Record Time Be Safe ridden by Suraj Narredu wins The Indian Derby 2015

Описание: Be Safe, owned by Dr M A M Ramaswamy and trained by Malesh Narredu, kept his date with destiny to emerge as the champion four-year-old horse by winning the McDowell Signaure Indian Derby (Gr 1) at the Mahalaxmi race track.

Be Safe trashed the earlier course record of 2:28.05 set by Alaindair last year when he stopped the clock at 2:27.71 to the delight of the mammoth crowd that accorded a thundering applause and standing ovation to jockey Suraj Narredu, who partnered Be Safe.

When the gates opened for the mile-and-a-half contest that tests both speed and stamina, and 13 runners jumped out, Suraj settled Be Safe in fifth position as Shivalik Showers (N Rawal up) set a decent pace to The General (Yash Narredu up) and Illidan (Sandesh up) even as Top Commander brushed up to stalk the pace, and Tiger Tops (Colm O'Donoghue up) and Quasar (Srinath up) preferred to stay back.

The pace heated up in the final 800 meters and Suraj Narredu allowed Be Safe to lengthen his stride a bit, but Colm O'Donoghue quickly moved up and brought Tiger Tops alongside Be Safe as the heads turned for home.

However, after crossing the 300-meter post, Suraj put Be Safe in top gear, and he sailed away to a four-and-a-half length victory over Tiger Top who finished a neck ahead of Quasar who in turn spared the same to Aquamarine.

"Horses like Be Safe come once in a lifetime," said Suraj Narredu and added, "he is the best horse I have ridden, and this I am not saying now. When he came to Bangalore last year in the summer, and I cantered him for the first time, I got off him and told my dad he is a special horse, unlike any I had ever ridden."