Pune seasons biggest weekend promises great racing topped by the Oktoberfest - By Vivek Jain
Posted on - 15 Oct 2016
Pune season’s biggest weekend promises great racing topped by the Oktoberfest
By Vivek Jain
The shortened Pune Monsoon Meeting builds to its climax with the Pune Derby, Gr.1, weekend, and should shine brightly like a beacon of light dispelling the gloom over the Club.
The Derby, sponsored for years and years by Nanoli, has a new contributor, once the Stud farm withdrew their association. Kingfisher Ultra, from the UB Ltd stable, who co-sponsored The Indian Derby in February, stepped in magnanimously to extend their association with the RWITC. We hope this relationship is here to stay and enjoys a run as long as the Club had with USL for the mega race in February.
A 11 horse field will be flagged off just past 4 pm on Sunday, and the prize money of over Rs 7 million, makes it one of the richest Derbies in the monsoon months. Winners of this race in the past decade did not scale great heights except for Quasar, who became India’s highest prize winner till his record was overhauled by Desert God this year.
As usual, our Club has pulled out all the stops to make it a huge weekend of sport and entertainment. The immensely popular Oktoberfest, will share the stage with racing, and one can expect a sea of Germans and the city’s young to throng the lawns on both days. Full marks go to Peter Deubet and the IGCC for continuously staging a terrific beer centric festival. And with Kingfisher Ultra as the Derby sponsor, it will be a truly Beer Fest that will soak the stands and add that special zing to the sporting action.
Lady luck should be on your side as the Club has added a whopping Rs 2 million to Sunday’s jackpot and Rs 1 million to the super jackpot. The investment on these pools should zoom especially with the huge fields. There are prizes to be won of liquor hampers and from the hospitality partner Crowne Plaza. And as an added carrot, the pool hunters can win free betting vouchers as well. So, we say have a beer, back on the tote and get a sack to take home the booty!
For the first time ever, the race goes live on You Tube, in a first time initiative for the race to reach out to millions on a very popular platform. And the action does not stop with the end of the race day. Our Pune hospitality partner, Blue Frog, invites all members to an after party, with free entry, great music and discounted F&B.
We are hoping for a Sold Out board at the gates as the season draws to a close next Weekend.
