“Derby delight”

It was really good to see you devote two pages to the Indian Derby, the greatest horse race in India ("Derby delight,” Parsiana, March 7, 2010). And why not? After all, the Derby winner Jacque­line was part-owned by Parsis and trained by a Parsi, Pesi Shroff.

I have known Shroff since he was a schoolboy. He was extremely passionate about horses even at that time. He became a top class jockey and is now a top class trainer. Shroff is very hardworking, conscientious and above all a fine person. He deserves his success.

Pesi Shroff: training a winner

However, I would like to set one record straight. Shroff is not the first to ride and train a Derby winner in the world. Johnny Longden rode Count Fleet to victory in the Kentucky Derby (America’s greatest horse race) in 1943 and then in 1969 trained Majestic Prince to win the Kentucky Derby, which I was privileged to see in person.

In fact, Count Fleet won the American Triple Crown. Majestic Prince won the first two legs of the Triple Crown but finished second in the third leg. Otherwise, Longden would have achieved the stupendous feat of riding and training a Triple Crown Winner.

DR NAVROZE S. KOTWAL