Even with hi-tech broadcast systems in place at the race course, PT finds race-goers toting along binoculars to up the thrill of watching a race - By Nupur Chaudhuri
Posted on - 28 Aug 2012
Even with hi-tech broadcast systems in place at the race course, PT finds race-goers toting along binoculars to up the thrill of watching a race
By Nupur Chaudhuri
It’s a thrill to be there on the turf, watching the horses thunder past. Ever since the racing season started a few weekends ago, people have been stepping out, looking dapper — the women in their hats and fascinators, the men in their Sunday best. There’s one accessory that seems to be the common favourite — the sleek, black binoculars. It’s made a comeback of sorts, if we may say so.
There was a time when almost everyone would sling along a pair, peer through it and follow their favourite horse as it conquered the race track. Then came the LED screens and the hitech broadcast system. Race-goers welcomed the new technology, some bid adieu to the binoculars. But it’s popping up every now and then — almost catching on like a new fashion trend. Entrepreneur Ammul Goel, a regular invitee at the sponsored races, nods in agreement. “I’ve seen quite a few people carrying binoculars. It’s a handy accessory and is in keeping with the age-old racing tradition,” he quips. Women, he adds, seem to be more thrilled about watching a race through binoculars.
The veteran race-goers, horse owners and trainers prefer a pair of binoculars over the telly screens. Horse trainer Zadmal Singh says the television systems have come in only now. “Earlier, there was no such thing and the binoculars became constantpartners of race-goers. A race happens only once. You can watch the replay on the telly sets, but the joy of watching a race through binoculars can’t be matched,” he says.
Binoculars, though, provide a very limited field of view. If you are focusing on one horse, you will miss out any other action on the track. One can catch up on that only during the replay. “But when you bet on a horse, the view of that horse is so much closer through binoculars. That’s what gives a thrill to veterans and even first-timers,” says Vivek Jain, chairman, RWITC. “If you’ve put money on a horse, you would naturally want to focus on it,” agrees trainer Adhiraj Singh Jodha. And, once you view a horse through a pair of powerful binoculars as it gallops to victory, you would want to do it again and again, guarantees Singh.
For the regulars, it’s a habit that has developed over the years. “Moreover, it’s a world-wide phenomenon associated with the races,” Jain adds. But Singh says that it has to be more than just a fashion trend to last. It has to become an indispensable aspect of the racing experience for an individual. Fo r m e r ch a m p i o n jockey and now successful horse trainer Pesi Shroff says that while watching horses through binoculars, you develop an affinity to it. “Most people have both binoculars and TV screens in their boxes. They alternate between both — it’s like getting the best of both,” he says. For him, it’s more professional than a thrill. But for others, it’s about watching where your money is going. And of course, if you’re a first-timer and want to blend in, toting this accessory along will do the job!
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