It's confirmed and it's official. The Mysore races this summer will start on Wednesday, May 27. KT Balakrishna in a telephonic chat with indiarace.com disclosed that following a couple of showers the track is in ship-shape condition and the stakeholders and professionals at this centre after a long five-month break are raring to go. 

"The prospectus for the first two meeting is released. The stakeholders and the trainers are satisfied with the track and the facilities offered and taking into account that most trainers are working overtime to get the horses under their care fit and ready, it will be a competitive season," said Mr Balakrishna. 

When posed with the question, why the Mysore Race Club (MRC) chose to twice postpone the start despite getting clearance from the state Animal Husbandry Department after the National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) provided MRC, the free from Glanders certificate a couple of months ago, Balakrishna revealed that the blistering summer heat and lack of rains delayed the start. "We wanted to start on May 13 after the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) put the horses back on track on May Day, but we decided to wait, hoping a couple of good showers will help get the track in fine shape and more importantly will also improve the climatic conditions. The rains did take time and after a couple of good showers last week, we decided to start on May 27," said Mr Balakrishna. 

The trainers and owners are eagerly looking forward to the much-awaited start to the summer season. "We lost more than five-months and that has hit us hard. Most of us are facing a financial crunch and we are only hoping that the moment racing starts here, we will slowly and steadily tide over the crisis," said senior trainer Rakesh pointing out that the horses at the MRC campus were fit and ready to race from May 13. "Since all trainers are looking to pick up early morning worms, good competitive cards will be framed all through the season,"  said Rakesh. 

A couple of local owners revealed that the fields will be big at the start. "All owners are looking to pick up stakes early and move on. We understand that after this season it becomes tough in the regular Mysore season for the horses at this centre to compete against the Bangalore brigade though a couple of races are reserved for local horses each day," a senior local owner pointed out. 

MRC in it's campus has more than 400 horses including 100-120 horses, who made MRC their base after the Madras Race Club shut shop and it is needless to mention that all are raring to go in the effort to grab the stakes on offer this season.