RACING TO GET GOING FINALLY

 

By Usman Rangeela

Mumbai Mirror

11-11-2010

 

AFTER WEEKS of suspense the Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd (RWITC) has officially declared that the first race meeting of the Mumbai racing season 2010-11 will be held as scheduled on November 14.

 

The announcement came after the turf club management met with the trainers yesterday and it was decided that around 100 horses which are likely to run on Sunday will leave from Pune today.
 
RWITC chairman Vivek Jain announced this decision saying, “The season will start on time. Runners for the first day will start arriving on Friday.”

 

PRE-DETERMINED DECISION

 

Jain also informed that a request from the trainers to have the first two days racing in Pune was turned down by the Stewards.

 

But despite all speculations that the RWITC was mulling the thought of having races at Pune in case the Mahalaxmi Race Course stables were not ready, it has now emerged that, the club had no such intention all along.

 

For, the cables used for telecasting the sport live were uprooted within days of the conclusion of the Pune season last month and the administrative infrastructure of the racing department was also shifted to Mahalaxmi immediately.

 

Jain didn’t refute this development when confronted by Mirror but explained, “Yes but the trainers in their wisdom wanted this till I very clearly told them this (Wednesday) morning that either we race in Mumbai or not all. They finally agreed.”