The Shapoorji Pallonji Juvenile Championship

The Shapoorji Pallonji Juvenile Championship will be held on Sunday 21st March 2010 at the Mahalakshmi Race Course. This event includes 2 major races viz., THE FORBES BREEDERS' JUVENILE FILLIES CHAMPIONSHIP (GRADE 3) & THE SHAPOORJI PALLONJI BREEDERS' COLTS CHAMPIONSHIP (GRADE 3).

The History of the races are mentioned below.

THE FORBES BREEDERS'JUVENILE FILLIES CHAMPIONSHIP (GRADE 3)

The Forbes Breeders'Juvenile Fillies Championship (Gr.III) and The Shapoorji Pallonji Breeders'Juvenile Colts Championship (Gr.III) are run over a mile. The championship races are two major races for 3 year old fillies only, and 3 year old colts only, respectively and is a test for 3 year olds running the mile distance for the first time.

The inaugural running of these 2 races was on 19th March 1995, and was run as "The Breeders'Juvenile Fillies Championship" and "The Breeders'Juvenile Colts Championship".

The inaugural running of the Fillies Championship was won by "WINNING PRETTY" owned by Mr. Feroz Khan and Mr. Dhanraj Gir, trained by Padmanabhan, ridden by John Lowe, 8 runners faced the Starter, net stakes were Rs.11,21,400/-. Interestingly, "WINNING PRETTY" also went on to win the Indian 1000 Guineas that year.

This race attained Grade 3 status on 21st March 1999, and saw "ROYAL DEEDS" winning for S. L. Manghnani, Mohan Chattaram, G. Shewakramani, and Mr. R. Ghai representing Perfect Livestock Pvt. Ltd. ridden by R. Hughes, and trained by Narendra Lagad. 11 runners faced the flag.

There was a close finish of this race in 2002 when "PRICELESS" (B. Prakash) won from "SHAMAAL" (M. Narredu) by a head, and also last year when "QUEST FOR CASH" (Suraj Narredu) won by a short head from "ALVARITA" (M. Narredu). Interestingly, Malesh Narredu lost on both occasions. Last year, "ASTRAL FLASH" (Neeraj Rawal) won by shorthead from "CAPTIVATING" (Harish).

The winner of this race in 1998 was "RUNNING FLAME" who also went on to win The Indian 1000 Guineas (1998), The Indian Oaks (1999) and The Indian Turf Invitation Cup (1999).

The professional to have won maximum number of times is Jockey B. Prakash (3 times), "SIMPLE LOGIC" (1997), "PRICELESS" (2002), "HAUNTING MEMORIES" (2006). The Owner to have won the maximum number of times till date is Dr. M. A. M. Ramaswamy (3 times). The only professional to have won both Fillies'Championship and Colts Championship till date is Jockey M. Narredu who did it astride "LEI" (1996 Fillies Championship) and "PERTIGALETE" (1996 Colts Championship).

The winner of this race so far since its inception are "WINNING PRETTY" (1995), "LEI" (1996), "SIMPLE LOGIC" (1997), "RUNNING FLAME" (1998), "ROYAL DEEDS" (1999), "STAR SHINE" (2000), "MEMORIES OF YOU" (2001), "PRICELESS" (2002), "WAVE OF BLISS" (2003), "RAPHAELA" (2004), "SIMPLY GORGEOUS" (2005), "HAUNTING MEMORIES" (2006), "QUEST FOR CASH" (2007), "SET ALIGHT" (2008), and "ASTRAL FLASH" (2009).

THE SHAPOORJI PALLONJI BREEDERS'COLTS CHAMPIONSHIP (GRADE 3)

The inaugural running of this race saw "ANSELMAN" winning for Deepak Khaitan, representing Soom Stud Farm Pvt. Ltd., Aslam Kader astride, and Altaf Hussain, the Trainer. 8 runners faced the Starter, and net stakes were Rs.9,97,800/-. This race got elevated to Grade III status, in the same year as the Fillies Championship i.e. in 1999.

The running of this race on 21st March 1999, saw "SECRET TREASURE" for Deepak Khaitan, representing Soom Stud Farm Pvt. Ltd. and estate of late Maj. P. K. Mehra, trained by Bezan Chenoy, ridden by Aslam Kader. Net stakes were Rs.12,38,000/-. 7 runners faced the Starter.

The winner of this race in 2001 i.e. "WILD EAGLE" went on to win The Indian 2000 Guineas that year. The winner of this race "ZURBARAN" in the year 2002, went on to win The IndianTurf Invitation Cup in Hyderabad in the year 2003, and also The Indian St. Leger that year.

There was a close finish of this race when "GOLD STAR" (M. Narredu) won from "SECRET WARRIOR" (B. Prakash) by a short head in the year 2004, and also "LAHINCH" (C. Rajendra) won by a neck from "BALTHAZAAR" (Y. S. Srinath) in the year 2006, last year "SPEARHEAD" also won by shorthead from "CLASSERVILLE".

The only professional to record a hattrick was jockey M. Narredu, who won on "ZURBARAN" (2002), "HAWKE BAY" (2003), "GOLD STAR" (2004). The professional to have won maximum number of times is Trainer Bezan Chenoy (3 times), with "ARCHIMEDES" (1997), "SECRET TREASURE" (1999), and "LAHINCH" (2006), so is Jockey Aslam Kader (3 times) with "ANSELMAN" (1995), "ARCHIMEDES" (1997) and "SECRET TREASURE" (1999). The Owner to have won the maximum number of times is Mr.Deepak Khaitan for Soom Stud Farm Pvt. Ltd. (3 times).

The winners of this race so far since its inception are: "ANSELMAN" (1995), "PERTIGALETE" (1996), "ARCHIMEDES" (1997), "COUNT THE STEPS" (1998), "SECRET TREASURE" (1999), "RUNNING STAR" (2000), "WILD EAGLE" (2001), "ZURBARAN" (2002), "HAWKE BAY" (2003), "GOLD STAR" (2004), "FLASHING STAR" (2005), "LAHINCH" (2006), "ASSERT THE RIGHT" (2007), "JUVENTUS" (2008), and "SPEARHEAD" (2009).

Last year, i.e. 2009, both The Forbes Fillies Championship and The Shapoorji Colts Championship were won by Dr. & Mrs. Vijay Mallya's colors.

SO COME TO THE MAHALAKSHMI RACE COURSE & BE A PART OF THIS RACING EVENT.