Two days prior to the Kingfisher Ultra Derby, the Bangalore Turf Club added some incentive to best-performing jockey in the country’s second richest racing event by unveiling a “jockey’s statue” here on Friday.
The plain statue, placed at the entrance of the Club, will be painted in the colours of the winning jockey of the Derby on Sunday –– as a gesture of honour to the champion.
BTC chairman Satish Chandra, who unveiled the statue, said that this practice will be followed regularly henceforth. “Till the next Derby, the statue will remain in the colours of the winning jockey. When we have a new winner in the Winter meeting, the statue will receive the colours of the new champion,” said Satish.
With an intention to keep the fitness levels of the jockeys high, a jockey’s gym was also inaugurated at the BTC.
Patel to miss Derby
Promising jockey Trevor Patel, who won the Kingfisher Derby last year and triumphed in the Garuda Bangalore Derby in January this year to complete a fine double astride Angel Dust, will miss Sunday’s Derby due to a wrist injury.
Patel suffered the injury when he had a fall from Sherryl, the Vijay Mallya-owned filly on May 21 here at the BTC, the second day of the Summer meetings.
“It is a big miss for me, considering it is a Derby. The fall injured the bone and ligament on my left wrist and I have been out of action since then. I am expecting to return next month,” said Trevor.
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