PUNE: Come Sunday and Pune Race Course will be humming with activity with two Million races scheduled—an aptly referred to as Poonawalla Million Day.
One of the mega events of the Pune racing season, the SA Poonawalla Million will be staged at the Pune Race Course on Sunday along with the Villoo C Poonawalla Million for maiden three-year-olds. The second million race is run in memory of late Villoo C Poonawalla, the wife of Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, founder and chairman of the Serum Institute of India.
The race has invariably drawn huge crowds because of various activities and glamour events associated with the day. People from all walks of life are expected to throng to the race course not only to watch the top of the line thoroughbreds racing at their best, but also to be a part of the glitz and glamour which abounds on the day.
The SA Poonawalla Millio, a Grade III race named after the Soli A. Poonawalla, an ardent lover of clean horse racing, a pioneer of thoroughbred breeding in India and the father of Cyrus and Zavaray Poonawalla.
THE CONTESTANTS
Though it is small field, with six horses vying for supremacy, the event wears an open look. Trainer Altaf Hussain’s Sultan Suleimain, who won impressively in his last start, may score over his rivals.
Pesi Shroff’s ward Mzilikazi, who ran second to Golden Guest in the last outing, runs with a good chance on handicap. S.K. Sunderji-trainee Trouvaille could pose a serious threat as evidenced by his track performances.
Outstation trainer Deshmukh’s ward Prince Valiant, winner of two races at Hyderabad, is in good shape and may win.
Just as the Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi Million (PBMM) at Mumbai, throws up the most promising horse among the precocious juvenile talent, the SA Poonawalla Million heralds the arrival of another champion who exhibits the ability and form to aspire for future classics, starting with Pune Derby three weeks later.
The Poonawalla Brothers, Dr Cyrus and Zavaray, are famous as the most gracious hosts. One can expect a lot of thrill and glamour at the Pune Race course with awards for the best dressed lady and best dressed gentleman also on offer.
THE BEGINNING: SA POONAWALLA TROPHY
For his life-long contribution to Indian breeding and racing, the RWITC, after his demise, instituted “The SA Poonawalla Trophy” in the year 1982.
The race was upgraded to Grade 3 status in 1986 and to Grade 2 in 1990. It was in the year 1996 that the race was further upgraded to a Million race and was named the SA Poonawalla “Astonish” Million to commemorate the first ever- victory of an Indian thoroughbred on a foreign race track when the Poonawalla Stud Farms-bred Astonish returned to India after the historic achievement at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
The race run over a mile belongs to the troika of races regarded as traditional pointers to the upcoming classics-- the other two being The FD Wadia Trophy (1400 m) and The General Rajendersinhji Million (1600m). It is also the richest of the three, with the winner guaranteed to take home a fairly loaded purse.
ACTIVITIES GALORE
The Poonawallas will be giving away prizes worth Rs 4 lakh in a contest of skill. The winner will drive home a Maruti Alto or take away a LED TV or a laptop. Participants, who will get a free contest form, will have to correctly nominate the first four horses in the order of finishing in the SA Poonawalla Million.
SA POONAWALLA’S PASSION FOR BREEDING
Soli A Poonawalla stepped into breeding race horses in 1946 when the industry was in its infancy. As they say, when obsessive passion fans a strong desire to create pioneering work, success follows rather quickly, and Flying Red brought glory to the Poona Stud Farm in its very first year by winning the 2000 Guineas.
That he missed the Derby narrowly, two months later, in retrospect, could be considered a blessing in disguise because the never-say-die spirit within Soli Poonawalla propelled him further on the path of excellence, and today, the Poona Stud Farm has grown into The Poonawalla Stud Farms and has gone on to win a record tally of 361 Classics, an unofficial world record, including ten Indian Derbies, and 14 Indian Turf Invitation Cups.
