The Asian Racing Conference 2016 returns to Mumbai after twenty long years and the RWITC will play host to around 1000 delegates from all over the world. In a media briefing held at the Mini Club in the RWITC premises on Monday over a cup of tea, the Chairman of the 36^th Asian Racing Conference, Dr Cyrus S Poonawalla, addressed the gathering comprising print and electronic media personnel, saying that the Conference is a highly prestigious one and will take off from the 24^th of January 2016. The Grand opening will be marked by the running of the Villoo Poonawalla Indian Oaks (Gr 1), popularly called the Ladies’ Derby and will be graced by luminaries such as Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Mr Louis Romanet, President, International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities in Paris among several others.   

“I am grateful for the privilege to have been handed the responsibility to Chair the 36^th Asian Racing Conference and I intend to make it a memorable experience. I had the honor of chairing the Conference last time too, way back in 1995. We will strive to put up an extraordinary show this time and I would welcome the support of all from the racing fraternity and the media as well,” said Dr Poonawalla.   

The Asian Racing Conference is held under the auspices of the Asian Racing Federation and is held by rotation amongst several countries at an interval of about 18 to 24 months. The focus is to exchange ideas and experiences between racing nations and overall development of the sport of Kings. Experts on various aspects of racing will address the delegation throwing light on intricate matters with regard to racing. There will be a bank of talented speakers who would share their knowledge and insights into different features of horseracing. This would be an enriching experience for all, especially those who genuinely smitten by this glorious sport.  

The Asian Racing Federation is the leading body for thoroughbreds racing in Asia, Australasia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. The conference provides the ideal platform for innovations and progression in the fields of racing administration, turf representation and catch up on the latest and constantly developing trends in racing across the globe.

Mr Vivek Jain while elaborating on the agenda of the conference said, “There will be discussions on wagering landscape, deliberations on breeding, effective marketing and promotion and improving the overall skill in conducting the sport of horseracing. Topics such as drug-free racing, curbing illegal gambling and racecourse management will also be touched upon and discussed intensively.”

The RWITC is determined to make the five-day conference hugely successful and has planned to enthrall the global audience with several cultural and entertaining events in the evenings. “The last ARC that I attended in Hong Kong was exceptionally successful. We are keen to put up an equally good show if not better. The main speakers on the various subjects are internationally acclaimed and their inputs will be highly valuable. With the core racing intricacies well represented, we intend to provide the delegation a taste of our own brand of entertainment after office hours. I was pleasantly surprised to see people unwinding and reveling to the tunes of famous Bollywood numbers in Hong Kong. We are planning to offer a variety of entertainment as in high-end fashion shows and some top celebrities are expected to walk the ramp. The famed Indian culture will also be presented through shows along with foot-tapping Bollywood music and also authentic Sufi fusion. Market-like enclosures offering a wide range of assorted Indian products for the die-hard shoppers will be created.  We are expecting over 700 international delegates to attend and it would be nice to see a good number of local participation from across India showing up as well. The registration fee for Indians is Rs 60,000/- for the five-day conference, while it is Rs 90,000/- for foreigners. It is time for the Indian racing community to get together and participate actively and bring forth the Indian enthusiasm in presenting to the world a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable five days, which will conclude with an optional tour of the Poonawalla Stud Farm.  

With the announcement, the ball has been set to roll. It is up to each one of us in the racing fraternity to join hands with the RWITC in making the event a grand success. Owners, Members, Trainers and Jockeys, in fact anybody who is somebody in racing ought to be encouraged to attend and be part of the 36^th Asian Racing Conference. After all, such events come once in 20 years or so and as Dr Cyrus Poonawalla said, “It is a major racing event and one does not get too many opportunities to participate in one’s own backyard. I strongly recommend the Indian racing fraternity to respond enthusiastically when the opportunity is there for the taking,”   

For more information and Registration you can log on to – www.arcindia2016.com or www.rwitc.com