Unbeaten "Indian Frankel" Targets Indian Derby

David Allan has this winter enhanced his reputation as the most successful foreign jockey in India's racing history, most notably aboard Villoo Indian Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Sir Cecil—labelled the 'Indian Frankel' by the rider and named after the late legendary Newmarket trainer.

Allan will bid for a fourth Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby (G1) victory aboard the Sadakshara Padmanabhan-trained Sir Cecil—a four-time local grade 1 winner and unbeaten in seven starts—at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai Feb. 3.

In a strange twist of fate Sir Cecil's main danger, Adjudicate, is trained by James McKeown, son of Lady Cecil and stepson of the late Sir Henry Cecil.

Allan surpassed £1 million in prize money for the first time in 2018 and rode a personal best 76 winners in his best season in Britain thus far before heading to India in late November for a 10th winter spell.

Allan said: "Sir Cecil is the best horse in India—he won the Guineas in Mumbai and will go for the Indian Derby. He's named after Sir Henry and he's the Indian Frankel—that's actually what I call him. He's won easily each time and is the horse everyone has to beat.

"I'm flying along and riding some of the top horses in India, so it's going very well. The style of racing is quite different here—they tend to go a lot faster early on and you have to be on the ball otherwise you get found out. It makes you sharper."

Allan replaced former champion apprentice Sandy Barclay as the most successful foreign rider in India last year and continues to enjoy the lifestyle and rewards for his international endeavor.

He said: "I'm racing a couple of times a week and flying around to those meetings but on the other days I get to play golf—my main hobby—after morning work so I'm quite happy with that! It without doubt beats a winter on the all-weather.

"It's miles better financially to come out here during the winter, and Tim (Easterby) doesn't run too many on the all-weather."

Allan will return from India, where Irish jockeys Leigh Roche and Robbie Downey are plying their trade this winter, around a week before the start of the flat turf campaign, with Bahrain Trophy Stakes (G3) winner Wells Farhh Go among the horses he is looking forward to riding.

Allan said: "It was such a shame he missed the Derby and St Leger but we just had a bit of bad luck with setbacks and timings. Stamina is his strong point so he could go for the Cup races over the stayers' distances this season and hopefully everything goes right with him." 

Allan teamed up with McKeown to land the Calcutta Derby (G1) with Adjudicate on Sunday, with Lady Cecil there to witness the local grade 1 success.

McKeown, who spent nine years as an assistant to Padmanabhan, said: "If it wasn't for Sir Cecil, Adjudicate would win the Indian Derby comfortably, but Sir Cecil is a very good horse and the best India has produced in 20 years.

"Sir Cecil is very dominant but Adjudicate is improving and it will be close. It was clear from the early days on the farm Sir Cecil was going to be out of the ordinary and so connections opted for the name. They would have preferred Sir Henry, but that had been used previously."