On the eve of the season's blue riband, The Calcutta Derby Stakes to be run on Sunday, the Royal Calcutta Turf Club is going out of its way to ensure that a large gathering pays witness to this annual racing spectacle. For starters, a well-filled card of eight races will greet racegoers on this day. A food court with a special buffet luncheon has also been organised.

Patrons are requested to make their way to the racecourse early as a political rally is slated for Sunday and traffic snarls may delay their arrival. The first race is at 12.05 pm. The gates will be opened at 10.00 am on Sunday.

Though sponsors have shied away from this year's Calcutta Derby, RCTC has nevertheless promised a winner's purse of Rs 17.46 lakh — thanks to added money amounting to Rs 15 lakh.

For the casual visitor who may not find thoroughbreds as engrossing as the professional punter, RCTC has organised a 'punters' skill contest' where attractive prizes are on offer for tickets of the Jackpot pool which are alive after the fourth leg.

Those who aim to try their hand at the Jackpot will have an added incentive of a carried forward pool amounting to Rs 3.3 lakh. For tanala buffs, a carried-over tanala pool of Rs 1.12 lakh will be added to the day's final tanala pool (8th race).

For those wishing to have a flutter on their fancy a day earlier, the chairman of Stewards, RCTC, stated that he would try to organise a couple of bookmakers who are willing to accept bets on the Derby on Saturday. This is bound to generate interest in the year's biggest race of this centre among inter-venue regulars.