About 700 horses will take part in the 45-day Madras racing season which commences here on Oct. 27. The concluding meeting will be on March 25, 2015. More than 100 two-year-olds will be racing during the season.
Briefing the press, Khan Itath Aman, Secretary, Madras Race Club, said the total stakes money offered will be Rs. 20,37,89,256 (including value of the cups). Three hundred and twenty nine races have been framed for the season. A hundred of them are cup races. To perpetuate the memory of late trainer J. S. Dhariwal, a memorial cup race has been framed.
The Poonawalla Estates Stud & Agricultural Farm and the Chennai Bookmakers will sponsor the South India Derby and South India St. Leger respectively. Outstation horses are eligible to take part only in the following races: The Sohna Stud Farm South India 1000 Guineas (Gr. II), South India 2000 Guineas (Gr. II), Hazara Stud Farm South India Oaks (Gr. I), Poonawalla Estates Stud & Agricultural Farm South India Derby Stakes (Gr. I) and Chennai Bookmakers South India St. Leger (Gr. II). To be eligible for the incentives and to participate in any race, horses 6-years-old and below starting with races rated 40 & above, should have arrived here on or before Oct. 25.
Eighteen trainers and 35 jockeys will be seen in action.
Racing dates: October: 27 and 30, November: 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27, December: 3 (Sohna Stud Farm South India 1000 Guineas), 4, 10, 11, 17 (South India 2000 Guineas), 18, 22, 23, 29 and 30, January 2015: 2 (Hazara Stud Farm South India Oaks), 6, 7, 15 (Poonawalla Estates Stud And Agricultural Farm South India Derby Stakes), 20, 21, 29 and 30, February: 9, 12, 13, 18, 19, 23 and 25 (Chennai Bookmakers South India St. Leger), March: 5, 6, 10, 11, 15, 17, 20, 24 and 25.