Horse Racing Festival in Nuwara Eliya begins on March 20

Turf Club

Turf Club (RTC) Horse Racing Festival 2021 will gallop ahead from this weekend, March 20, 2021 at the picturesque Nuwara Eliya race course from 10.00am onwards. Last season’s champion thoroughbreds Spirited Touch, Alcazaba, Mehera, Honourius, Santos and other leading horses are expected to put a strong performance after a lapse in racing for nearly an year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 season was written off the calendar owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, while 2019 season was cut short of completion due to the Easter Bombings, hence the 2021 season is much looked forward by everyone who loves the sport of horse racing, Nisitha Rupasinghe, Treasurer of the RTC said.

“This season we are gearing up to put a grand display to show the world that Sri Lanka is alive with action. We will conduct the season adhering to the guidelines issued by the health authorities. Everything else will be as glamourous as they always used to be,” Rupasinghe further said.

Following the race day on 20th March, the RTC is planning to conduct its core race days during April, including the legendary Governor’s Cup, Queen’s Cup and the Mayor’s Cup. The RTC Spring & Summer Cup has been fixed for 3rd April, followed by the prestigious Governor’s Cup 2021 on 15th April. The Queen’s Cup and Mayor’s Cup will be held on the same race day under the Governor’s Cup.

The Horse Racing Festival 2021 will culminate with the RTC Magic Million Cup scheduled for 24th April with more races to follow during August, September, November and December. RTC’s event calendar will provide the stable owners – Fearless Stables and Stud Farm, Edwards Stables, Jayaratne Stables, Dynamic Stables, Monaro Stables and Cavali Stables and other individual owners the opportunity to continuously engage in active races.

As a prelude, RTC conducted the Mock Race 2021 successfully on 27th February at the Race course in Nuwara Eliya with three races involving 14 runners. Fearless Stables and Stud Farm put up a gallant show reassuring a promising season ahead in the coming four weeks, by winning two races out of three.

K. Sanjeewan rode star stead Honourius and Spirited Touch, the current holder of the prestigious Governor’s Cup, while the Edwards Stable won one of the races with the combination of Santos and jockey S.D. Janaka.(AN)