Multitude – A champion of a rare kind
By: Cyrus J Madan January 22 , 2020
*Racing Pulse
On the 2nd of December, 2014, an unassuming but well put together 2 year old bay horse with a big white star on his forehead stepped out onto the Racecourse for the first time in Calcutta. Trained by champion trainer Vijay Singh, the Usha Stud bred son of Multidimensional out of the got abroad mare Haedi was named Multitude. Over the next five years, he would scorch the track leaving behind a vanquished infinitude in his wake but collecting a a conglomerate of ardent fans and admirers as he chalked up 25 WINS from 44 STARTS and earning over Rs.2,62,73,000 in Stake Money.
Owned by Ms. Ameeta Mehra, Mr. D.A.Nanda, Mrs.Esha Nanda Bhojwani and Mr. Amitabh Nanda representing Arion Horse Co. Pvt. Ltd., Multitude came to Calcutta in the spring of 2014, along with another Usha bred horse named Setaflame. Both were owned by Ameeta Mehra before one of India`s most sporting owners – Dewan Arun Nanda and his family decided to take a share in both. The former would continue to run in Ameeta`s colours while the latter would sport the silks of the Nandas. Between the two they would earn a shade under four crores, but Multitude was the one who was destined to set the track aflame.
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 25 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 has shown that once again as he bids adieu.
The one man who needs to take a bow would be Vijay Singh. The man who has nursed Multitude through thick and thin and kept him at his best for five years. It`s never easy keeping a thoroughbred well within himself. But to do that over half a decade and that too at the highest competitive level – that takes some doing. He was always there behind the scenes as Multitude galloped his way into the archives of racing history leaving us with a Multitude of memories that will never fade.
