Ever since My Fair Lady, Audrey Hepburn (followed by Pretty Woman Julia Roberts) trotted to the races in their pretty little stilettos and ascot gear, the glitterati have followed suit (it used to be with feathery hats and all.) So why would Mumbai’s well-heeled be left behind? Last Sunday at the Royal Western India Turf Club the famous C.N.Wadia Gold Cup, hosted by the Wadia family, and The Dr. S.C. Jain Sprinters’ Championship, by the Jain Family brought glamor to the tracks. (That and the total prize money amounting to 35 (part of which Vijay Mallya’s horse “Angelic” bagged for winning The CN Wadia Cup.)
Maureeen Wadia took the opportunity to declare The Gladrags Mrs. India 2009 contest winner (yes it’s India’s only contest for married women. I don’t think any other country cares to have one at all.) Mrs. Sophiya Handa and offer a sneak preview of The Gladrags Megamodel and Manhunt (India’s only unisex pageant finalists was presented.)
Spotted: The Poonawala Family: Adar & Natsha, Delna, Michelle and Zavaray with Cyrus Poonawala, Aashish Raheja, Mr Jaydev Mody and Mr Zeyn Mirza.
The Derby weekend is the most eagerly anticipated on the racing calendar of Mumbai with two days of fun filled entertainment including Brazilian Samba dancers and Russian dance troupes (dancing their hearts out in hopes of making the Bollywood bigtime no doubt.)
Wonder why Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta were a no show this time? (Although from what I hear “mom” isn’t much of a fan of the dimpled wonder herself.)
Racetrack humor: David Beckham decides to go horse riding. Although he has had no previous experience he skilfully mounts the horse and appears incomplete command of the situation as the horse gallops along at a steady pace, Victoria Beckham admiringly watching her husband. After a short time David becomes a little casual and he begins to lose his grip in the saddle, he panics and grabs the horse round the neck shouting for it to stop. Victoria starts to scream and shout for someone to help her husband as David has by this time slipped completely out of the saddle and is only saved from hitting the ground by the fact that he still has a grip on the horse’s neck. David decides that his best chance is to leap away from the horse, but his foot has become entangled in one of the stirrups. As the horse gallops along David’s head is banging on the ground and he is slipping into unconsciousness. Victoria is now frantic and screams and screams for help!! Hearing her screams, the Tesco Security Guard comes out of the store and unplugs the horse.
Meanwhile the folks at Disney are just happy it didn’t happen during their David Beckham as ‘Sleeping Beauty’s Prince’ new Disney Ad shoot!