Homecoming: St Leger returns to Pune

Racehorses and jockeys are here to thrill you again. The Pune racing season will commence on July 21, under the stewardship of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC).

The McDowell Indian St Leger, which is coming back to its original ‘home’ of Pune, has added more colour to the 2011 season which will last 27 days. “This race was shifted to Mumbai in the 1990s as part of the sponsored Triple Crown series. Its return to home base will give a big boost to us,” said RWITC chairman Vivek Jain.

Addressing the media at the Turf Club here on Thursday, Jain said the prize money has increased by 7.5%. “The RWITC has reached a new landmark in sponsors in a single season in Pune. At Rs1.3 crore, they are up an impressive 25% over last year,” he added. There are four first-time sponsors: Vascon, Threptin, Ista and Tattersalls.

Each weekend will feature a sponsored and/or graded race, as has been the norm the past few seasons. With a sponsorship of Rs2 million, the McDowell Indian St Leger will be run on the last Sunday of September. “We have extended our association with DNA as the media partner, after reviewing the last season, which was commendable,” stated Jain, who intends to carry on with the fastest growing English daily in the country. The DNA Trophy is scheduled to be held on August 20.

The only Grade I race of the centre, the Nanoli Stud Farm-sponsored Pune Derby, will be held on October 10. The Dhunjibhoy family will, as always, also sponsor the Sprint Million the same day, as an added bonus.

With international sponsors taking a liking to the Pune centre, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, Goffs, Coolmore Stud, Keeneland and Tattersalls will all sponsor races, two of which are millions.