Trainers, jockeys miffed with race club

Mahalaxmi racecourse in Mumbai. Pic/Shadab Khan

Looks like the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) management didn't see it coming. Their decision this week to suspend trainer Nirad Karanjawala for three years, allegedly, "for allowing jockey SG Prasad to train his horses" has not gone down too well with the racing professionals. In separate communications (copies with mid-day), both the trainers' and jockeys' associations have, in no uncertain terms, expressed their displeasure, and asked the club to review the decision.

It may be noted that jockey SG Prasad had ridden the Nirad Karanjawala-trained Nairobi to two quick, back-to-back victories during the Pune monsoon season last year.

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Interestingly, as of writing this article, the club has yet to publish the written order so the full course of the inquiry and reasoning is not officially known. A club official confirmed the "spoken" order will be formalised in due course, and will be made available.

Mentioning that it has been the age old practice that in training a horse the horse owner, trainer, rider and the stable staff work as a "team", the WITA (Western India Trainers Association), in their mail to the race club, has questioned the club action: "We are suddenly faced with the stark reality that in yesteryears when horse racing flourished in western India we were all guilty of going by the rules which today seem to be not only redundant, but in fact, dangerous and prohibited in our once racing Urbs Prima Indis [sic]".

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The mail further says, "We await perusal of the reasoned order in the Karanjawala case, and will not offer any more comments until the last in-house avenue is exhausted," hinting that they would not hesitate exploring other options in future.

The JAI (Jockeys Association of India) letter was sent in support of jockey SG Prasad, accused of training Karanjawala's horses, adding, "The implications of this judgement extend far beyond the faith of one individual. They touch upon morale of all licence holders who have dedicated their lives to the sport, believing in its fairness and the honour of its governance. It is our fear that failing to acknowledge the indispensable role of teamwork in our industry may set a precedent that could erode the very spirit of horse racing "