History Of The Indian Derby & How To Bet On The Race

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    Indian Derby
    Indian Derby

    Nothing captivates an audience like horse racing, and there are various big races to take place throughout the calendar year.

    The biggest races of the year typically take place in the United States and the United Kingdom, with races such as the Grand National.

    Kentucky Derby and the Epsom Derby attracting viewers from around the globe.

    Nonetheless, one country that has tried to emulate the success of the Epson Derby is India, with the first Indian Derby taking place in 1943.

    The name of the Derby comes from the Earl of Derby Edward Smith-Stanley, who formed the first running of the Epsom Derby back in 1780.

    Since then, the Kentucky Derby is another race that has taken the word as their own. You can click here to read more about the odds for the Kentucky Derby.

    While the Indian Derby may not be on the same scale as its American counterpart, it is still a huge day for racing fans in Asia.

    Winners Of The Indian Derby

    The Indian Derby typically takes place on the first Sunday in February and takes place at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai. The race itself is run over a distance of 2,400 metres.

    All races throughout the history of the Indian Derby have generated huge interest, but it’s fair to say that the event in 1947 is the one that stands out from the crowd.

    Her Majesty was the horse to get all the attention, as it fell in the opening seconds of the race. However, William Evans got back on board after the fall to lead the horse to finish from a nose from the eventual winner.

    Her Majesty ensured that Indian audiences were engaged in the race, and the fairytale story got its happen ending just over two weeks later, as Her Majesty won the prestigious Indian St Leger.

    The race has enjoyed international attention over the last ten years, with jockeys from all over the world coming to be involved. English and Irish jockeys have both rode winners in the Indian Derby, with Jimmy Fortune riding home Super Storm in 2013, and Martin Dwyer riding home In The Spotlight the year before.

    Most recently, the race has been dominated by Indian jockeys, with Suraj Narredu riding three winners in six years.

    That includes the back-to-back successes that he achieved in 2019 and 2020. This year he will be looking to match the record of three consecutive Indian Derby successes, which was set by Pesi Shroff back in 1991.

    Narredu’s most recent Indian Derby success came in February, as he rode War Hammer to glory for trainer Prasana Kumar.

    How To Bet On The Indian Derby?

    Betting on the big race is one of the most important things that all potential gamblers must be aware of. There are a number of different markets available to make wagers, with the most popular of these being the win market.

    In this market, the gambler will pick the horse that they believe will win the race, and they be awarded with the returns should that selection win the race.

    However, if it finishes second or fails to finish then the stake would be lost. The other popular market that is available for newcomers is the each-way market, which is a popular way to bet on dark horses in the race. In this market, gamblers would put a stake on the horse to win, and a stake on the horse to place. That means that gamblers will be able to get returns on their selection should their pick finish second or third.

    Either way, the Indian Derby is one of the biggest sporting occasions of the year in India, which means that fans will be set for a thrilling instalment of the race in 2021.