Straight from the horse's mouth

Always wanted to make a million bucks off an equestrian sport, but can't tell a horse's head from its rear? Now, ask for expert advice from a website that is serious about horsing around

Everyone wants to know how to make a million bucks at the races," jokes Zeyn Mirza, CEO, indiarace.com. "But no one has asked us that yet." Indiarace claims to be the country's first racing portal, a free-to-use comprehensive website on everything you need to know about horse racing and breeding. Writers from all around the country contribute to the site that also looks at answering queries, providing advice, and engaging in debate via their 'Horse Talk' section.


Pic courtesy www. indiarace.com

"While users in the know sift through the vast sea of information available, rookies also stand to learn by visiting the 'Glossary' and 'Stud Farms' sections. Especially, since, how to own a horse is one of the most common and genuine concerns," says Mirza.

"Our target audience is anyone who is interested in horse racing. Of course, jockeys, trainers, punters and owners are the prime visitors," says Mirza.

The site receives six lakh unique hits every month and operates in Bengaluru, Mysore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata and New Delhi. They also conduct races in the cities, five days a week, in addition to providing reviews for the race by an expert panel.

But how did people get information on the sport in the good old days? Mirza explains, "In the old-fashioned way, people had to read books and rely on newspapers. They would spend a lot of time at book stores as well. Horse racing has been a popular hobby and profession internationally. However, recently it has caught on locally as well."

The site itself has undergone a makeover in the last month. Click the 'Older Version' tab to view the original site format. It has now been made more user friendly, we are told.

"This was done in order to make room for new features and give it a fresh, contemporary look," beams Mirza. A mobile site is on its way, so users don't have to load a heavy site on their phones. They will be able to access key information like race cards, results and reviews with the touch of a button.

"We are also tying up with a television channel, so videos of races are available to view on the site," says Mirza.

The horse-dictionary
Age
All racing thoroughbreds in India are considered a year older on the 1st of January regardless of the date they are actually born.
Backside
General term for the stable areas of racecourses in North America.
Bearing
When a horse deviates from a straight line, it is said to be either bearing in or bearing out.
Blinkers
Device fitted to a horse's head that limits its field of vision, mainly from each side. Blinkers are used to help horses concentrate in races or to encourage them to run straighter.
Breeze
When a horse works at a moderate speed.
Chute
Extension of the backstretch or homestretch to allow a longer straight run.
Cribber
Also known as a wind sucker. A horse who bites objects with its teeth and draws air into its stomach.
Frog
A soft V-shaped pad on the sole of a horse's hoof.
Green
Description of a horse who shows signs of inexperience or not knowing what to do in a race.
Hands
The unit of measurement for assessing the height of horses. One hand is equal to four inches.