A short but ferocious spell of rain in the last week of June not only ended this year’s unusually scorching summer heat but also gave a shot in the arm to the team labouring to prepare the Royal Western India Turf Club’s (RWITC) racecourse in Pune. The three-and-a-half-month break after the Mumbai season has clearly whetted the appetite of Western India’s racing fraternity, and nothing could better satiate it than the traditional monsoon horse-racing fiesta, which begins on Friday in Pune, widely known as the city of the Peshwas. 

On its part, the turf club promises to treat racegoers to a compact but exciting racing season of 21 race meetings starting on 17 July and concluding on 15 November. To incentivise the other stakeholders in the sport, the RWITC has once again increased the prize money by adding Rs 2 crore to Rs 12 crore that was distributed last year, taking the total stakes to Rs 14 crore.  

The Indian St. Leger (Gr.1) on 29 September and the Villoo Poonawalla Pune Derby (Gr.1) on 11 October will be the main events in RWITC’s racing programme alongside other major races scheduled over the four-month racing season. Luminaries associated with horseracing in Western India have once again stepped forward as sponsors to support RWITC; prominent among them are Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Mr Zavaray Poonawalla, Dr Farokh Wadia, Mr Khushroo Dhunjibhoy, Mr Shyam Ruia, Mr SR Sanas, and Mr CD Katrak. 

Dates on which races will be held at Pune: 

July: 17th, 24th. 

August: 2nd, 8th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, 29th. 

September: 6th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 27th. 

October: 2nd, 10th, 11th, 18th, 22nd, 31st. 

November: 5th, 15th. 

Prominent events to be held during the season:  

Sunday 2nd August – The Eve Champion Trophy (Gr.3) 

Saturday 8th August – Yohan Poonawalla Turf Club Trophy (Gr.3) 

Saturday 15th August – Teena Katrak Memorial Independence Million 

Sunday 16th August – The F. D. Wadia Trophy (Gr.3) 

Saturday 22nd August – Media Race Day 

Saturday 29th August – Noshir & Dolly Dhunjibhoy Sprint Million (Gr.3) & Idar Gold Trophy  

Sunday 6th September – Southern Command Gold Trophy  

Saturday 12th September – Pune City Gold Cup 

Sunday 13th September – The S. A. Poonawalla Million (Gr.3) & Serum Institute of India Trophy 

Sunday 20th September – The Indian St. Leger (Gr 1) 

Sunday 27th September – Akkasaheb Maharaj Trophy  

Friday 2nd October – The Threptin Fillies and Mares Stakes (Gr.3) 

Sunday 11th October – The Villoo C. Poonawalla Pune Derby (Gr.1) 

Sunday 18th October – Mayor Baburao Sanas Memorial Million 

Thursday 5th November – General Rajendrasinhji Million 

Sunday 15 November – RWITC Ltd. Trophy (Gr.2)