C. KRISHNAN JOINS A SELECT CLUB

Throughout the over 200 years that horse racing has been in existence in India only a few select professionals have been able to achieve that coveted mark of riding or training 1000 winners. Among jockeys, who go through a harsh daily grind of tough physical work at the risk of life and limb coupled with a starvation diet, the 1000 winner mark represents a kind of Holy Grail. Only 14 riders have ever reached this mark and the latest addition to this exclusive club of weather beaten veterans is C. Krishnan This quiet unassuming rider from the temple town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu who now rides mainly for Bangalore-based trainer Puttanna actually had his 1000 winner on Fort Apache during the Ooty season way back in 1997. This came to light only recently when Krishnan got down to compiling his tally at the insistence of a few well-wishers.

Krishnan, who has been riding for over three decades, came into this sport as a young boy of 15 when his brother, Perumal, brought him to Madras and enrolled him in the Apprentice Jockey Training School run by the Madras Race Club in 1972. Three years later Krishnan was granted his apprentice rider's licence and attached to B. P. Shivan's stables. Shivan was one of the leading trainers of his time and Krishnan could not have asked for a better master to learn his trade from. He was obviously a quick learner as Sea Gypsy became the vehicle for his maiden triumph in just his fifth race ride.

Krishnan continued to have regular success and in 1981 he began what was to be a long and fruitful relationship with Dr. M. A. M. Ramaswamy. Krishnan remembers those days with much pride, “Dr. Ramaswamy looked after me very well and if he hadn't given me a chance I would never have had so much success in my career. From 1988 to 1997 I was the champion jockey in Madras and Ooty and I travelled all over the country riding Boss's  horses.”

He developed into one of the top light weight riders on the southern circuit and the '88-'97 period was Krishnan's most productive both in terms of winners and classic success. To date he has won 22 classics including Derbies in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Madras and Delhi. He considers his ride on Forest King in the 1995 Tata Cellular Deccan Derby as his finest ever. He says “I won most of my races by riding up with the pace or from the front. In this race I had Forest King settled at the rear and brought him from last to first with a great run in the straight. I won the race by a short head beating Pesi Shroff on Divine Dreams and Aslam Kader on International. This was the happiest moment in my career.”   

In 1997 Krishnan left Dr. Ramaswamy's employment of his own accord and the next three years were to be the lowest point in his life. Severe personal problems led him to give up his jockeys licence in 1998. Krishnan is naturally reticent about this period in his life, he says “I survived this phase only because my wife, Padma, refused to give up on me and she stood by me.” Krishnan and Padma met in Hyderabad and were married in 1983. He goes on to add “Two others supported me during this time, Mr. Puttanna and Mr. Sadashiva and it is only because of them that I came back to riding.”

In 2000, Krishnan successfully reapplied for his licence and has since been a constant presence in Puttanna's stables. He acknowledges the support he has received from them and says “I am very grateful that these two gentlemen gave me an opportunity at this stage of my life and I would not be here but for their support and help.”

Despite all his hardships Krishnan says he has no regrets in entering this sport, stating that “if it were not for racing I would still be in my village.”

Today, Krishnan is a man at peace with himself content to ride the occasional winner and at the same time proud of his achievements. The strength of mind and will power he has shown in dealing with adversity is the hallmark of a champion and Krishnan is just that -  a champion!