On Saturday 18th January, 2020, just a shade over five years from the day he won on debut, Multitude lined up to face the Starter for what would be his swansong. It was in the Calcutta Champions Sprint Trophy. A Grade-3, Black Type affair which he had made his own three years in succession. This was his fourth appearance and he was once again the favourite shouldering top weight, but more than that he was now 8 years old. Surely his age was going to catch up with him and deny him of a fourth Sprint Championship. I mean this is an age when a normal thoroughbred would have been set out to pasture.
But then we are talking of that rare and incredible species, that live and breathe in the rarefied atmosphere where even angels fear to tread. They are called Champions and they are a breed apart. In the end it was the opposition that was put out to grass. Multitude showed that he had lost none of that sparkle and zest for racing, turning in a gutsy, courageous and heroic performance to snatch victory and retire in a blaze of glory.
They say the Hallmark of every great champion in any sport is the fact that they seem to have all the time in the world. They never really seem to be in a hurry. Be it Roger Federer on a Tennis Court, Virat Kohli at the crease, or Mohammed Ali in the ring. Each of them made you feel that it was all so easy. Well Multitude has shown all that and more. He could go from cruise control into a higher gear with all the grace of a gazelle, but with an acceleration that would make a Ferrari blush with pride. He made that blistering turn of foot in the closing stages of a Race his own special individualistic trademark, as he mowed down his adversaries in the shadow of the Winning Post.
He’s reeled off TWENTY FIVE VICTORIES from 44 STARTS, punctuated with SIX GRADED WINS. He’s the very epitome of consistency and been off the board just twice in his career. However, what makes his achievements even more remarkable, is his versatility. He’s held his own and matched strides with the best and that too over distances that he was nowhere near comfortable over.
In his Classic Year he had the misfortune of being in the same place at the same time as one Desert God who beat him on his own Turf in the Guineas and the Derby. He may have run second to him both times, but he was gallant in defeat and fought him every inch of the way and in the Calcutta Derby a mere two lengths separated them at the wire. Two lengths behind Desert God, one of the all-time greats and that too over a trip well beyond his best. Speaks volumes of the oodles of class that Multitude had flowing through his veins.
On Thursday, 23rd February, 2020, as we gear up for what promises to be one of the greatest Champions Cup Races ( Grade 1) ever run on the historic turf of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, Multitude – the 8 year old with the will to battle on and with a heart that must surely be twice his size will walk into the Parade Ring for the last time.
A Lap Of Honour you could call it and what better day than the Indian Champion Cup afternoon to announce his retirement. He always timed his finish to perfection and he shown that once again as he bids adieu. He has done everything his trainer and his owners have asked of him. He has galloped his way into the archives of racing history leaving us with a Multitude of memories that will never fade.
– Cyrus Madan
