THIS DAY...THAT YEAR A REVELATION

In a fitting tribute to the numero uno event in the racing calendar, we traverse back two decades in time to recapture some of the magic and nostalgic moments of Revelation’s win in the 1985 McDowell Indian Derby

The first question that would come to mind is why go back 20 years? Why not more or less? The year 1985 was significant in more ways than one. Racing got a facelift as McDowell came in as the race sponsor and the purse shot up to Rs.8,09,062 from Rs.5,07,915 in the previous year. It was also the year when one of the most influential sires of the Indian breeding industry, Grey Gaston, added a record fifth and the last Indian Derby winner to his list, which turned out to be quite a Revelation.

Revelation (Grey Gaston - Monica by Prince Pradeep) garnered two classics that season - the Indian Oaks and the McDowell Indian Derby. The grey filly was bred by the Khataus at Usha Stud. The breeders opted not to race with her and sold her privately to Mr. Noshir Irani. The erstwhile owner of London Pilsner gave a leg each to his daughters Zeenia and Bakhtawar while Maj. Pradeep Mehra also hung on to one.

Trainer Bezan Chenoy, by virtue of being married to Bakhtawar, was entrusted with the task of shaping up Revelation’s career. The patient trainer allowed the filly to ripen and brought her out towards the end of the Mumbai season, when she won the Racing Officials Cup with consummate ease. But the Pune season turned out to be a dampener when she lost three of her four starts. She retained her favoured status in the first two but was beaten by the Goculdas-filly Ziska by seven lengths in the six furlong-Fillies’ Handicap Stakes and the second time was four lengths behind Marmolada in the September Handicap over eight furlongs.

The filly recovered some ground by winning in the General Rajendrasinhji Cup only to falter again in her final start in the inaugural Pune Derby, where she trailed behind the Dr.Ramaswamy-filly and favourite Prima Facie, who came in second behind Prudential Champ. However, the next year proved to be fruitful and became a showcase of her inherent talent.

She first travelled to Malakpet, where she clinched the Golconda 1000 Guineas, beating Minicoy by six lengths. Meanwhile back home stable-cum-owner mate Eminence won the Indian 1000 Guineas. Bezan Chenoy decided to race both of them in the Indian Oaks as Eminence was unsound and he feared that Revelation might not be good enough. His jockey Pesi Shroff, however, was of the opinion that one should run the Oaks and the other the Derby. But with the decision to run both of them in the Oaks, Pesi chose Eminence over Revelation and M.J. Kinane was engaged for the latter.

The emotional quotient was rising in tandem with expectations, as Mr. N.M. Irani had been hospitalised due to numerous ailments and in fact his last appearance was in Pune when Eminence won the Indian 1000 Guineas (the Indian 1000 and 2000 Guineas were held at Pune that year). Eminence clinched the favourite spot on the basis of her wins in the Bangalore Fillies’ Trial and Indian 1000 Guineas where she trounced Scintillating among others. The last mentioned played bridesmaid in the betting ring followed by Revelation. With all eyes on Eminence, Kinane stole the thunder as he sent Revelation past the leader Pavielle into the straight and crossed the winning post with a comfortable margin of five and a half lengths. Eminence too came from way back and pipped Scintillating for the runners up spot.

The win brought a cheer to the ailing Mr. N.M. Irani and in what was to probably be his last wish; he conveyed to his talented son-in-law the desire, “Win me the Indian Derby.” The same combination of owners and trainer had won the Indian Derby the year before on another Grey Gaston progeny, Enterprising. A fairly confident Bezan gave his affirmation to the ailing voice over the phone, in a hospital across Europe in London. Man proposes, God disposes. Mr. N.M. Irani could not live to see his dream fulfilled. He passed away on January 30, 1985 and four days later Pesi guided Revelation to a resounding victory in the blue riband event of the country.

Reminiscing on the win Bakhtawar Chenoy says, “Due to his untimely demise we would have normally not run in the Derby but keeping in mind his last wish, me and the family flew on to London while Bezan stayed back to try and fulfil his desire.” Agreeing with her Bezan says, “We had a good chance with both Revelation and Eminence and my father-in-law was really enjoying his racing. Those were the days when we really dominated racing and he, Pesi and me savoured our first Indian Derby win with Enterprising in the previous year.”

Revelation grabbed the lead while rounding the turn and carried Pesi comfortably through winning by six lengths while M.J. Kinane weaved his way through the field to produce an identical result of 1-2 as in the Oaks. As Bezan says, “If you see the race you will feel as if there was some sort of a divine hand guiding the filly. Pesi had an effortless ride. There was no jostling or bumping as usually happens. I feel as if he was really guided from up above.” Apart from the first and second spots, Step by Step, another ward from Bezan’s yard clinched the fourth spot with the Pune Derby-winner Prudential Champ in third. It was also the first instance in the Indian Derby where all the three top spots were claimed by fillies, a feat which was repeated only in 2004.

The tears and mixed emotions were visible both in the eyes of Bezan and Maj. Mehra as they accepted the trophy. Having fulfilled his owner and father-in-law’s last wish, Bezan flew out of the country to a waiting family in London to take part in the last rites. Revelation followed the footsteps of great fillies of the past like Odds On, Chakori, Jeanne d’Arc, Rose de Bahama, Rose Royal and Fair Haven, who have won both the Indian Oaks and the Indian Derby over identical distances of 2,400m.