BTC’s Leap of Faith: Racing on Promises and Hope By Sharan Kumar The Bangalore Turf Club faces its most critical test yet. With the government pressing for relocation, a one-month licence in hand, and no clear financial backing, BTC’s future hangs by a thread. The November 29 special general body meeting will decide whether the club shifts to Kunigal or risks losing it all. Without major funding and unity, Bangalore racing could soon be running out of track, unless, of course, a miracle comes to its rescue. For BTC’s grand dream of a new racecourse to become reality, someone has to open their purse and open it wide . The BTC, having run out of miracles, now needs what every good racing story eventually demands, a few heroes with very deep pockets. Unfortunately, barring the ever-generous Zavaray Poonawalla, no one else seems to have mistaken philanthropy for a tax deduction. The city’s wealthy horse lovers have misplaced both their wallets and the...
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This article appeared in the National Sports Page of Deccan Chronicle Racing’s Great Unravelling: Politics, Land, Disease and a 40 Percent Noose By Sharan Kumar Horse racing in India is now fighting for breath. From Bangalore’s land battles and arrogant club politics to Chennai’s shutdown and Hyderabad’s disease scare, the sport is being throttled from every direction. Add the hostile 40% sin tax on betting, and the game is now on life support. Mismanagement, government hostility, empty treasuries and no youth interest have turned this once glamorous turf into a slow-motion obituary in real time. Racing never expanded beyond that niche. This is not cricket where a coconut street and a rubber ball create Sachins by the dozen. This is not football where three neighbourhood ruffians and one deflated ball can launch a fan base. Racing demands study and patience and decoding a lead change between the seven-furlong post and the last 400 metres is apparently too muc...
Galahad Steals the Spotlight on Opening Day The Bangalore Winter Season finally kicked off — not with swagger, but with a government licence so temporary it could have been printed on cartridge paper from a roadside Xerox. The club now has just one month to nod obediently, agree to shift the racecourse, and file a joint memo to wrap up the Supreme Court case. Amid this bureaucratic ticking time bomb, Galahad at least delivered clarity by winning the day’s feature, the Rajyotsava Trophy, with authority. By Sharan Kumar The Bangalore Winter Season began because the Government finally waved the licence in like a ration coupon valid for only a month. The club must now spend these 30 days signing letters, affidavits, and joint memos promising to shift the racecourse and to close the case in the Supreme Court by getting consent from the Special General Body. Essentially racing with a noose in the parade ring and a stopwatch ticking in the Stewards’ Room. ...
Racing in Trouble as Clubs and Governments Lock Horns Indian horse racing is reeling under a perfect storm, the government’s punitive 40% GST has drained its coffers, turf clubs are entangled in land feuds, and now disease scares threaten to finish what bureaucracy began. While visionaries like Zavaray Poonawalla keep the sport breathing, others seem intent on pulling the plug. From Bangalore’s boardrooms to Chennai’s crumbling tracks, Indian racing is running, quite literally, out of turf. By Sharan Kumar If Indian horse racing were a patient, it would currently be in the ICU, not for lack of pulse, but because the government insists on charging 40% GST on the IV drip. This absurd “sin tax” on betting has done what no rival turf club or rogue punter could ever manage, it’s crippled the sport financially and morally. The racing clubs, once vibrant citadels of sport and style, are now gasping for oxygen. If not for the philanthropic cavalry led b...
Miracle Star Scripts an Emotional Derby Finale By Sharan Kumar The Gr 1 Mysore Derby this year was not just another classic — it was a story written by destiny, drenched in emotion, and sealed with poetic justice. It was a race that transcended competition, becoming a moving tribute to one of Indian racing’s finest minds — the late S. Padmanabhan , whose life’s work with horses often bordered on the miraculous. Just a week before the Derby, Padmanabhan — lovingly known as Paddy — passed away, leaving behind unfinished plans and a filly he had meticulously readied for the big day. Despite her grief, his wife, Sharmila Padmanabhan , chose to honour his wish. She entered Miracle Star in the race, paying a hefty late-entry fee — not for glory, but because that’s what Paddy would have done. It was, in every sense, his final race — and fittingly, his horse ran like an angel guided by her master’s spirit. As the gates flew...
Where Class Meets Craft with a dash of Old-World Charm By Sharan Kumar The Mysore Derby isn’t just a race — it’s tradition meeting thrill under royal skies. As the city glows with Dasara splendour, the Mysore Race Club rolls out a spectacular Derby week, blending top-class racing with regal flair. With Red Bishop, Miracle Star, and Maana primed for a fierce showdown — and Derby Nite adding its own sparkle — Mysore once again proves it knows how to throw a celebration on turf. The Mysore Derby has long been more than just another classic; it’s a glimpse into the future of racing greatness. History bears witness — Elusive Pimpernel and Desert God used this very stage as a launchpad to national glory going on to win the Indian Derby and the Invitation Cup. When the gates fly open this Sunday, remember — legends often begin their gallop here. This year’s edition promises fireworks. Pesi Shroff’s Red Bishop , who came agonisingly close to taking the De...
The Mastermind Who Rewrote Indian Racing’s Script By Sharan Kumar One of India’s most accomplished and intellectually gifted racehorse trainers, Sadakshara Reuben Padmanabhan (71), passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday, (October 19 at 8 a.m.) after a valiant battle with illness. Fondly known as Paddy, he was a self-made man whose integrity, brilliance, and determination made him a towering figure in Indian racing. A relentless fighter on and off the turf, Padmanabhan’s legacy of excellence, courage, and principle will endure long after his final race. He rose from scratch to the very summit of Indian racing inspiring confidence of the racing fraternity. Padmanabhan belonged to an elite league — one of only three trainers in India to have saddled over 100 Classic winners, the others being the late Rashid Byramji and the late Aris David. His rise to greatness came relatively late, but once the floodgates opened, there was simply no stopping him. Even w...