The forthcoming Hyderabad Monsoon Races takes off on the 10th of July 2008. An interesting 30-day meet has been thoughtfully designed and over 500 horses including outstation horses for the Classics will vie for honours at the historic race course. Hectic construction activities are going on as two-tier stables are being readied and expansion of the existing stables is also in progress. The Monsoon is yet to arrive at full swing and this is a major cause for concern, as the rains are much needed to ensure ideal underfoot conditions on the track.
On the racing front, a few modifications have been applied to the ratings of handicap races as in Category II up to 75 and Category III up to 50 and up to 25. The minimum weight a horse will now carry will be 49 kgs from the present 47 kgs. The Stake Money for the season has been enhanced by 20.5% over the last monsoon season and Stakes worth Rs.6,84,52,500 will render the richest purse ever for the Hyderabad Monsoon Season. Add to this Trophies collectively valued at Rs 18, 45,000 and you have a very lucrative racing season to look forward to. The season’s biggest attraction will be the Golconda Textiles Deccan Derby to be run on the Mahatma’s birth anniversary. Other top featured races are the President of India Gold Cup (Sept.14), Nizam’s Gold Cup (Aug 24), Deccan Bookmakers’ Fillies Trial Stakes (Aug 31), Deccan Bookmakers’ Colts (Sept 7), the AP Governor’s Cup (Aug 17), AP Chief Minister’s Cup (Sept 21), Melbourne Racing Club Trophy (Oct 1) and the last Classic – The Golconda St. Leger will be run on 19th Oct – the penultimate race day of the season.
The start of the season is expected to be electric, as most of the top trainers, viz, Shezaad Abbas, Prasad Raju, D. Netto, L D’silva and A. Vatsalya utilized the break effectively by racing their wards at Bengaluru. Although they did not make much of impact as far as winning races there, the agenda of getting their charges fighting fit definitely have been achieved. Hence it appears inevitable that horses from these stables will come out firing on all cylinders and a fiercely fought start for the season looks very much in the offing.
Two professionals who will be sorely missed will be the young champion apprentice jockey Pramod Goud, who sustained a fatal fall during a race in the last season. The young lad, still in his teens, fought bravely before breathing his last, which saddened the entire racing fraternity. Raffat Hussain, the witty and party-loving trainer, surprised many when he announced his intentions to quit racing and pursue a different career after enjoying a fairly successful stint at Hyderabad. The youthful trainer was seen in Bengaluru and looked happy and was enjoying himself thoroughly. Sohail Khan, the long-serving official of the Club, who doubled up as a commentator besides being the Clerk of the course, has also resigned.
