Can't wait to win my first Indian derby

S Padmanabhan (Horse trainer)

S Padmanabhan
(Horse trainer)

Will Becket get me my first Indian Derby on Sunday? I will not be surprised if he does.
I distinctly remember the day I first set my eyes on him. Haresh Mehta had bought some horses from Sohna stud, and two good-looking colts were part of the package. "These two are the best of the lot," I told Haresh. "But only one is for you," he replied, "take your pick."

I looked them over, and something inside me quickly forced me to pick up the one oozing with attitude, throwing an imperious glance around before locking eyeball with me. "I will take this one," I told Haresh, and picked up the one whom I would later name Becket. Just for the record, the other one was Verskai.

I named him after Thomas Becket, the rebel archbishop of Canterbury of the 12th century who rebelled against the English crown, and whose character was brilliantly played by Richard Burton in a movie with an eponymous name, hardly knowing the horse would have more problems in two years than Thomas Becket had in 20 years.

However, 2010 started on a happy note for us as Becket won a seven-furlong race on New Year's day, and followed it up with an easy victory in the Bangalore Derby on Republic Day. For a professional like me who has narrowly lost five Indian Derbies in the last ten years, a sound and fit Becket gives me yet another chance to fantasize about that elusive Indian Derby victory.

Will Becket get me my first Indian Derby on Sunday? I will not be surprised if he does.
As told to Prakash Gosavi

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