YS Srinath ends 7-year itch

It was a seven-year itch. YS Srinath put an end to that misery on Sunday.

Ever since P Kamlesh rode Velvet Rope to glory in the 2006 edition of the Indian Derby, no Indian jockey had won the country’s richest race. Year after year, one foreigner or the other took home the prize. But this was Srinath’s day. It was his derby.

Not only did he do his fellow jockeys proud, but the Karnataka lad also entered the history books by riding Alaindair to victory in record time (2:28.05 seconds). Murioi, ridden by Irishman CD Hayes, and Jeremiah were the heavy favourites, but Srinath caused a major upset.

“It is never about which jockey is hyped up and who is going to ride which horse,” he told dna after his stunning win. “At the end of the day, it is all about the pressure and it increases when you know your opponents are favourites,” he added.

Srinath knew he had a chance. “I had been watching this horse for quite sometime and I also rode against him during training sessions. I was told only about a month ago that I was going to ride him at the Indian Derby,” he revealed. Talking about the gelding’s energy levels, the 37-year-old Srinath said, “It has six gears. If other horses are Fiat, this is a Ferrari”.

When Alaindair lost to Murioi in the 2,000 Guineas last month, the hype was built around the former. But Srinath approached Altamash Ahmed, Alaindair’s trainer, and requested him for that big chance.

“Every time I bumped into him, I used to tell him about this. ‘If ever A Sandesh doesn’t ride your horse, I want to ride it’ was my usual request. When the time came, Altamash called me,” added Srinath, who had never ridden Alaindair before Sunday.