Calcutta race turf club revives horse race in Kolkata

Kolkata, Nov.29 : Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC) organized a horse racing championship Calcutta 1000 Guineas Grill on Saturday (Nov.28) to revive racing in Kolkata city.

Set up in 1847, RCTC is the oldest racing club in India. The Royal Calcutta Turf Club has of late made a comeback.

The management believes that with the right sponsoring the clubhouse would soon be the most beautiful racecourse in the country set against the backdrop of the majestic Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.

Some of the sponsors who appear promising, according to the management, are Delta Corp Limited, owners of Casino Royale in Goa among others. According to the representatives of the management, Kolkata has shown a tremendous flair to improve.

However, according to Cyrus Maidan, Chairman, RCTC. It will take time to catch up to Mumbai or Bangalore in terms of turnover and spectators.

'We have seen a complete turn around of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club. Racing in general, in Kolkata, has made a complete round about in middle of 2007. From there has never been a turning back. Things fell in to place; assets were utilized in a better format. Today we are at par with any racing center in the city. It has attracted people from all over city to again in Kolkata.' said Cyrus Maidan, Chairman, Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC).

According to Arun Kapoor, the representative of a sponsor group, the racing and casino business segments are one with others in the effort to provide race lovers an entertaining environment with international facilities.

'We are basically here in to help stimulate the revival and comeback of racing here and to give gamers an opportunity to know brand new destination of gaming in India.' added Arun Kapoor, Group CEO, Delta Corp Limited.

The crowd, they observe, is returning to the Calcutta Racecourse and once again becoming the focal social event during the weekends.

The Supreme Court has categorically stated in its order that racing is not gambling, but a game of skill, points out Cyrus Maidan, adding that even those who place bets do a lot of study and research on the horses before doing so.

--ANI