23-yr-old jockey stuns all as he guides rank outsider to win Rs 50-lakh booty
As a child, he was more interested in horses than studies, so Prajapati Kamlesh would pay the joyride providers near the Pune racecourse and get on a horse instead of into class.
However, riding on the turf wasn’t within the reach of the jeweller’s son, so he would trot about the streets to perfect his saddle technique. All his efforts paid off on Sunday, when he landed the biggest prize in Indian racing—the Indian Derby.
Kamlesh is just 23 but already a veteran, with nine years on the circuit—he joined ‘jockey school’ at Mumbai’s Royal Western India Turf Club in 1995. On Sunday, he couldn’t hold back his joy.
‘‘I had always dreamed of winning the Indian Derby. It’s the most satisfying day of my life,’’ said Kamlesh, who rode rank outsider Velvet Rope to a shocking win at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, beating hot favourite Mystical and fast-finishing Holding Court.
‘‘I was told to settle Velvet Rope in the fifth-sixth position and give the horse time to get comfortable,’’ said Kamlesh. At the top of the home stretch, Velvet Rope was still in mid-bunch.
‘‘I was tracking Mystical’s movements as I knew he was the horse to beat,’’ said the Std IX dropout. But to his surprise, Mystical seemed to have started fading at about 400 metres from the winning post.
‘‘That’s when I sensed it was time to move past Mystical and challenge front-runner Holding Court,’’ said Kamlesh, whose uncle S Shankar was a jockey in Kolkata, and his inspiration.
Velvet Rope responded well to his urgings and was soon in top gear. ‘‘He had the ability, as he showed in the Indian 2000 Guineas.’’ Velvet Rope caught Holding Court in the last few strides, to leave everyone in a state of shock. ‘‘It even took me by surprise, though I have always ridden this horse and knew he was capable of doing it,’’ said Kamlesh.
So how does he plan to celebrate the biggest win of his life? ‘‘I will party with Velvet Rope owners Shiven Sundernath and Rajan Bajaj,’’ grinned Kamlesh.
