B R Sharan Kumar

The Mysore Race Club is the most picturesque in the country. Set up in the foothills of the imposing Chamundi Hills, the Mysore Race Club has a distinct identity of its own. The languid atmosphere is perhaps the reflection of the city which has grown tremendously in the last decade without losing its old world charm. Racing in Mysore is now a year round activity. Not long ago racing was confined to the monsoon months of August, September and October but with a base of over 400 horses, Mysore is slowly marching towards establishing itself as an independent turf authority in the country. With the Bangalore Turf Club running into turbulence and the fate of racing at the premier centre hanging in balance beyond September 22, 2010, Mysore is expected to take the lead. Mysore Race Club is more than a century old. The Mysore Race Club celebrated its centenary year as far back as 1991. Racing started in Mysore under the patronage of the rulers of Mysore as far back as 1891. The Royal Family of...

The Bangalore Summer Season is set to start on Saturday, May 15 amidst uncertainty about the future of racing at this centre following Karnataka High Court‘s directive to the Bangalore Turf Club to vacate the premises by September 22. As usual the owners and trainers associations are raising the banner of revolt and have raised several demands which they want the club to accept without delay. If these issues are unresolved, it may result in an agitation adding to the overall gloom. The BTC went for an ill-advised battle against the government in the court rooms in the premise the concession of 1915 was a permanent grant. What was more galling was the fact that the club drifted badly from the beginning in its arguments by agreeing to shift if suitable land was given forgetting the very ground on which they took the government to court. The argument that BTC owned the land by way of permanent grant was thus diluted and the dismissal of BTC petition thus did not come as a surprise. By all...

Kerataka, the dam of Keredari who recorded an impressive four length win in the Listed Loughbrown Stakes over seven lengths at Curragh on Sunday, is in India. Three year old Keredari (Oasis Dream) is trained by John Oxx. The three year old is rated highly and he is expected to run a mighty race in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Keredari was an impressive Roscommon debut winner and he was also third in Gr 3 Kilavullen Stakes in his next start. Kerataka, the dam of Keredari, is a winning half sister to Gr 3 winner Keraka (Storm Bird). Kerataka (Doyoun) was bought for 120,000 Euros by Usha Stud Farm at the Goffs sales two years ago and she has foaled a dark bay filly by Invincible Spirit which is in training at Mumbai with trainer Vinayak. The filly has been leased to leading owner and breeder Khushroo Dhunjibhoy.

Harindra Shetty has replaced Vivek Ubhaykar as Chairman of Bangalore Turf Club which is facing extinction following the adverse verdict it got from the High Court which has fixed September 22 as the last day of its existence at the present venue. Though the general body of the club mandated the Managing Committee to take the legal route, Vivek Ubhaykar had to pay the price being the Chairman. Though his role was almost the same as that of other committee members, the feeling that change of guard may assuage the feelings of the Chief Minister may be the force behind the move. The internecine quarrel within the Managing Committee also was a major contributory factor. The Managing Committee members called for a Special Meeting on Friday to oust the Chairman. After brief resistance, Vivek Ubhaykar submitted his resignation as chairman paving the way for election of Harindra Shetty. Harindra Shetty is perceived as a man who is more acceptable to the government given the fact that he was aga...

Eminent senior counsel Soli Sorabjee has in a newspaper article said that probably it is easier to pick a winner at Mahalaxmi race course than to predict the outcome of Special Leave Petition in Supreme Court. The Bangalore Turf Club as such is in the horns of a dilemma as to the future course of action to be taken following the dismissal of their petition and a time frame of six months fixed for their exit from the present premises. The BTC has not yet decided on filing an SLP in Supreme Court. The legal opinion is not encouraging. The Managing Committee took its own time to call for a special meeting to discuss the crisis situation as they first wanted to go through with the elections to ensure that their kith and kin were elected as members of the club and then decide on the burning issue of saving racing from extinction. Surely the BTC’s Managing Committee and its members definitely don’t stand a chance in the popularity contest if there were to be one, with the voters being race g...

Irfan Ghatala trained Advantage Logan who was amazingly consistent this season, won the Racing Patrons Trophy, a race for horses rated 80 and above, the feature event of concluding day’s Bangalore Winter Racing Season held on Saturday. Irfan Ghatala recorded a treble and his regular jockey Suraj Narredu did one better to win four races. Both these professionals won the championship title in their respective categories. When the last post was being sounded to signal the end of the season, a feeling of sadness crept in as BTC is under threat of extinction following the disastrous move to approach the court against the government which has resulted in the deadline of September 22 having been fixed for the exit of BTC from its present location. BTC may bargain for some extension of time in the Supreme Court but the writing is clear on the wall. BTC is bankrupt in all aspects and only a miracle can ensure continuation of racing in Bangalore. The government may not be charitable to the club ...

Brazilian horse Gloria de Compeao provided a perfect finish to an exhilarating evening of great racing action at the magnificent Meydan, in front of a capacity crowd on Saturday. Gloria de Campeao, who had finished second best in the last edition of the race, almost made the entire running and survived by the skin of his teeth to hold off a late surge from unheralded Lizard`s Desire to win the racing`s richest race, the Dubai World Cup. The Pascal Bary trained Gloria de Campeao went on a stamina testing mission of doing all the front running and then dug deep into his reserves to win in a three horse finish, a nose and a short head separating the first three runners. Until the judge announced the final verdict, it was difficult to guess as to who had won the race as Shea Lea on the runner up too was pumping his fist in the air at the finish. First it looked like a dead heat but it was not to be as the Brazilian horse under Pereira had landed the spoils by the shortest of margins. A spe...