Luck played its part but jockey B Prakash made it count

AFTER a gap of nearly two seasons, jockey B Prakash hit the headlines at Mahalaxmi last Sunday.
He won the silver whip for the best jockey in the 'Clash Of The Titans' contest between Indian and foreign riders.

He rode three winners on Sunday, and two of them were chance mounts! But it is not the first time that chance or co-incidence has played a prime role in Prakash's riding career.

Not many know that Prakash was rejected when he had tried to enroll as an apprentice, but a lucky co-incidence saw him being recalled almost a year later?

In 1993, when 15-year-old Prakash Poonaji Bhosaleu00a0 went to enroll at the Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd apprentice riders' school, he was rejected for being two kg overweight.

Apprentice riders need to weigh less than 40 kg, and Prakash was unmindful of this rule. But one day, he was recalled.

"One of the ten selected boys, unfortunately had to drop out as he started having epilepsy attacks, and I got my chance when all seemed completely lost." Prakash said.

Co-incidences did not end there. Being a late addition to the apprentice batch, he was sent to trainer Hosidar Daji. Recognizing the spark of talent in the boy, Daji went out of his way and begged rides from other stables. Prakash notched up 21 wins to become the champion apprentice.

An accident then put paid to his dreams. But Adi Narielwalla, horse owner and partner of Khushroo Dhunjibhoy of Nanoli stud, was impressed and had already made up his mind to engage Prakash.

In 1999, Dr MAM Ramaswamy had engaged Richard Hughes as his first rider, and was looking for a light-weight rider when, in another lucky break, Prakash hit the headlines at Mahalaxmi by riding four winners on a day's card. The southern racing baron was quick to send a feeler, and made an offer that Prakash could not refuse.

Since then, Prakash has been riding high at all centers in India except the last season or two as Dr Ramaswamy seems to have lost appetite for big races.

But then, bad times cannot put a good jockey down for long, and Prakash, getting a couple of chance mounts outside his yard this Sunday, just proved it by winning the best jockey title.