Racing Season to begin from 18th - By Shailendra Awasthi I TNN
Posted on - 05 Nov 2012
Racing Season to begin from 18th
By Shailendra Awasthi I TNN
Mumbai: The Mumbai horse racing Season 2012-13 is going to be bigger and better than ever before with every Sunday of the season featuring a sponsored or graded race. The season will kick start with the Race of Hope in aid of the Indian Cancer Society on November 18.
With monsoon season over, it seems there will be no starting trouble. "The preparation is on schedule, and we are confident we will not have the problems of last year as far as track is concerned," said Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) chairman Vivek Jain told TOI.
The stable area is getting ready to accommodate over 1300 horses. "The stabling facilities will be ready in phases, and the horses should start arriving from November 11 onwards," informed Jain.
The horses from the Sohna Stud Farm, which were kept separately during the recently concluded Pune Season, will be joining other horses. "The Vet Commission has permitted the horses to join the horse population, as there has been no reported contagious effect of the disease," said Jain.
Jain also informed that the jockeys’ room, which is undergoing renovation, will have best of the facilities. "The jockeys room is being modernised, new facilities, air conditioning, TVs, sauna etc. It will be the best in the country," claimed Jain.
Too many divisions in races happened at Pune resulting in RWITC handing out more from its coffers but RWITC took it in its stride. "It was owner friendly. In fact in spite of the financial constraints, the Committee has increased stakes by nearly 1.5 crore for the year 2012-13," added Jain.
The schedule for five major races: Indian 1000 Guineas (Gr.1) on December 16; Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) on December 23; Indian Oaks (Gr.1) on January 20, 2013; McDowell Signature Premier Indian Derby (Gr.1) on February 3; Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi-Million (Gr.1) on February 24.
