B R Sharan Kumar

  Tunnel Road Project May Threaten BTC’s Future     By Sharan Kumar   The ambitious and controversial underground tunnel road connecting Central Silk Board to Hebbal may end up disrupting more than just surface traffic—it could seriously jeopardize the functioning of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC), especially if land abutting the backstretch of the racecourse is taken over, even temporarily.   Pitched as a game-changer for Bengaluru’s traffic woes, the ₹17,698-crore tunnel project is designed exclusively for four-wheeler traffic and will run entirely underground. But despite its scale and intent, critics have slammed it as an exorbitantly priced venture with limited utility—particularly when compared to the metro expansion, which promises broader connectivity at a fraction of the cost.   Nevertheless, the government is pressing ahead. Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), the agency executing the project, has identified five locatio...

      Trainer Prasad Raju Joins 1,000-Win Club   By Tippu Sultan   Monday’s Hyderabad races will be etched in local turf history as the day trainer K S V Prasad Raju joined the elite club of Indian trainers to have saddled 1,000 career winners. The remarkable milestone was achieved in style when Sangreal, the firm favourite in the concluding race of the day, obliged with a commanding win—fittingly ridden by none other than Suraj Narredu, a long-time ally in Raju’s training journey.   What made the day even more special was that Prasad Raju saddled a treble, all piloted by Suraj, highlighting a partnership that has delivered countless winners over the years. With this feat, Raju joins fellow Hyderabad veterans Leo D’Silva, Donald Netto  and Vittal Deshmukh in the rarefied 1,000-win club.   Prasad Raju’s career, once considered solid but understated, surged in stature over the last two decades as he began receiving better quality...

  BTC Stewards Punish Physiology, Not Foul Play   By Sharan Kumar   In what appears to be an unprecedented decision, the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) Stewards handed trainer G.Y. Rajesh Babu a one-year suspension on the grounds that his horse, Adelanto , weighed 12 kilograms more on race day than it did at the time of acceptance. The weighing was conducted before the race, and the Stewards deemed this fluctuation a contravention of Rule 202 of the BTC Rules of Racing. The punishment, disqualification until June 2026, raises serious questions about proportionality and whether such a routine physiological occurrence justifies such a severe penalty.   To begin with, fluctuations in a racehorse’s weight — particularly in the range of 10 to 15 kilograms — are neither rare nor necessarily suspicious. Thoroughbreds, like any athlete, experience daily shifts in weight due to hydration levels, gut fill, salt intake, digestion cycles, and resting phases. A horse that ...

  Golden Thunder Strikes in the Wet Leger   By Sharan Kumar   Golden Thunder thundered away in cloudy skies and drizzle to win the Gr 2 Bangalore St Leger, the last classic of the Bangalore Summer Season, run on Sunday. Trained by Karthik Ganapathy, this long-striding galloper has always given the impression he needed an airport runway to build momentum — not your sprightly, jump-and-scoot type, but more the freight train that doesn’t stop once it’s moving.   The much-hyped Dyf, who has been punching the clock with clockwork consistency, looked like he’d finally had enough. When Trevor Patel tried his usual trick — creeping up from behind — Dyf responded with the kind of enthusiasm one reserves for Monday mornings. The zip was missing, the legs were heavy, and the white flag may as well have been flying by the time Golden Thunder swept past. He still managed to trudge home in second, but that was more out of habit than hope.   Truth was a distant...

 Victor Hugo Turns Into a Superhero  By Sharan Kumar Ask any seasoned punter what “in-and-out running” means and you’ll get a definition that sounds simple enough: horses should run consistently in line with their previous performances. But that’s theory — welcome to Bangalore, where that theory is laughed at, shredded, and tossed into the wind. Here, horses improve by fifteen lengths overnight or suddenly forget how to gallop, depending on... well, nobody really knows. Take Victor Hugo, for instance. Trained by Irfan Ghatala, he quite literally snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when he lost narrowly to Emphatic in his penultimate start. Punters, ever the optimists, fancied him next time out — only to see him trail in more than 11 lengths behind the field, like a horse out for a leisurely morning canter. But wait — in the Karnataka Police Cup, run over 1800 metres for horses rated 60 to 85, Victor Hugo returned as a reincarnated beast, absolutely bolting in by a jaw-dro...

  Court Signals Green Light for Coexistence   By Sharan Kumar   In a legal reprieve that could well become a blueprint for racing clubs across the country, the Madras Race Club (MRC) has secured temporary relief from closure of racing activities, with the Madras High Court suggesting that a racecourse and an eco-park need not be mutually exclusive. The court posed a pertinent question: Why can’t both co-exist? — a sentiment that echoes a growing belief that these historic spaces, occupying prime real estate, can serve dual purposes.   The court has now adjourned the case to August 18 to allow both MRC and the Tamil Nadu government to file additional documents. More crucially, it confirmed that the trial — including cross-examinations — must conclude by March 31, 2026 , effectively ensuring that the racing season commencing this August can proceed without disruption. The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) interim stay on development activities at the 118-acr...

