ROYAL CALCUT TA TURF CLUB’S 126 Echelon.lk | February 2018 ROYAL CALCUT TA TURF CLUB’S ON THE MAGICAL LURE OF THE TURFS, horses and races of India’s ROYAL CALCUTTA TURF CLUB, KOLKATA Text & Photographs By Sravasti Ghosh Dastidar HORSES & RACES Jockey Shrikant focuses on the race ahead February 2018 | Echelon.lk 127 The regal Member’s Stand and the First Enclosure, from the paddock 1961: PRIOR TO THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II CUP, an old Parsi hotelier, Adeshir Billimoria, visits Queen Victoria’s statue every evening, garlands it and asks for her blessing to win the race, as her great- granddaughter will be personally presenting the trophy, at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC). Thus, with supposed regal blessings, his horse Pa Bear wins it. Queen Elizabeth II hands over the coveted trophy to the Billimoria couple, making them celebrities overnight. The trophy is still manufactured by the Queen’s jewellers and is consigned to the RCTC from England. 2017: Joydeep Duttagupta’s wife visits Joydeep Dattagupta, a temple at sunrise for their beloved a regular at thoroughbred Sana’s success at the the stables and races Calcutta Oaks race. Earlier that year, despite Sana won the Calcutta Monsoon Derby a hectic and the Calcutta 1000 Guineas. corporate life On the first floor balcony of the clubhouse at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, Joydeep keeps his fingers crossed in quiet anticipation while he wines and dines on a scrumptious menu with his family and his syndi- cate of horse-owners. They enjoy the crisp winter afternoon, the verdant race track and the Kolkata skyline ishers). He cautions newcomers ‘to not dominated by the regal Victoria Me- exceed their budget and to not vary morial. They wait for three-year old the betting amount’. Sana’s race and avail the personalised Watching the races from the own- betting service on one’s behalf while ers’ room is cancer survivor Gautam relaxing. ceremonies make the live race an Sengupta, who has owned stallions for Joydeep has been riding horses engaging experience for the punter over 40 years. Following his mother’s since his childhood. For him, this and the spectator seeking an electric passion for racing, Gautam started ‘Sport of Kings’ is entertainment be- atmosphere. A spectator feels com- playing truant at the age of 15 to watch yond compare. The elegance of the mitted to watching a horse flash past the game with the railbirds. Wheel- ultimate athlete at full gallop is poetry the finish post even when the bet is chair-bound Gautam attended races in motion. The vibrant silks of the a modest INR100 per race. The most while he was paralysed for two years. jockeys, pulsating races, throbbing common are “win” bets (for a horse to Nothing can keep the likes of him crowds and tradition-steeped racing win) and “place” bets (for podium fin- away from the RCTC. 128 Echelon.lk | February 2018 With modernised interiors and New Year’s Day, it swells to 25,000. The India. By 1889, the Calcutta Turf Club well-preserved exteriors, RCTC’s New Year’s Day races is Kolkata’s big- was the supreme authority for rules package deal of intoxicating ambience gest annual socio-cum-sporting event. for all 52 racecourses in the Asian and entertainment is almost unri- It is a heady mix of fun, food and subcontinent. The prize money for valled in Kolkata. Although races are fashion competing for honours among the first year of The Calcutta Turf Club held around the year, the best time the thoroughbreds on the turf, all of Derby Sweep (1867) was a whopping is mid-November to mid–February. whom celebrate a common birthday INR35,000. Between 1929 and 1934, The Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Calcutta on January 1st. The stake money varies the pool would swell to over a million Derby Stakes, Calcutta 1000 and 2000 widely and goes up to INR400,000 in Sterling Pounds. Britian’s King George Guineas, and Calcutta Oaks are some Kolkata. However, the Indian Derby in V, on his second visit to Calcutta (1912), of the major races that draw throngs Mumbai can rise to INR20 million for granted the then CTC its Royal status. of Kolkatans. Average attendance on the winner. Founded by the British in The racecourse infrastructure is a normal day is around 6,000. During February 1847, the Calcutta Racecourse better than most in India, as the origi- important races like Derby Day and and Turf Club is the second-oldest in nal track has never been fiddled with. February 2018 | Echelon.lk 129 Proud syce Jeetendra leads champions Sana and Dasharath Singh to receive the prize 130 Echelon.lk | February 2018 Ever ready to talk about