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RWITC Rides on a High Horse

By North-End | 15 Nov 2007 | MUMBAI


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What Vivek Jain, the Chairman, RWITC - Marketing Working Committee has lined up for the forthcoming Mumbai season is impressive. Jain and his team deserve all the kudos for roping in a sizeable number of sponsors, thus ensuring, for the first time ever, that every Sunday form day one till the end of the season is a sponsored race day! In fact, the number of sponsors RWITC has roped in is way above any other centre in the country—a commendable job by the marketing team. Mumbai Meeting 2007 begins with a bang. Global giant in entertainment and resorts business, Caesars Palace will set off the Mumbai season with the Caesars Palace Juvenile Debut Stakes and the Caesars Palace Gold Trophy. The former will be the richest race in the country for juvenile debutants (2-year olds). Both races have attracted such a large number of entries, that enforcing the ‘Ballot out’ option seems imminent. The global financial services giant, JP Morgan will add to the fanfare, sponsoring the JP Morgan Chase Trophy. Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel is global leader in the business of entertainment and resorts. Gary Selesner, President, Caesars Palace, who came from the US to address the media, assured that the event is going to be a memorable one. “This is our first association with Indian racing and we are happy with the way we are heading,” he said. “We are in the entertainment business for decades and our finesse is acclaimed around the world. We now make a presence on the Mumbai Race Course. There is going to be a lot to look forward to and we have lined up a host of entertaining activity for the racing patrons as well.” The popular ‘Contest of Skill’--gaming tables with a number of attractive prizes, and a free stay at the famed Caesars Palace resort, will be on offer. The 43-day season is packed with attractive and high-profile races. In fact, 2007 is going to be the richest season ever in Indian racing history. The gross advertised prize money is a whopping Rs 10.73 crore – a big leap over last year’s Rs 9.22 crore. The projected gross cumulative stakes, under all heads, for the full year 2007-08 will cross Rs 20 crore. The home of Indian Classics will have all the five Indian Classics (Grade I races) sponsored for the second year running. Towering above all is the McDowell Indian Derby—sponsored by Dr Vijay Mallya. The biggest race in the country will offer the fattest kitty to the winner – more than Rs 1 Crore! The Derby weekend will be fully sponsored by United Spirits. The race is slated to be run on Februray 3, 2008. Diageo India will Sponsor the Johnnie Walker Black Label Indian 1000 guineas and the Johnnie Walker Gold Label Indian 2000 guineas (both Grade I races), while the two other Classics – The HDIL Indian Oaks and The HDIL Indian St. Leger will be sponsored by Housing Development and Improvement India Ltd. The Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi-million (Grade I), to be run on the last Sunday of February, will ensure that the maximum stakes this season will be won in February. Sponsored by the Poonawalla Group, this race, dubbed The Juvenile Derby, will have the stakes close to Rs 1 Crore. The innovative Poonawalla brothers were the first to conceive the ‘Contest of Skill’ with a Maruti Car as the bumper prize and scores of other attractive prizes for the race-goers on this day. You can expect them to come up with yet another new bonanza this year. This time they call it the “Super Sunday”. The “Super Sunday”, slated for November 25, 2007, is designed on the lines of Dubai International Carnival’s Super Saturday. This day is especially devised to honour the stupendous back-to-back victories of Mystical at the last Dubai International Carnival. The Mystical International Sprinters’ Trophy, The Mystical International Stayers’ Trophy and The Mystical Super Mile will be sponsored by the Poonawalla Group. Top-class horses – Southern Empire, Haunting Memories and Secret Memories will contest in their respective races and will be bound overseas, subject to completing required formalities. The long list of new sponsors also goes to the RWITC marketing team’s credit. New entrants include Caesar’s Palace, JP Morgan, Gitanjali Group, Arjav Diamonds, Samsonite, Fantasie Chocolates, Food Link, Hi-street Cruises, and Swapna Bhosle. The well-compiled Prospectus reveals that a few Million Races have been marked for older horses. This is a positive move, as this will prolong a horse/mare’s racing career and owners of older runners would look forward to it. For the common punters, the Club has assured greater transparency and would provide more disclosure in the race cards. Rules in deductions, which warrant when horses are withdrawn at the last minute, have been made more punter-friendly. It is also likely that in the event of a jockey claiming allowance completes the number of winners required to reduce or annul his allowance, he will be allowed to claim the same allowance throughout the day. This would augur well from the punter’s point of view as he is not caught unawares in between races. Another important move is that a percentage of the sponsorship amount would be put in a fund which would be used for infrastructure development. Elaborating on the issue, Vivek Jain said, “We own huge premises in Mumbai and Pune. The money from this fund will be used to maintain the two race courses, beautifying the walking area for general public, etc.” The wait is now for November 18, when the racing extravaganza will start. The five-and-half-month long season will have many a thrill on the track. And many off the track as well. In addition to the regular Maureen Wadia fashion show, the Gitanjali Group is planning a ramp show. Every sponsored day will have lots of prizes on offer, food carnivals, live entertainment, fashion and the presence of Bollywood celebrities. That would make the Mumbai Racing Season truly glamorous and enjoyable.