in the P Hadow Trophy, the feature race on Thursday's card, there could have been a very serious accident at the Pune racetrack yesterday as the starting gates for the race malfunctioned when the last of the seven horses was being loaded, and clicked open without the starter putting the flag down.

Just for the record, the race was re-run later and was won by Elizabeth, ridden by B Prakash for trainer Pesi Shroff.

The poor handler involved in the incident was extremely lucky to escape without serious hurt as he gained that crucial, extra fraction of a second to jump to safety as alert jockeys reacted swiftly, realizing that it was a 'false start', and held back their horses.

The incident possibly would not have happened if the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) had learnt its lesson after the tragedy last year at the same track when a horse named Running Bull had to be put down on compassionate grounds after getting trapped in the same old starting gates due to malfunction. Interestingly, five months after the Running Bull tragedy the race club imported supposedly the world's best starting gates with a lot of fanfare, talking about how they viewed horses' and jockeys' safety as most important, and why they went for the world's safest & best starting gates despite the high price.

Ironically, the new gates have been brought in from Mahalaxmi to Pune, but the club in his wisdom took the decision of using the same old starting gates only for six-furlong races, like the P Hadow Trophy run yesterday, so that they can let it lie there permanently for all six-furlong races on the monsoon track. "They are choosing convenience over safety," said an angry horse owner to MiD DAY on the condition of anonymity, "knowing full well that those old gates are dangerous and can malfunction anytime."

Vivek Jain, chairman of the club, who has yet to attend the one-week old Pune racing season, told MiD DAY over the phone, "I was told last week they would use it (the old gates) for some time because moving the new gates on the wet surface would cause damage to the track. But after today's incident, I assume they will not use it from tomorrow."

When MiD DAY contacted Zavaray Poonawalla, who was actively involved with the import of the new gates along with Pesi Shorff and Dara Mehta (owner of the ill-fated Running Bull, and reported the incident, he said, "I was not there at the races today, and I am rather surprised they are still using the old gates," before adding, "the new gates we have procured are the world's best and safest starting gates, they are being used all over the English tracks with excellent safety record. I will visit the races tomorrow and look into the matter."

(c) MiD DAY

Rough riders

2011-07-15T19:54:00.002+05:30

Army officers ride roughshod at Pune racecourse, intimidate trainers

Prakash Gosavi
gosavi@mid-day.com

With only a week to go for the commencement of the Pune monsoon racing season 2011 which opens next Thursday (July 21), the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) trainers find themselves caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

On one side are officers of the army who want trainers, their staff and horses out of the training school premises during their pleasure riding sessions which, interestingly, coincide with the morning track work of racehorses, and on the other the club authorities, whom the trainers turn to for help and protection, tell the professionals to be 'polite' to the arrogant army officers and avoid precipitating a showdown.

"Situation has come to a flashpoint," a trainer told MiD DAY on the condition of anonymity before another veteran trainer, Mansing K Jadhav, raised the issue for the attention of Vivek Jain, chairman of the club, during a press meet that was held at the Turf Club House, Pune racecourse, yesterday afternoon.

"Two ADC's on horseback barged into the training school around 7 am on Wednesday morning," trainer Jadhav told MiD DAY, "asking to immediately vacate the premises because 'Commandersaab' wanted to ride there. Trainer Malesh Narredu's two horses were working inside, they had to be abruptly taken off."

Another trainer, Karthik Ganapathy, who was about to enter with his horses was warned at the gates by the same ADC's. Jadhav also added that Jasdanwalla, a senior member of the club who was formerly a committee member and steward, was riding in school at the time, and when he found the army officer riding in from the opposite direction and pointed out that it was dangerous and against the norm, the officer told him to mind his own business, saying 'this is my property and I will do as I please'".

The bone of contention between the Army and RWITC is the 160-acre prime property on which the Pune racecourse is situated. The Army claims that it owns the land, and the club has only been given part of it on lease, a position that the club has recently challenged. The Army, last year during a similar showdown, had claimed that it still controls 65 acres of the land over which the club has no claim even as a lessee.

"We have lodged a complaint with the local police today morning," Vivek Jain declared at the press meet yesterday, "it's a delicate issue, but we have decided to take the bull by his horns, even at the risk of upsetting the applecart. We have been advised by our legal department to file a writ in the matter, and we are seriously mulling over it."

(c) MiD DAY