From the Horse’s mouth

Ever wondered where thoroughbreds go after retirement? Or why jockeys are weighed before and after a race? Barnalee Handique has the answers Horse racing is an industry. There is a whole community of professionals involved in the enterprise, including jockeys, trainers and track commentators. And like any industry, it has its share of quirks, subtleties and nuances that are not evident to outsiders. We bring you a behind the scenes perspective on the sport of horse racing. Q How do commentators identify jockeys? “Every owner has a colour that is registered in the office. If the owner has two or three horses, then all the jockeys will wear the colour, but the colour of the helmets will be different,” says 57-year-old commentator Deepak Rajpal. The commentators know from the colour who the is. The commentators also use a reference sheet. “From my school days I was interested in cricket commentary,” says Deepak Rajapal. “One day, I visited the racecourse in Bangalore with my father. I was fascinated by the sport, especially the track commentator. I felt it was amazing how the commentator could remember the names of the horses, the owners and jockeys, as well as their numbers. In 1985 I applied for a track commentator’s job in Bangalore, and I got it. In 1987, I came to Pune and racing became an integral part of my life.” Like Rajapal, 55-year-old Mahendra Mallaya is also a track commentator at RWITC, Pune. In 1989, he started his career in Bangalore. He too wanted to be a cricket commentator. One day since it was raining and cricket was called off he and his friends went to the racecourse. Mallaya fell in love with the horses and the art of commentating. He decided he wanted to do it. Mallaya says, “Every race is a challenge; you don’t get a second chance. The Indian Derby is a prestigious race and there are spectators from all around the world, so for me it is a very special occasion.” Q Where do thoroughbreds go after retirement? Thoroughbred horses are very well cared for. But what happens to them after they are too old to race? Some are sold off or even given away. Others are used in the game of polo or show jumping. “Some are sent to riding schools or army riding clubs. Most are sent to Mysore, to an old age home for horses. There they are taken care of till they pass away,” says 45-year-old Jehan Satarawalla. Horses with outstanding track records are sent to stud farms, for their use in breeding. Q How are horses named? Horses are named after their thoroughbred parents. “For instance, Blue Ace was sired by Ace and Blue, the mare. Dancing Phoenix, was sired by Phoenix Star and All Dancing was the mare,” says 55-year-old Munchi Shroff, who owns 17 horses. Jehan Satarwalla who runs Jaws Events says, “A horse was unsold at the auction yard and my friend suggested I take a look at him. I fell in love with him and he was my first horse. My friend Nicole suggested calling him ‘Catalyst’,” reveals Satarwalla. One of his favourite horses is named ‘Lancelot’, as he was sired by Royal Knight and Scenic Royale. So Satarwalla named him after one of the knights from Miguel Cervantes’s novel Don Quixote. Q Why do trainers talk to horses? “Horses are very sensitive, moody and emotional creatures. If one is upset or in pain, you have to talk to him and soothe his nerves,” explains trainer Nina Lalvani. She and Nazak Chenoy are the only female trainers on the Mumbai-Pune circuit. “I am at the tracks at 4 am to train the horses,” says 41-year-old Lalvani. Lalvani joined a riding school when she was six years old. Initially I wanted to become a jockey,” she says. She has 19 horses in her stables at Empress garden. Thirty-one-year-old Nazak trained under her father Bejan Chenoy. “I grew up with horses,” she says, “My father was a well-known trainer in Mumbai. So grooming horses came naturally to me.” Chenoy has 42 horses in her stables. To be a trainer, one has to apprentice under a reputed get are issued a licence by the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC). Q Why is the jockey weighed twice? The jockeys are weighed along with his paraphernalia. “There are two kinds of races — sweepstakes and handicaps. According to the merit of the horse, the handicapper analyses and gives the weight. New jockeys are given allowances up to 4, 3 and 1 kg. “A strong horse can carry more weight, like an extra whip,” explains 31-year-old J Pradeep Jethwa, who has been a jockey since he was 17. A jockey should weigh between 45 and 47 kg. “A weak horse can carry less weight,” he continues. “A jockey is weighed with all his paraphernalia before the race and after the race to detect if he has discarded any gear during the race. If the digits don’t match, he is disqualified.”