Horse racing would not have been the same without the glitz and glamour of business tycoon Vijay Mallya.
When the sport went through some of its leanest patches due to lack of sponsorship, it was Mallya who came to the rescue.
Though he took to the sport purely because of his fascination for the animal, the association of the United Breweries brand clearly brought class to horse racing. It also marked the entry of big-ticket corporate sponsorship into the sport.
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The Indian Derby would have been severely short of glamour but for Mallya, who ensured that the event became a social occasion.
Its popularity increased each year and today it is the most eagerly awaited event, especially among the racing fraternity. The build-up to the Derby, which included fashion shows, clearly gave a new dimension to the sport.
"I have a passion for speed. To me, the horse is the ultimate athletic animal. The training it undergoes and its ability to gain speed at the right moment fascinates me. Back then, we were also looking for a platform to showcase our brand as part of the lifestyle segment. Horse racing gave us that platform. Today, we have successfully branded liquor with this sport," says Mallya.
In fact, Mallya's liking for the sport dates back to 1975, when he had leased some horses from the Tollygunge Club in Kolkata.
As he recalls his early days, Mallya adds, "Danish Lad was my favourite among the few ex-race horses that I had leased."
It was during this period that Mallya met Shivender Singh, who trained the horses that won him a few races. His association with Singh, also known as Dicky Singh, deepened when the latter gave up his trade to become the racing manager to the business tycoon.
After his brief stint with horse racing, Mallya left for the US. It was only in 1985 that he seriously took to the sport.
"My approach was more professional when I got back to horse racing. I hired the best trainers, the best jockeys and the best breed of animals. My horses run to the best of their potential and that has made me proud," says Mallya.
Today, Mallya owns some of the best bred horses in the country, which have enabled him to set unbeatable records. Mallya's love for the sport does not end with owning horses.
Every year, he spends a lot of time at his stud farm in Kunigal, about 60 km from Bangalore. This place has the distinction of breeding one of his all-time favourite horses, Saddle Up.
Saddle Up went on to become the champion horse of India in 1999. His wins in Malaysia, where he won two listed races in great style, were a memorable occasion for Mallya. "I can never forget the way he won the Queen Elizabeth Cup in Singapore," he recollects.
Saddle Up's parents were Bold Russian and Queen's Rule. Some of Mallya