The final hurdle for the start of the Mumbai Racing Season has been cleared with the Maharastra Government lifting the two-month ban on movement of horses within the state. The season now starts on January 31. The two-month ban on movement of horses imposed by the Government was adversely impacting the start of the season as the ban was to end only on February 15.

However, the turf club delegation which met the Commissioner of Animal Husbandry D S Zagade, last fortnight were able to convince the government official of the need for recommending the removal of the ban with immediate effect in view of all horses stationed at Pune stables being free from equine influenza. The Commissioner had promised the delegation that the officials of his department would inspect the stables at Pune and other racing establishments before he made his recommendation to the government about rescinding the ban. The outcome has been fruitful paving the way for the lifting of the ban by the government thus facilitating movement of horses from Pune to Mumbai with immediate effect. The season will now take off three months behind schedule.

The movement of horses from Pune will in all likelihood start from January 19 onwards.

Mr Zagade has said that "the decision to lift the ban on movement of horses was taken during the meeting which he attended at Mumbai on Wednesday. The notification has been sent to the law and judiciary department for their approval and the RWITC will be informed of this decision within a couple of days."

Chairman of Stewards of RWITC Vivek Jain said "The notification is cleared by the animal husbandry department and the minister. It will be issued after the formal legal approval within a couple of days. Horses can then move from Pune after January 19."

Horse-racing activities in Western India and some other parts of the country had come to a standstill following the outbreak of the dreaded Equine Influenza which hit the stables of Pune late October and also affected stables at Pune, Kolkata and Mysore.

In the meanwhile, the club has decided to frame a 23-day season as against the original 43 days due to late start of the season. Racing will commence on January 31 and end on May 3. As a result of the late start to the season, the dates for all the classics have been revised. The Indian 1000 Guineas will now be held on March 1 and the Indian 2000 Guineas will be conducted on March 8. The Indian Oaks has been scheduled for March 29 and the glamorous Indian Derby will be run on April 5. The Indian St Leger has been shifted to Pune. The Poonawalla Multi-Million has been planned for March 22. Some of the other millions may be shifted to Pune.