horses - Bharath Singh Racing is possible on the monsoon has to be coaxed onto the track. Like Bharath selected Sana for her track, built in the 1900s, even after examinees, the horses are varyingly owners from the Usha Stud Farm. He seven inches of rain. The 2,800-meter wired on D-day. Some are nervous, also chooses horses from annual auc- circuit is one of the longer courses some over-confident. Then, jockey tion sales at important venues. The in India. The main races are between Dasharath Singh, sporting the silks owners then buy them individually or 1,000 meters to a mile. A very select of Joydeep’s syndicate, rides Sana to in a syndicate. The cost ranges from breed runs over the longer trips of the the starting gate. Her trainer, Kolka- INR500,000 to a million. All horses Classics. Sired by the highest level ta-based Bharath Singh has already reach Bharath between January and of thoroughbreds, Yana and Multidi- discussed strategies with the rider. March. After intensive training, they mensional, Sana is one of 500 RCTC Bharath considers training to be a begin racing by the third week of No- racehorses. The stallion’s bloodline paying hobby and refrains from bet- vember. The stewards then decide the traces back to three founding stallions ting. He says horses and racing run in categories under which the horses will – the Byerley Turk, the Godolphin Barb his Rajput blood. His father Jagdish race. and the Darley Arabian, brought by Singh Chauhan was India’s top jock- Cyrus Madan, a steward of RCTC, the British. Pedigree charts recorded ey from 1943 to 1987. Bharath aspired has never owned a horse, honouring over 300 years show the lineage that to be a jockey, but grew too tall, so a promise to his father. He has been brands the exclusivity of the horses switched to training instead. He ap- commentating since 1978. Initially, and the sport. These horses are born to prenticed under the inimitable Indian while in Mumbai, Cyrus published and race and do so even when they are at trainer Rashid Byramji in 1982. To be a edited the weekly ‘Turfite’, the only the farms, as a pastime. On this race good trainer, one has to connect with publication on racing in India at the day, syce Jeetendra takes Sana through the trainee, and Bharath’s love is am- time. He was appointed to the Board her daily routine of eating oats and ply reciprocated by his equines. One of Stewards, and was the chairman bran, and getting massaged. He brings of the best horses he trained was Bold of the club over 2007-2011. A veritable her to the saddling enclosure near the Gesture. A decade after retiring Bold encyclopaedia on racing, Cyrus started old banyan tree and leads her around Gesture to a coffee estate, Bharath vis- visiting the racecourse at the age of 7. the paddock with her competitors. ited him, and the horse responded to His neighbour was India’s top trainer One particular horse feels jittery and his command of ‘Up, Baba, up!’ Mac Galstan. Little Cyrus would of- February 2018 | Echelon.lk 131 Non-members in the First Enclosure outnumber members in the Members’ Stand ten accompany him to the stables. He stables. They are groomed from birth to four majestic grandstands, built in the would listen intently to Mac’s discus- become athletes and champions. Drug early 1900s, are buzzing with aspira- sions on racing with one of his owners. testing is extremely strict. These meas- tion. Stylishly-clad ladies and gentle- Afterwards, Cyrus would innocently ures lend credibility to the sport. men clasp their hands in excitement discuss this at the tennis club. Cyrus’ Cyrus feels the quality of the com- or are taking photos on their mobile reporting became a source of tips for mercially-driven current owners are phones. Sana keeps a steady pace and punters at the club. It took a while for different from those in the past who the adrenaline pumping, till heads turn Mac to realise where the leak was, af- were thrilled by horses and the game. home and Dasharath Singh releases the ter which no racing was discussed in Once the commercial venture fails, the brakes. Implicit Trust overtakes Friend- Cyrus’ presence. In betting, tips are a former exits promptly. ship. Sana, in a breathtaking move, double-edged sword, as due to them, Today, all clubs are affected by overtakes both and nudges to victory. many a fortune is won or lost. the new national sales tax that adds Amid cheering, syce Jeetendra People, wary about losing money 28% on sales, resulting in the halving and Dasharath turn Sana back to the to betting, forget that financial mar- of revenue due to lower demand. The paddock where her owners and trainer kets have equally sad stories of losses.