Horse racing is an equestrian competitive sporting performance activity, involving two or many horses typically involving two or more horses es ridden by specially trained light weight jockeys over a specified s distance for competition. One of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic premise it is slowly declining globally primarily due to animal cruelty besides illegal tactics like administering drugs to animal for better performance.
 |
| Typical horse racing stroudvalleyscouts.org.uk |
In the realm of horse racing horse races have different formats in many countries following their own particular traditions. Included are a variety of races in the past such as restricting races to particular breeds, running over obstacles, running over different distances, running on different track surfaces, and running in different gaits. Many of them were common in Europe in particular among the clubs controlled by the royalty.
 |
| Caius Julius Caesar chariot racing Roman chariot pinimg.com |
 |
| Europe Chariot racing. cartoonstock.com |
While horse racing was purely for entertainment among the higher strata of the society, a majority of racing clubs came into being to make money, including gambling associated with it. it is said in 2019 such activity generated a worldwide market worth around US$115 billion, a whooping sum.
Horse racing, one of the oldest known sports, traces its origins to classical antiquity, with its basic premise unchanged for centuries Rooted in Europe, one of the most popular sports of ancient Greece, Rome and the Byzantine Empire was Chariot racing. By 648 BCE, both chariot and mounted horse racing events were part of the ancient Greek Olympics. Chariot racing was dangerous to both driver and horse, often leading to serious injury and even death as there were no specified regulation. One can not forget Chariot racing in the vintage Hollywood movie ''Benhur'' .The sequence was shot, I understand near Yakima, Washington state with special cameras to highlight the nuances of Chariot racing and the risk involved for the animals and riders. In the Roman Empire, chariot and mounted horse racing were major industries. From the mid-fifth century BCE, spring carnival in Rome closed with a horse race
In later times, Thoroughbred racing became popular with British royalty and aristocrats, earning it the title of "Sport of Kings". Thoroughbreds were raised in Stud Forms under the guidance of Horse breeders. 
owres.cartooncollections.com
Only in the 18th Century in Britain, horse racing became well-established and continued to grow in popularity under the patronage of British Royals. King Charles II (reigned 1649 to 1685), an avid sportsman who gave prominence to horse racing . By 1750, the Jockey Club with certain set of rules was formed as a way to control the Newmarket races and to prevent malpractices.
 |
| Equestrian statue of king Charles IIequestrianstatue.org |
The Epsom Derby began in 1780. The first of the five classic races began with the St Leger Stakes in 1776. In 1814, the system was complete with five annual races. While Newmarket and the Jockey Club set the standards, most of the racing took place in landowners' fields and in rising towns for small cash prizes and enormous local prestige. In order to keep the sporting events going the system of wagering was encourage to spur coopetition to fill up the coffers of racing Clubs. It attracted people from all walks of life right from paupers to aristocrats and royalty. The aim was to make fast bucks to take care of the various aspects of Clubs and their paraphernalia. Members of high society were in control and kept the criminals and others at bay from betting
King Charles with a Queen's horse.usmagazine.com
Horse racing in India is over 200 years old and the first racecourse in the country was set up in Madras in 1777. Thanks to early colonial officers of Calcutta who carefully structured the interesting sporting events. Today, India has a very well-established horse racing and breeding industry, the sport is conducted on nine racetracks by six racing authorities. Racing is restricted to Indian-bred racehorses, India has a well-established breeding industry with stallions imported from around the world. The Indian Stud Book maintains records of all thoroughbred breeding activity in India. India has a mixture of both pool betting and traditional bookmakers.
Turf clubs
Among the most prominent is the Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC), founded in 1847, which became the regulatory body for horse racing in India and neighboring regions.
 |
| Madras race Club old colonial building with Doric columns. madrasclub.org, Chennai, TN. |
.jpeg) |
| Logo Madras Race Club, Madras (Chennai0, Tn facebkk.com |
Madras Race Club conducts racing in Chennai at Guindy Race Course from October to March.
Though a vestige of British colonial period, because of animal welfare and cruelty became a serious issues world over, lately horse racing is on the decline In September 2004 the TN govt officials visited the Madras Race Club (started in 1777) to close it down though the lease on land in Guindy ends in 2045. The British leased out a parcel of land - about 160 acres in a prime urban area in March 1946 for 99 years. The annual rent is Rs. 614. MRC had a plan to move the high court against the lease termination notice by the State government
Ooty race club:
MRC hosts morning races at the picturesque Udhagamandalam Ooty Race Course from April to June. The race course was established in 1777 and the club was formed in 1832 British elite, making it is the oldest horse racing Club in South Asia. In 1969, it merged with prestigious Adyar Club.
 |
| Ooty race Club, Ooty. ootyindia.com |
 |
| Ooty rave course, Ooty, Udhagamandalam, TN thehindu.com |
MRC conducted horse races and equestrian events for over 130 years, but the sporting activities came to a standstill as the state government repossessed the race course comprising 54 acres of land on lease to Madras race Club.
It means the during the racing season there will be no sounds of hooves of competing thoroughbreds thundering over the manicured fine grass fields in the centre of Udhagamandalam town. The Ooty Race Course in the Nilgiris was run by the MRC, Chennai. reason for the govt take over- arrears of rent from the club. But MRC claimed the government had stopped receiving their payment from 2018. efforts are underway to resume the racing activities at Ooty.
ooo.
Mysore Turf Club:
 |
| Mysuru Turf Club, Musuru |
The Mysore Race Club conducts racing in Mysuru, which is the most picturesque in the country. Set up in the foothills of the imposing Chamundi Hills, the Mysore Race Club has a distinct identity of its own. Mysore, which is an independent Turf Authority conducts regular season between mid-August and the end of October, as well as smaller summer and winter seasons. Racing began under the patronage of the rulers of Mysore in1891. During the rule of H H Sri Chamaraja Wadiyar of Mysore State the sport of horse racing got an impetus in the then capital city of Mysore near the present Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering which was known as Kebbe Katte Bungalow.
oo
Bangalore Turf Club:
.jpeg) |
| oval shaped race course Bangalore turf Club Bengaluru, KA |
Bangalore Turf Club, conducts racing at Bangalore in two distinct seasons - in summer from May to August, and in winter from November to April. recently, the court allowed the turf club to conduct horse racing and betting against the state government order For nearly 163 years Horse racing has been conducted at this premier centre and directly and indirectly 2000 people including vendors and contract workers are dependent on the racing activities.
Other Turf clubs:
Delhi Turf Club, established in 1940, conducts racing at India's capital Delhi usually once a week from August until May, where racing is run under the aegis of RWITC.
Royal Calcutta Turf Club, conducts racing in Kolkata, with a main winter season from November to April and a monsoon season which runs from July until mid-October.
Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), conducts racing in Mumbai from November to May and Pune from July to November
Hyderabad Turf Club conducts racing in Hyderabad where racing is held on the Monsoon Track from July until the end of October and on the Winter Track from November until February. Hyderabad usually races on Sundays and Mondays.
All Race Clubs mentioned above conduct their set of Classic races. Classic races that include include The Derby, The Oaks, The St Leger, The 1000 & 2000 Guineas and more. Though a vestige of British colonial period, because of animal welfare and cruelty became a serious issues world over, lately horse racing is on the decline
https://mysoreraceclub.com/about
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_racing_in_India
https://in.search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=E210IN826G0&p=what+i
https://www.madrasclub.org/0780.html
.jpg)
