JOIN USThe Bangalore Turf Club opened the road to the 55th Indian Turf Invitation Cup Weekend (March 4-5) by conducting the draw ceremony for four Grade I races here on Wednesday, an event that was shorn of glamour but had the presence of most of the top trainers and a few jockeys.
S Padmanabhan, whose filly Hall Of Famer is tipped as the early favourite to bag the spoils in the Indian Turf Invitation Cup over 2400 metres, drew the difficult gate number 10 while second favourite Tororosso can count himself lucky after being slotted for gate 3.
Experienced campaigner Alaindair, winner of the 2014 edition and coming back to reclaim glory, had a favourable draw as trainer Altamash Ahmed picked gate number 2.
Much of the focus was on the Mysore Race Club Sprinters’ Cup, the six furlong race that will be staged after Dr MAM Ramaswamy Chettiar of Chettinad Memorial Stayers’ Cup (3000 metres) on Saturday. A total of 17 horses will be competing for the top prize in the short distance race where local trainer Narayana Gowda didn't have the rub of the green going his way. Hoping to draw one of the inner gates, Gowda appeared unhappy after he picked gate 16. Dancing Phoenix, Adam and Multitude will bolt from the opening three gates.
Meanwhile, BTC chairman N Harindra Shetty, looking forward to the hosting of the biggest racing weekend in the country with great expectations, said the club has decided to donate Rs 2.5 lakh each for seven charitable institutions. “There’s an assumption that race clubs aren't concerned much about the happenings elsewhere. We at BTC want to disprove it. We will be donating Rs 2.5 lakh to 7 charitable institutions. We have identified them but don't want to reveal it yet. We’ve narrowed down a blind organisation, an animal welfare centre and an orphanage.”
DH News Service