The decks have been cleared for racing activities to resume at the Bangalore Turf Club from Friday.
The BTC Managing Committee, as promised, held two mock races on Wednesday to ascertain the readiness of the course following the mishap on the opening day of the season (last Friday) wherein a horse lost its footing, fell down and had to be put to sleep later.
An after-race inspection on Wednesday by senior jockeys, trainers and stewards found the course fit for racing. In all, 10 races, including the Rajyotsava Trophy and The Royal Calcutta Turf Club Cup (postponed from last week), will be held. The latter two will be the main events of the day.
The mock races saw participation from 12 jockeys including experienced riders such as P.S. Chouhan, the president of the Jockeys Association of India (JAI), astride Yerwan, T.S. Jodha, helming Love Music, and Englishman David Egan, in charge of Debonair. All of them, including Chouhan, expressed their satisfaction.
The conduct of multiple mock races had in fact been a pending demand from the JAI even prior to the start of the season. But the authorities had certified the track fit for racing after just one race, much to the annoyance of the jockeys, before last week’s happenings forced a rethink.
