It maybe the very end of March, and the afternoons are blazing hot, but
the RWITC sponsorship juggernaut rolls on. The Grade 1 Indian St Leger,
the last and the longest of the Indian classics, and the third leg of the
Triple Crown, brings to a close the classic program of the winter
seasons in the
country.
The Leger has been without a sponsor since McDowell withdrew their
association four years ago, and the Club has done well to get the well
known Pune based realty firm, Panchshil to step in, in this their first
foray in Mumbai. The race, worth a gross Rs.42.97 lacs, of which nearly
26 lacs goes to the winner, may see hardly four or five runners, but the
mighty presence of Southern Empire, quite easily one of the all-time
greats, should more than compensate for the small field.
The sponsors, who did a million in Pune, have walked the extra mile to
stamp their day with a unique flavour. By creating a never before Wild
West set on the lawns, with a saloon, cowboys and even a coach, members
will be treated to a visual spectacle. To add to the flavour will be
country music and dancing, and a Mexican spread with margaritas on
serve, will capture the essence of the West.
The Panchshil Style Stakes will award a Tag Hauer Formula 1 men's watch
to the best dressed gent, and a Tag Hauer aqua racer watch to the best
hat worn by the fairer sex. In addition, designer creations courtesy
Kaushik Shimanker for the best accessories, and for our punters, free
betting
vouchers worth Rs 40,000 plus free tickets to the sold-out Shakira
concert in Mumbai on Sunday evening. Quite an offer!
With two more sponsored days yet to follow, the show is far from over
this Sunday. The efforts to market the big days as a joint collaborative
effort between the RWITC and the sponsors has started paying dividends.
Cumulative attendance of all sponsored/ group race days at Mumbai this
year has
crossed 103,000, an increase of 12%. The cumulative betting on these
days at Rs.16.35 crore, is up a whopping 25%. In view of the plethora of
big days, week after week, and the enormity of the task to sustain this
through the season, the statistics make happy reading.
