The Mysore Race Club which celebrated its centenary year of racing in 1991 will become the sixth Turf Authority of India when the club`s flag is unfurled just before the start of the summer season on Tuesday. The long standing desire to become an independent turf authority became a reality when the Turf Authorities of India granted such recognition in March at Hyderabad. Everything has now been put in place to anoint Mysore as the youngest Turf Authority of India. A series of festivities has been planned by Mysore Race Club to celebrate the occasion.

Mysore Race Club Chairman Dr D Satyanarayana told newsmen on Monday that the club has invited chairman of other turf authorities to be present for the formal inauguration of the 15-day summer season. HRC Chairman Surender Reddy and BTC Chairman Harimohan Naidu are among the scores of people who will take part in the historic occasion. Satyanarayana thanked BTC for its unstinted support and also for proposing that MRC be made an independent turf authority. Becoming an independent turf authority poses a financial strain on the club but the club is confident of meeting all the contingencies.

The nomenclature of Mysore Race Club will remain the same. The club is planning to start five off course betting centres at various places including Coorg, Mandya and Chickmagalur. We have obtained necessary permission from the government and clearance from the police is awaited in this regard, the Chairman said. The club plans to build an additional 350 modern equine stables and also construct an additional Grand Stand. The equine hospital has been modernized and a new sampling yard has been added, Satyanarayana said. Stake money has been increased by about 15 per cent to make racing lucrative for race horse owners. The race owners get subsidy to the tune of about Rs 8,000 per month thus easing the financial strain in maintaining horse, Satyanarayana said. There will be a special sweepstakes race for three year olds during the season with added money of Rs one million for three year olds. The race has been christened Mysore Race Club Million and will be run on July 29.

The Mysore Race Club which used to race under BTC Rules of Racing has formulated its own rules and its Racing Calendar has been published. About 60 outstation horses will be accommodated and treated as Mysore based horses to enhance the competitive element of the mini summer season. Mysore Race Club is expecting more bookmakers to operate. At present, nine bookmakers have been licensed. The tote collection has also shown healthy increase which has helped boost the financial situation of the club.

The club plans to approach the government for tax holiday for two years in order to augment its resources to build additional infrastructure that is needed. We are confident that the government will be receptive to our plea, Satyanarayana said. The government has been considerate and the turnover tax on tote has been kept at four per cent as against eight per cent charged to Bangalore Turf Club.

T Raman has been appointed as the Chief Stipendiary Steward. Dr C V Niranjan is the Senior Veterinary Office while Dr Jagannath is the Handicapper and Secretary for Board of Appeal. The Board of Appeal has been created for the first time, with K A Muddappa as Chairman. The other members of the BOA are B G Muthappa, Dr M A Saleem, D Suresh Dasappa and Dr K S Venkatesh.. K G Anantharaj Urs continues to be the Secretary of the Club.

Leading race horse owner Shapoor Mistry has sponsored the new equine pool in front of the Grand Stand and it will be operational by the time the main season starts in August. Zavaray Poonawalla of Poonawalla Stud Farm, who shares a special relationship with the club having sponsored the Derby for several years, has promised to do his bit for the club.