Summer season to kick off on May 13

The Bangalore Turf Club will face familiar challenges when the summer season begins on Sunday.

The winter meeting, which took a severe beating due to a license issue, was also hit by strikes from tote operators. Inter-venue betting at the club was hit leading to a financial crisis. The implementation of Goods Service and Tax (GST) added to the club’s woes.

Some of these challenges will remain prominent concerns during the summer meeting which will have 26 race days, ending on August 3.

“There is less money. We don’t want to splurge on anything unless it is actually necessary. The financial crisis will be our major worry,” Harimohan Naidu, chairman, BTC, said.

The chairman felt a relief in the GST percentage will help the club recover. “Right now we are paying 28 percent on the turnover. Our GST case is in the court and our lawyer is hopeful that we will get a relief. Our turnover went down by 55 percent last season and that’s huge,” he said. “There is a threat about tote operators going on strike again. We have to face the situation and see how we can solve it,” he said.

There will be a total prize money of Rs 18.5 crore during the meeting. The Kingfisher Ultra Derby, on July 8, will be the highlight of the season, with a purse of Rs 1.5 crore.

Special race days: May 13: Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Cup; May 14: Karnataka Juvenile Million; May 26: Youngsters Million; May 27: Shapoorji Pallonji Million; June 2: Krishnaraja Wadiyar Cup; June 10: Fillies Championship Stakes; June 16: Chief Justice’s Cup; June 17: Colts Championship Stakes; June 23: Juvenile Sprinter’s Million; June 24: Chief Minister’s Cup; July 1: Maharaja’s Gold Cup; July 8: Kingfisher Ultra Derby Bangalore; BTC Anniversary Cup; Mystical Million; July 15: Bangalore St Leger; July 21: Bangalore City Sprint Championship Gold Cup; July 22: Karnataka Mile Champion Cup;

July 28: Bangalore Summer Million; July 29: Governor’s Cup.