India, Jan. 31 -- The 84th Indian Derby, this year being run as the Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Derby, takes its place as the 'sportainment' event of the year on Sunday. A high-quality field of 11 has five classic winners, but with glanders restricting movement of horses, there will be no outstation challenge. The in-form horse is Baychimo, who has won five of his six starts, including the Indian 2,000, and will be piloted by Suraj Narredu, who is at the top of his form, having recently won six races on a single day in Kolkata and gets a fortuitous ride as Sandesh is suspended. The French Navy colt is bred to stay and has a sparkling turn of foot and could well give Adhiraj his first Indian Derby. Suraj will be bidding for his fifth, having had a hat-trick from 2019-21. Baychimo seems to stand well above the rest, having beaten Zacharias with ease in the Ruia. And though Sovereign King, the summer Colts' winner in Bangalore, has worked brilliantly, and if he stays Adhiraj could well run 1-2 as in the 2,000. The filly Fynbos, who cantered home in the Oaks, and is rumoured to be ridden by the ace Tom Marquand will surely be a live danger as she will excel over the mile and a half. The prize money of Rs.4 crore makes it the richest race ever to be run in the country, bettering the previous record of Rs.3.6 crore in Desert God's Derby in 2016, thanks to the first-time sponsorship of Dr Cyrus Poonawalla. In 2011, we had signed a five-year Derby sponsorship of a record Rs.28 crore, with Dr Vijay Mallya's UB Group, who was singularly responsible for scaling the Derby to dizzying heights with their marketing blitz, air-conditioned tent and a Mercedes car as a prize. The Derby is the city's mega lifestyle event which combines fashion, grandeur and sport in one heady mix. Though unlikely to hit the record footfalls of 25,000 of our heydays, the packed stands spurred by a Rs.1 crore+ jackpot, will undoubtedly bring a smile to the administration, though one sparrow does not make a summer. Cocktail bars, gourmet pop-ups, eateries and live acts will exhilarate those once-a-year visitors for whom it is de rigueur to see and be seen. The RWITC has got a wellness partner in Florian Hurel Hair Couture and Spa, a luxury salon, to give prizes of nearly Rs.7.5 lakhs that can be redeemed at their outlets. The RWITC for years a marketing leader, could take a leaf of what RCTC does in Kolkata, where both New Year's Day and the Kolkata Derby get record crowds and great media attention. The appetiser before Sunday's main course will be the running of the Dr SC Jain Sprinters', named after an illustrious past chairman, and one of the top sprint races in the country. The six-furlong track could well be tested in that race. Racing will be at its best on Sunday and the Indian Derby is a great advertisement for the sport. Though sustaining the one-day euphoria will be a huge challenge....