It's confirmed and it's true. The much-awaited Bangalore summer season will start on May Day. The chairman of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC), Mr Shivashankar revealed that the professionals at this centre are working overtime to get the horses under their care fit for the start and the track a trifle hard at the moment will be in ship-shape condition before the starter lowers the flag on the opening event in testing conditions on Friday, May 1. 

"After conducting a dozen mock races, six each on Friday and Saturday, the feedback from the trainers and jockeys regarding the track condition and the prevailing climatic conditions is encouraging," said Mr Shivashankar adding that the pros pointed out that the track is hard, but all it needs is a couple of good showers before the start. It is learnt that the club has commissioned 10-15 water tankers each day to facilitate the track condition, while hoping and earnestly praying that the rain Gods will smile and provide relief before the start on what hopefully will turn out to be a Good Friday. 

Meanwhile the critics and doubting thomases are of the view that the scheduled May Day start is doubtful taking into account that the license to start the season is under a cloud and that the PWD department is ready to throw a spanner in the wheel, pointing out that the club needs to first clear the long overdue arrears. The management committee of the club in response to the statements of the doubting thomases cleared the air, the chairman disclosing that following a round of talks with the influential decision makers at the corridors of power, the decks will be cleared in time for the racing to start on the appointed date and scheduled time. "We have done a lot of good work and cleared all the bases and the committee is confident and positive that the thunder of the hooves will provide a lyrical ring on the opening day," said Shivashankar. 

Now that the earlier notified area of the club is declared De-notified as per clause-5 of "National Action Plan for Control and Eradication of Glanders in India (Revised 2025) and the restriction imposed on the movement of equines, donkeys and mules in and out of the notified area is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect, outstation horses from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata keen to compete in the summer season will start to apply for the stables at BTC before they quickly design and draw up their travel plans to move to Bengaluru. 

"We should get 150 outstation horses including some of the best youngsters aiming to gallop to fame in the classics sponsored by Mr Zavaray Poonawalla," said Shivashankar pointing out that the summer Derby will offer the richest purse, five crore prize money, the best offered in the annals of Indian racing. 

When asked if the club has restricted the participation of outstation horses, allowing them to compete only in 40 and above category, the chairman made it clear that in an effort to make the summer season more competitive, the management has initially decided to allow outstation horses to compete in 20-45 category in mile and above races apart from  the 40 and above categories. "Last year we faced problems, local trainers unable to enter required number of horses in lower categories and as a result, races going void. We don't want that problem to raise it's ugly head again," said an official spokesman of the club, while sending out a clear message to the local trainers that the onus is on them to see that the club is not under pressure to frame a good card failing which the club will have no option but to open all categories for the visiting horses. 

This apart the club has reserved 10 out of the 38 races for maiden three-year-olds only to local horses and the first four race meetings will be open only for Bengaluru-based horses. 

So all said and done the stage is set for the 28-day summer season and taking into account that the pros are ready and willing to give it their best shot after a long five-month break, the summer season is ready to scale a new high, the committee roping in Mr Zavaray Poonawalla, the famed breeder and most sought after sponsor for the summer classic extravaganza.