Every year, horse race enthusiasts wait for the Indian Derby with great anticipation. This is a Thoroughbred horse race that stretches for 2400 m. It is held on the first Sunday of February and it is the most prestigious horse race in India.
Being an annual event, fans come out in large numbers. Some travel from other cities to come and cheer their favourite horses while others prefer to catch the live action on TV.
The most revered horse race in all countries is usually referred to as a Derby. In India, it is officially known as the Indian Derby, whereas in England and the United States of America it is known as the Epsom and Kentucky Derby Respectively.
History of the Indian Derby
The horse race Derby was inaugurated by Edward Smith-Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby in 1780. It is said that several people wanted to be given the honours to name the Derby. But Edward Smith-Stanley got the opportunity to name it after a coin-tossing challenge which he won and hence came up with the title of the race.
Initially, the Indian Derby was known as the Epsom Derby and it was held at the famed Epsom Downs Racecourse in England. As of the most respected premier sporting events, the Indian Derby was later called the McDowell Indian Derby in 1984. At this time, this race was sponsored by the great United Breweries Limited.
For a sporting event of its calibre, the Indian Derby was one of the sporting events that had the highest prize money in the country.
The first Indian Derby race can be traced back to 1943. A filly named Princess Beautiful is documented as the first-ever winner of the race. The jockey who rode her was none other but Edgar Brit. And even though the history of the Indian Derby is quite rich, the 1747 Indian Derby race is the most remembered in history. It started just like any other Indian Derby before, but something dramatic happened.
WT (Billy) Evans, who was an Australian jockey by the time rode a filly known as “Her Majesty.” As they began the race, the horse slipped and fell. But WT Evans and the horse quickly rose and soldiered on with the race. Remarkably, Her Majesty still managed to race down the other horses and take the second position in the race.
When it is run
The Indian Derby is a high profile sporting event held every year at the prestigious Mahalaxmi racecourse every first Sunday of February.
Why the name Indian Derby?
Before horse racing became organized in India, it was well established in England. Therefore, India borrowed a few things from England as they were setting up their horse racing structures. Part of this included the name Derby. A race of its standard was already known as the Derby in England, thanks to Lord Derby’s creativity.
Distance details
The Indian Derby is a long race that runs for about 2400 m, which is equivalent to 2.4 kilometers. This is one round at the Mahalaxmi oval racecourse. The horses that contest in this race are 4 yrs old.
Indian Derby most common bets
Indian punters wait for the Indian Derby all year long. It is a fiercely contested race with incredible betting prospects. And any shrewd gambler can win some good money during the Derby. There are various bets that you could place on the Derby races. The commons are either fixed or tote odds. Here are the details;
Betting on the tote
This includes picking one horse to take the first position in the race. The minimum you can place on this bet is Rs 10. Also, you can pick the horses that will take the first, second, and third positions. This applies where a race has 8 runners. If the runners are less than 7, the horse you’ve chosen has to finish 2nd or 3rd.
Accumulator win
On the accumulation win, you are allowed to wager for more than combined 3 to 5 races. The minimum amount allowed for this bet is Rs 10.
A 3 race Kenchi will need you to invest Rs 40, whereas a 4 race Kenchi and 5 race Kenchi requires you to wager Rs. 110 and Rs.260 respectively.
Quinella pool
The Quinella pool is more like the forecast pool, but you only win if your select horses take the first or second position. Provided that the two horses you have wagered on wins the race, the order in which they win doesn’t matter.
Second pool horse
You can place a second horse pool bet. This is whereby you pick a pool to come in second. And if that happens, your bet pays off.
Tanala pool
The Tanala horse race bet provides you with several choices. You need to select the horses that will take the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions. If the race ends just like you have predicted, you get a 70% dividend. But if the three horses take all the three top positions but not in the order that you had predicted, you only get 30 % consolation as a dividend.
Jackpot
The club designates five winners for the jackpot bet. To win this jackpot, you have to predict the 5 teams that will win the pool. Getting the first four correct winners right, you get a 30% consolation prize. And if you predict all the 5 winners right, you get a 70% dividend.
These are not the only bet options offered during the Indian Derby, but they are the most common. You can wager a minimum of 10 Rs on each. However, you can always stake higher than that depending on your gambling budget.
Fixed Odds Betting
Fixed-odds betting is allowed online and you can pick from one of the best horse race betting sites in India to place such bets. Some of the most reputable are Bet365, Betway and Royal Panda. Here you can take prices early so to lock that price in even if it shortens before the off. It is very attractive for punters who understand their Indian horse racing strategy well.
The BII Key Takeaway
The Indian Derby is arguably one of the finest horse racing events in India. It is a thrilling sport that is widely televised. With a myriad of betting markets, it is an excellent gambling opportunity for horse race lovers in India and beyond. If you love to bet on horse races, this is the race to look forward to every once in a year.
Related Horse Race Clubs
- Bangalore Race Club
- Delhi Race Club
- Hyderabad Race Club
- Madras Race Club
- Mysore Race Club
- Royal Calcutta Turf Club
- Guindy Race Course
- Pune Race Club