Next to cricket, horse racing is perhaps India’s most beloved sport and of all of India’s racecourses, Bangalore is home to some of the richest, most hotly anticipated races. We’re going to explore not just the races that are coming up this summer, but also some of the history of the course. We’ll look into the people who were able to create Bangalore Turf Club, as well as some interesting snippets of information that you might not have known about it. So, if you’re a horse racing enthusiast, keep reading for a little more trivia to add to the bank.
Humble Beginnings
Horse racing in Bangalore has had a long history, dating back to around the mid 16th century. people would travel from outside of the city to watch races at other courses and would compete in unofficial races on common areas. Despite the seriously early interest in the sport, it wasn’t until 1920 that Bangalore Turf Club was founded. It took just four people to create the club that we know today. Their names were Major Rhod Paterson, Suryanarain Row, Major J HOlmes and Sir Leslie Miller. Together they rounded up thirty members and by 1921 the turf club was opened. It would be just two years before it was clear that the club needed room to expand, so in 1921 the Maharaja granted the use of extra space around the course. The footprint of the course has remained largely unchanged since then, but it has undergone several renovations to create the stunning facility that we know and love today. You’ll find Bangalore Turf Club right in the center of the city, making it easy to access for locals, tourists and the elite fans of the sport who keep the club running.
Upcoming Events
This July there’s plenty going on at the Bangalore Turf Club but maybe the most hotly anticipated race will be the Bangalore Summer Million on the 4th of August. This race promises to be an exciting one with hot competition coming from a variety of India’s best racing stables. If you’d like to place a bet on the winner of the race then AsiaBet has compiled a list of the best sports betting sites in India, including if they have any bonuses currently available and a star rating as determined by users of the site.
After the success of Supernatural in the Betway Summer Derby on the 17th July, it would be fair to say that entries from P. Shroff’s stable have a great chance. Owners Mr. and Mrs. Vijay B. Shirke were delighted with the filly and their horses always feature prominently in the winner’s enclosure. However, the race has not been run since 2019, which means there are a whole crop of new horses that are looking to make their mark. Back in 2019 the Bangalore Summer Million was won by Northern Alliance, trained by Neil B Devaney and bred by the Bishan Stud. This impressive colt made the feat look simple at the time, so it will be interesting to see if another of Bishan’s progeny can achieve the same success.
Facts You Might Not Know
There’s a whole lot to know about the Bangalore Turf Club and perhaps the best way to learn it all is to go and see the course for yourself. It truly is one of the best sports-based days you can spend in India. If you can’t make it to the course just yet though, then here’s a quick rundown. The course takes up 85 acres, making it one of the smallest racing clubs in the country. Despite this, it boasts no less than three training tracks, as well as the main course which horses compete around. You’ll find a swimming pool to enable horse’s muscles to recover, as well as more than 1000 stables and a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital. The course is famous for testing on both horses and riders. This is owing to the four sharp corners, the short back straight and the relatively steep gradients of the course, one being a drop of 43 feet. You can watch live racing here for eight months of the year, to allow for the rainy season and the hottest months of summer to pass.