  Derby Day: Even the Tote Got Generous   By Sharan Kumar   The Bangalore Derby galloped off in style on Sunday, but the tote system decided to join the festivities in its own inimitable way—by tossing math out the window and generosity to the wind.   Once upon a time, Derby Day meant big hats, bigger bets, and a tote turnover that comfortably sailed past ₹15 crores. This year, it limped to a modest ₹3 crores across all pools—a reminder that while the horses were running, the public preferred chasing bookmakers’ better dividends over the anaemic tote.   But fear not—the system still had a surprise party trick up its sleeve. In a rare act of benevolence (or sheer confusion), it reportedly handed out double the declared dividend in the last race. Loyal punters who stuck with the tote despite its meagre returns suddenly found themselves recipients of unexpected largesse—all thanks to a helpful system glitch.   Alas, the joy was short-lived...

  Wet, Wild, and Wonderfully Unpredictable   By Sharan Kumar   There’s a buzz in the air (and probably in the clouds) as the Pune racing season thunders out of the gates on Friday with a card of nine events. This is no casual trot in the park—it’s the grand launch of a 20-day season. Yes, just 20 . Gone are those glory days when Pune offered over 30 days of racing, leaving punters so busy they’d forget every other commitment.   Alas, the post-Covid world has made everyone count their rupees, including the RWITC. Add to that the joy-killing, wallet-thinning GST—so punitive it might as well come with a note saying “Good luck funding prize money!” But wait—there’s light at the end of this gloomy audit: RWITC got clearance to build a plush new clubhouse in Mumbai. The new membership fees, and club activities are expected to boost the revenue and eventually lead to loosening the club’s financial corset in the long run.   And RWITC isn’t exactly short...

  Fynbos Wins Derby; Pesi`s Annual Ritual Continues   By Sharan Kumar   The Bangalore Derby is now Pesi Shroff’s private fiefdom, his mantelpiece groaning under endless trophies. This year’s Zavaray S Poonawala-sponsored renewal only confirmed it. Fynbos, star of the Fillies’ Championship, didn’t just win—she ruled, turning the race into her personal garden party. While rivals dreamed big and punters roared, she glided past with icy precision, proving once more that Shroff doesn’t so much train Derby winners as manufacture them.   This year’s renewal had a new sponsor in Zavaray S Poonawala in whose name the Derby ran, only reaffirmed the legend. Sovereign King, vaunted as the chief danger, provided drama of an unintended sort—dozing in the gates like he’d mistaken the Derby for a Sunday siesta. By the time he remembered to join the fray, the leaders were practically accepting garlands at the finish. In his own way, he was merciful to the betting public, ...

  Tragedy at Bangalore Turf Club: Young Lives Cut Short   By Sharan Kumar   A heartbreaking incident unfolded at the Bangalore Turf Club on Thursday, exposing the risks that young, inexperienced horses face when thrust too soon into unfamiliar and congested environments.   In a chilling accident outside the underground stables, a group of two-year-olds panicked while being rolled in the evening. One youngster from a neighbouring stable reportedly broke loose, triggering mass terror among the others. Their syces, caught off guard, were unable to restrain them as the frightened animals bolted blindly into danger. One crashed into the retaining wall, others fell or collided, leading to devastating injuries. Two had to be euthanized after suffering irreparable fractures; two more are under treatment for serious injuries and the others for bruises, their future on the racetrack uncertain.   These were no ordinary horses—they were highly valued, beauti...

  Stewards Probe ‘Improvement’ That Wasn’t There   By Sharan Kumar   Do the Stipendiary Stewards do their homework? Or do they simply outsource their thinking to a magic 8-ball that always lands on “Enquiry”?   Because you have to hand it to them: they spotted “improved performance” in a horse that ran exactly as it always does—just this time, in a field so slow you needed a calendar to time them.   We know the drill. The Stewards rarely stir unless members in the stands scream when their pick loses. At that point, it’s all sound and fury—“Call an enquiry!” they bellow, and the Stewards, those paragons of independent judgment, meekly comply.   These are the same Stewards who, last season, thoughtfully downgraded charges of stopping a horse to the gentler “unsatisfactory riding” because the professionals concerned had supporters in the Stewards room. Integrity of racing? It is negotiable.   Wellington, a seven-year-old warhorse ...

  The Twins: Rioters to Hypocritical Rulemakers   By Sharan Kumar   For those who’ve chronicled the Bangalore Turf Club’s theatrics for decades, the winter season of 2012–13 remains unforgettable—when Murioi dared to win and was disqualified for dangerous drift. That riot, the last of its kind, was engineered by none other than the infamous twins—Aravind and Raghavan—who weaponized the KROA to strong-arm the club. Today, they sit smugly as club members, masquerading as moral guardians while continuing their disruptive reign. The management, sadly, remains helpless against their relentless verbal diarrhoea. From inciting chaos to calling the shots—some legacies are too toxic to retire.   And the best part? The race was called the KROA Trophy—a name that suggests dignity but delivered pure farce. In the end, Solitaire Royale won by employing the revolutionary tactic of simply not interfering . Stay out of trouble, pick up the trophy—textbook stuff, really. ...