It always pays to have youngsters in the game.  The new strategies and dynamics  provide a new dimension to the sport.  A couple of decades ago a young and vibrant Vijay Mallya, now the most sought after owner in the Sport of Kings provided the much needed glitz and glamour to the sport, supporting promoting and more importantly putting the game on the high road. The exercise catapulted the sport to a different level. Horse racing became the second best spectator sport in the country, next only to cricket and thunder of hooves provided a lyrical ring rather than the ominous tone to the railbirds.

The understanding and equations changed. Many who considered racing to be a mug’s game made an entry and were convinced that horse racing is really a game of skill and not a game of chance.  Many young jockeys and trainers paraded their skills while the new young owners readily invested on the best stock in their effort to gallop to fame. The young brigade including many from the corporate world provided a shot in-the-arm for the sport and the breeding industry, pleased with the approach and attitude of the new entrants who many agree are the game changers, brought home top of the line stallions in their effort to put produce the best and put India on the international map.

A handsome young Waahiid Ali Khan made a grand entry in Kolkata last year. The dashing 34-year-old former television journalist who shot to fame, successfully spreading his business interests, infrastructure and aviation across the globe, bought a dozen racing horses. And to the delight of Waahiid, most performed well, Waahiid and his wife Shaishta Ali Khan who is from Kolkata proudly leading in a few winners.

An animal lover, Waahiid loves horses and is planning to race at all the premier centres. “Apart from my stock in Kolkata I have a couple of horses in Mumbai under the care of uncle Narendra Lagad and in Bengaluru my racing manager Saif Ali Akthar has chosen young  trainer Azhar Ali,” said Waahiid pointing out that the idea is to buy the best and race for glory and promote the sport.

 Winner of the prestigious Indian Entrepreneur Style Icon Trophy in the field of broadcasting and commerce at the fourth annual fashion extravaganza at Nevada, Las Vegas, Waahiid to his credit has established two media houses, namely Live India News (a hindi news channel) and a Marathi channel, Mi Marathi.  The sprightly youngster who loves the game is not too happy with the quota he has been offered at Kolkata.

“I’m looking to promote and support the game. I intend to buy and race more than 100 horses at all premier centres and I really don’t understand why at my home centre, I have been put under a limit,” said Waahiid adding that he wants to help Kolkata keep pace with the best.

Well taking into account that Kolkata is fast graduating to the bigger league, it is difficult to understand why Waahiid is not provided an open platform after the man has established his credentials.  To the credit of the Kolkata racing administration, it must be mentioned that the decision makers at this centre   tough screen all their owners in the effort to avoid the many `benaami’  and the loose and run gambling types who many at times dent the image of the game. The tough scrutiny has brought home the desired results, many pros and leading  owners from other centres willing to now race at this lively centre.

Well Waahiid is hoping that the committee will increase his quota this year. And it should happen taking into account that the new smart boy on the block is not interested in betting and is only looking to win a few classics  at this centre.

The grand son of Akthar Begum who made Mumbai her base in 1945 before acting in movies with the legendary K L Saigal,  Waahiid disclosed that he is from a family of nawabs who patronised the sport.

`My mentor, Ayub Aga, a big hotelier in Dubai provided me the support in infrastructure development and  thanks to him I have a successful business chain going. And now that I have entered the sport I enjoy, I will leave no stone unturned in my endeavour to play a long and successful innings,“  signed off Waahiid before flying off to Istanbul to complete a big hotel deal in Turkey.