Get set and go for the summer season
With all the thorny issues that could have hurt the start of the summer season having been resolved well in time, the stage is set for the prompt start of the Bangalore Summer Season on Saturday, May 14. This is a departure from the past as the previous season had all been affected by some strife or the other which had seen the first week’s races being cancelled and the resolution to the problems taking its own time, causing frustration among race goers who wanted the action to begin after a small break. Nothing cheers race goers more than the sight of horses in full flow.
The Bangalore Summer Season is also eagerly awaited because racing action is confined to only Bangalore and Mysore during the summer months. Bangalore attracts quality horses from all over India which makes way for quality action in graded races. As many as 14 graded races will be gone through during the season which lasts less than three months. Unless the horses are on the boil, it is difficult to win during the season.
The last of the problems to be resolved was the syces issue. The syces demanded Rs 100 per day for doing the extra horse which has been granted. As has been reported earlier, the issues relating to BTF, norms for trainers have been put on fold. Status quo is what has ensured ironing out all the differences.
There was unnecessary delay as for as the issue of track numbers was concerned. This resulted in the track work of the first week going un-reported. A number of horses worked during this period and race goers will be at a loss in the absence of report of preparatory gallops. The turf club is well aware of the fact that track numbers are to be issued afresh during the summer season and they could have taken measures well in advance instead of delaying the issue for long. The turf club has got new digitized numbers so that recognising the numbers become easy for those observing track works.
It would have been even better if each stable was given a different set of colours for easy identification. Former Karnataka State cricket captain and Test umpire A V Jayaprakash said that this measure would have helped immensely. ``It would be easy for the club to implement it by entrusting the responsibility of getting the saddle cloth of required colour and paying the trainers to get those numbers printed on them. This way the club also could also have prevented the delay in issuing of numbers as the club would have delegated its responsibility.’’
Surely this idea needs consideration because it will be easy to identify horses even if they sport wrong track numbers willingly or unwillingly as the horse’s stable colour will make it difficult for any professional to take chance on this score. Possibly, the club could consider this step from the coming year.
The track has been in good shape as record rainfall during the month of April has helped immensely. The tan bark has dissolved nicely and we have a lush green race track. The track reporters have a complaint though about the outer sand track. The sand on the track is thin and faster timings are placing a premium on identifying a good work from an average work. Traditionally, the outer sand track is heavier than the inner sand and if a horse achieves certain timing, one could say with conviction that the horse is ready to strike.
The trainers however feel that this is not an issue and some of them believe that it light sand prevents horses from getting injured during workouts. One has also heard the contrary view from some trainers complaining about the sand being light and causing injury to their horses and also causing their horses to end up as favourites when they are far from ready due to track work! The track reporters also want lighting to improve as track work starts at 5.30 a.m. and visibility is poor. As it is, the track reporters face an additional problem because the temporary stables have resulted in horses going out of sight between 800 and 500 metres. The other problem that they are facing is the recording of track numbers and horse numbers which go for work. Quite often, they have found it difficult to relate the work because the person in charge is not present or not recorded properly. It is mandatory for every horse which enters the track to be recorded by the club’s official. This is an area which the turf club should address as the majority of race goers base their predictions on track work alone. This being a crucial barometer for most, helping in proper dissemination of track work is also the responsibility of the turf club.
This year the number of trainers participating in the summer from Mumbai has gone up. Pesi Shroff will have about eight quality horses taking part in the plums. Cooji Katrak has brought about six horses while long time regular Imtiaz Sait who had skipped the season for about four years, has come with 11 horses. Trainer Vinayak too is bringing a string of horses. The regulars from Hyderabad, Vittal Deshmukh, Leo D’Silva, Shezad Abbas and Laxman Singh have brought their share of horses.
The Bangalore Summer Season is also eagerly awaited because racing action is confined to only Bangalore and Mysore during the summer months. Bangalore attracts quality horses from all over India which makes way for quality action in graded races. As many as 14 graded races will be gone through during the season which lasts less than three months. Unless the horses are on the boil, it is difficult to win during the season.
The last of the problems to be resolved was the syces issue. The syces demanded Rs 100 per day for doing the extra horse which has been granted. As has been reported earlier, the issues relating to BTF, norms for trainers have been put on fold. Status quo is what has ensured ironing out all the differences.
There was unnecessary delay as for as the issue of track numbers was concerned. This resulted in the track work of the first week going un-reported. A number of horses worked during this period and race goers will be at a loss in the absence of report of preparatory gallops. The turf club is well aware of the fact that track numbers are to be issued afresh during the summer season and they could have taken measures well in advance instead of delaying the issue for long. The turf club has got new digitized numbers so that recognising the numbers become easy for those observing track works.
It would have been even better if each stable was given a different set of colours for easy identification. Former Karnataka State cricket captain and Test umpire A V Jayaprakash said that this measure would have helped immensely. ``It would be easy for the club to implement it by entrusting the responsibility of getting the saddle cloth of required colour and paying the trainers to get those numbers printed on them. This way the club also could also have prevented the delay in issuing of numbers as the club would have delegated its responsibility.’’
Surely this idea needs consideration because it will be easy to identify horses even if they sport wrong track numbers willingly or unwillingly as the horse’s stable colour will make it difficult for any professional to take chance on this score. Possibly, the club could consider this step from the coming year.
The track has been in good shape as record rainfall during the month of April has helped immensely. The tan bark has dissolved nicely and we have a lush green race track. The track reporters have a complaint though about the outer sand track. The sand on the track is thin and faster timings are placing a premium on identifying a good work from an average work. Traditionally, the outer sand track is heavier than the inner sand and if a horse achieves certain timing, one could say with conviction that the horse is ready to strike.
The trainers however feel that this is not an issue and some of them believe that it light sand prevents horses from getting injured during workouts. One has also heard the contrary view from some trainers complaining about the sand being light and causing injury to their horses and also causing their horses to end up as favourites when they are far from ready due to track work! The track reporters also want lighting to improve as track work starts at 5.30 a.m. and visibility is poor. As it is, the track reporters face an additional problem because the temporary stables have resulted in horses going out of sight between 800 and 500 metres. The other problem that they are facing is the recording of track numbers and horse numbers which go for work. Quite often, they have found it difficult to relate the work because the person in charge is not present or not recorded properly. It is mandatory for every horse which enters the track to be recorded by the club’s official. This is an area which the turf club should address as the majority of race goers base their predictions on track work alone. This being a crucial barometer for most, helping in proper dissemination of track work is also the responsibility of the turf club.
This year the number of trainers participating in the summer from Mumbai has gone up. Pesi Shroff will have about eight quality horses taking part in the plums. Cooji Katrak has brought about six horses while long time regular Imtiaz Sait who had skipped the season for about four years, has come with 11 horses. Trainer Vinayak too is bringing a string of horses. The regulars from Hyderabad, Vittal Deshmukh, Leo D’Silva, Shezad Abbas and Laxman Singh have brought their share of horses.
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