Turf club fraternity rises to help racing survive in the city - By Shailendra Awasthi | TOI
Posted on - 15 Dec 2021
Turf club fraternity rises to help racing survive in the city
- By Shailendra.Awasthi
Mumbai: Fighting a battle for its existence owing to the halted revenues induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, the end for the already cash-strapped Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) didn’t appear too far. But the racing fraternity rose to the occasion and joined hands to do something unprecedented in Indian history: initiating a donation drive to ensure the racing in the city stays afloat.
The Mumbai Season, which gets underway from Thursday, December 16, will be organised almost entirely on city fraternity’s charity.
It all started with an initial contribution of nearly Rs 3 crore with everyone from the managing committee to ordinary members, horse owners and trainers and even the club employees chipping in. The list of donors is available on the club’s website.
The donation amount, which even helped racing survive in Pune last month, has kept on swelling with many owners even coming forward to sponsor the prize money of races to be held at the Mahalaxmi racecourse in coming months.
Leading the helping hands are the Poonawalla brothers -- Cyrus and Zavaray, the current chairman. Both have either donated or sponsored races to the tune of crores.
“I could not have remained the silent spectator in these times of crisis,” Zavaray told TOI. “I had promised to save the sport and I have put my money where my mouth is. Am happy that I have managed to steady the ship and hope others will keep it afloat,” he added.
“We did our best to cut down on expenses and reduce the workforce but thanks to our committed staff, we have managed to get things going,” said Surendra Sanas, a committee member.
The trio of Zavaray, former chairman KN Dhunjibhoy and an unnamed owner has promised to add nearly Rs 3 lacs to every race to be held during the Mumbai Season for top class and younger horses.
“Owners love their horses and the sport. We will do and are doing all we need to, to ensure that the show goes on at Mahalaxmi,” said Shiven Surendranath, president of Western India Race Horse Owners’ Association.
In all, the 22-day Mumbai Season 2021-22, which runs till end of April, will have prize money of nearly Rs one crore up for grabs every day. To drive home the point that the Mumbai is the prime racing centre in the country, RWITC is organising the biggest racing action ever seen in the history of Indian Racing in a single day which seven Group races including five Group 1 races on the Indian Turf Invitaion Day on December 19.
