Horses returned to the exercise track after a week long break due to the heavy monsoon rains that have been lashing Kolkata and its surrounds. The rain was also responsible for the cancellation of the opening day of the RCTC Monsoon Season on July 12. The season will now begin from July 18.
While the RCTC officials say that the horse strength for the monsoon season is quite adequate, they failed to give the exact figure. However, sources close to the trainers put this figure at around 250.
The 15 day season ends on the 17th of October and the highlight is the Calcutta Derby Trial Stakes to be run on 10th October. RCTC has increased the stakes for the season by 10 percent and this increase, coming as it does after a number of years, has been made possible as the club's finances have improved.
The Delhi-based trainer, Shafiq Khan, who had a successful monsoon season last year, has returned with a string of about a dozen horses. Patrick Quinn, an owner, has also been granted a training license and has 10 horses under his care at the moment. He is expected to add about six more to his yard in the next few weeks.
