Three Million Races, Dances and Trapeze at Mahalaxmi on Sunday
Posted on - 12 Jan 2011
After a brief lull of weekend racing, caused by the running of the Kolkata Derby last Sunday, action returns to Mahalaxmi with a bang.
Two multi millions, a million, and loads of off-track action, promises a spectacular Sunday in a tribute to the Club's efforts to showcase racing as a great lifestyle sport.
Three top races will rub shoulders with each other to vie for star billing. The Grade 2 R.R.Ruia Gold Cup, the renowned Indian Derby trial, won in past years by several Derby champions will hold centre stage. Witha guaranteed two million purse, the race may loose some of it sheen with the likely absence of Ocean And Beyond, who recently tested positive for a prohibited substance. But several other classic hopefuls in the fray makes it an intriguing race, nonetheless.
The newly introduced Sahaan Juvenile Multi-Million, offers a whopping 3 million purse- the stakes befitting a Grade 1 race, and making it one of the richest juvenile millions in the country. The race is sponsored by Tarita Shanker and Chetan Wakalkar, new entrants to the sport of racing and who now own a reasonable large string of horses.
Yet another new entrant to sponsorship in Western India, Club Med, also debuts on Sunday. The worldwide hospitality major, has contributed to the sprint million, and this lead up to both the Dr.S.C.Jain Sprinters' Championship (Gr.2) and the Grade -1, Sprinters' Cup, promises to be a real cracker, with the course record under threat if the track runs fast.
The prize money on offer for the day should nudge 75 lakhs, probably a record for a non-classic day anywhere in the country. To have three races of this magnitude, each sponsored by different entities, is testimony to RWITC's increasingly envied stature in raising the bar in the marketing of the sport.
The day will be replete with entertainment of a high order. Live dance performances by Sandeep Soparrkar and Jesse Randhawa, will be topped off by Club Med staff showcasing the world famous trapeze and juggling "crazy acts" on the lawns, which will be the virtual show-stopper of the afternoon.
There will be two simultaneous parties- one hosted by Sahaan, with the lawns dressed up in Arabic style, and the other by Club Med, which is more of a sundowner, as the action picks momentum closer to sunset, with the party rolling on, post the races.
In keeping with the tried and tested mantra of prizes to attract the casual visitor, the top attraction will be the chance to win a free stay at Club Med, Bintan. Prizes for the best dressed, to be judged by models Sahil Shroff, Shawar Ali, Aachal Kumar and Sandhya Shetty, who will be present, rounds off what, has the makings of one of the best days of the season.
