The Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) yesterday announced handicaps for the biggest racing event in the country, the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby (Gr 1) which will feature as prime attraction of the two-day racing bonanza (Sat & Sun, Feb 1 & 2) at the Mahalaxmi racecourse. The fact that 20 four-year-old horses--a dozen of them outstation challengers--are left in the fray makes one thing very clear: the 2019 Derby is being looked upon as a very open race, prompting almost every decent horse's connections to take their chance to take a shot at the ultimate honour the sport of horse racing offers to only one champion equine every year. If all the 20 horses at this stage are in the final line up as they are expected to be, this will be one of the most populated version of the Indian Derby in recent years, as the maximum permissible limit for the Mahalaxmi racetrack is capped at 22 runners.

As many as four of them--Armaity, Northern Alliance, Thailand and Top Notch--have entered to run by paying a hefty final entry fee. Among the line up are winners of almost all the regional Derbies: Trafalgar (Kolkata), Royal Crystal (Hyderabad), Sir Supremo (Chennai) & War Hammer (Bangalore).