The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Horse : Hyderabad monsoon races from July 22

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Sport - Racing : Horse

Hyderabad monsoon races from July 22

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Race Club (HRC) reverberated with hoof-beats after sand track work began at Malakpet last week. Horses started their pace work in preparation for the monsoon season which gets underway on July 22.

A record number of 530 animals, to be ridden by 44 jockeys, under the charge of 20 trainers, will compete, including some outstation horses expected for the classics. In addition, 222 two-year-olds that have commenced training will enter the fray in the winter season.

The total stakesmoney for the forthcoming season stands at Rs. 6,71,98,000 with trophies worth Rs. 21,05,000. As compared to last year, there is a small decline, due to the fewer number of race days.

Extra day meetings, if scheduled, are expected to make up the shortfall or even surpass the previous year’s amount.

This year’s addition is a million race for three-year-olds (K. Mahipathi Rao Memorial Million) to be run on Aug. 16.

An innovation the HRC has made this time is the removal of the railing separating the sand and grass tracks, the former surface being raised to equal the level of the latter.

Consequently, the increased quantity of sand will boost the stamina of the horses that train on it.

Professionals are longing for a heavy downpour to improve underfoot conditions of the grass track after the prolonged summer.

Racing dates: July 22, 23, 29; Aug. 2, 3, 9, 10, 15, 16 (Nizam’s Gold Cup), 23 (A. P. Governor’s Cup), 24, 30 (Deccan Bookmakers Fillies Trial Stakes), 31; Sept. 6 (Deccan Bookmakers Colts Trial Stakes), 7, 13 (President of India Gold Cup), 14, 20 (A. P. Chief Minister’s Cup), 21, 27, 28; Oct. 2 (Golconda Textiles Deccan Derby), 4 (Melbourne Racing Club Trophy), 5, 10, 12, 16 and 19 (Golconda St. Leger).

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