The natural contours of the land have helped Bangalore Turf Club to have about 500 underground stables but unfortunately, the area bordering the stables does not have a railing which can prevent many an unsuspecting horse from falling to death. Quite often, disturbances like the bursting of a cracker or some other noise causes the highly-strung horses to take to their heels. When the horses are frightened, they run blindly, more often toward their stables, as they are not guided by a brain response but the belief in the safety of the ``home’’. And as a result, they are prone to suffering grievous injuries.
A two-year old juvenile by Juniper out of Mayakid was being given the feel of the starting gates when a cracker burst nearby frightened the horse into bolting. The two-year old ran straight and tragically fell about 15 feet down from where the level ground ended and the underground stables started. There is no fencing abetting the underground stables all around and as such, when horses bolt, they are always in danger of suffering a similar fate. This is not the first time such an incident has happened but the authorities are still to rise to the occasion and put protective fence to prevent tragic death as the one suffered by the Juniper progeny.
Only a fortnight ago, veteran jockey Sinclair Marshall who is now working as an Assistant Trainer to Rashid Byramji was complaining bitterly that for three continuous days, the power lines had failed and that no action was taken despite repeated pleas to the powers-that-be.
In a club where the authorities spend more time in currying favors to remain at the helm, horses seem to come last on their priority.
