20 November,2009 07:25 AM IST | | A Correspondent
A spiffy racecourse is set to greet the Mumbai punter.
First of all, the third deck in the member's enclosure, which was gutted in a fire two seasons ago, is now completely restored to former glory.
The lifts that were charred in the fire have also been repaired.
The Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) has also changed the hard, wooden railing on the track to a new PVC one bought from overseas.
The new rails will be much easier on both jockeys and horses that tend to scrape against the hard, wooden rail while travelling at such high speeds. The new rail material simply bounces the mount and jockey back on the track.
The setting looks perfect for the first big race of the season, the La Ditta Japan Trophy slated for November 29, Sunday.
The big race will see a sushi counter at the racecourse giving credence to the club's claim that this season is going to be one for the gastronomic with veritable feasts planned on all big days.
A number of racing sponsors (there are several new sponsors on board) spoke at the preview, with Vijay Mallya's United Spirits spokesperson saying that their sponsorship of the Indian Derby completes 25 years this season and they hope to sponsor it for another 25 years too.
Meanwhile, while Mallya's association with the Derby is set to remain constant, names are a changing at the South Mumbai landmark. The first enclosure at the racecourse is to be renamed as The Premium Enclosure and the second enclosure, The Far Pavilion Enclosure.u00a0
