Spot on

She won the grueling mile-and-a-half-long race by an incredible seven lengths, presenting her proud owner Capt Jamshed Appoo his first Derby victory at the Mahalaxmi Race Course in Bombay. The aptly named filly In The Spotlight, bred at the Poonawalla Stud Farms, was the cynosure of all eyes on February 5, 2012 when she easily outclassed her dozen elite competitors to win the McDowell Signature Premier Indian Derby. "She, it appeared, just wanted to go out and do it and in the end it was like sweeping autumn leaves from the garden path,” an ecstatic Appoo was quoted in The Times of India, February 6. The richest race in the country, the McDowell Derby had stake money to the tune of Rs 3.8 crore, states www.indiarace.com Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman of the UB (United Breweries) Group, the race sponsors, presented Appoo the golden horse and jockey trophy and a salver each to trainer Padmanabhan and English jockey Martin Dwyer. Zavaray Poonawalla and his daughter Simone, who manages Youngstock and general administration at the Poonawalla Stud Farms, received the breeder’s salver.

Shortly before her triumph at Mahalaxmi, In The Spotlight had won the Deccan Derby at Hyderabad and the Calcutta Derby as well. "She proved that she is a top class filly and an untiring stayer with speed to match. She has won every classic that came her way at various centers… Everything went off to a plan…Winning three races over 2,400 m in a row is an exceptional achievement and In The Spotlight is a legend in her own rights. I am confident that she can compete and win a Group 3 race overseas in her current form,” Zavaray is quoted in indiarace.com "It takes a good team to produce a champion and the moment In The Spotlight came to the parade ring her body language said it all,” Simone told The Times of India.