A steady drizzle and a drop in temperature notwithstanding, the 129th edition of the Madras Race Club’s racing season got off to a splendid start in the high altitude race course here on Tuesday. Unmindful of the wet and nippy conditions, a fairly good number of tourists and locals mingled with punters to welcome the start of the season.
MRC secretary Khan Itath Aman said that the current wet spell had rendered the surroundings verdant. Though the rainfall subjected visitors to some inconvenience, it did not affect the races. Pointing out that the nine-race card for the day included races for the Tamil New Year Cup and the Welcome Cup, he said that most of them had produced thrilling finishes.
Live uplink
The live uplink of the Udhagamandalam Races to other racing centres in the country for inter-venue betting had been successful. The first day of the racing season has for long been considered as an indicator of the tourist season entering a busy phase, though over the years the number of persons patronising the races has come down.
Though the location of the course makes it easy for people to enjoy the sight of horses galloping from vantage points in the hills surrounding the course, many prefer to get a closer look because the gate fee is only Rs. 10 per head.
