The Bangalore Summer Racing Season is set to flag off on Saturday, May 17—but of course, it wouldn`t be a proper Indian racing season without a side plot worthy of a soap opera. This time, the turf club and the bookmakers are at loggerheads again—because what`s summer without a bit of heat?

The bone of contention? A 15% hike in stall fees proposed by the club. The bookmakers, presumably not fans of inflation or turf club arithmetic, have flatly refused to cough up the extra cash. In response, the club has nonchalantly invited fresh bidders, tossing open tenders .

Not one to blink first, the turf club has already issued licenses to seven new bookmakers. A clear message to the refuseniks: “Don`t let the turnstiles hit you on the way out.” Club officials, in their infinite optimism, are confident the old guard will return once the season kicks off and the whiff of betting slips fills the air.

In the meantime, the club is prepared to shoulder the financial risk, because nothing says `summer` like gambling on gamblers.

Away from the betting ring drama, the 24-day season promises to be a racing purist`s delight. A record number of outstation horses are trotting in, raising the stakes and intensifying the competition. The classic races, always the toast of the season, are wide open—like a buffet with too many hungry contenders and not enough plates.

The summer classics serve as the opening act to the monsoon and winter blockbusters. The fields are proudly pan-Indian—Bangalore truly becomes the melting pot. Horses that fire early often go on to rule the roost, while late bloomers… well, they usually just run out of calendar.

Among those making early headlines are Big Bay and Fynbos. Big Bay, son of Speaking of Which, has already spoken twice—loud and clear—with back-to-back wins, including the Gr 1 Poonawalla Multi-Million. He handled seven furlongs like a Sunday stroll, and the mile-long Colts Championship Stakes should be just another scenic route. Malesh Narredu`s gelding is a leading fancy—unless, of course, the racing gods have other plans (as they often do).

And then there`s Fynbos—trained by Pesi Shroff and sister to the accomplished Zuccaro—who delivered a mile-long win with the casual ease of someone flicking lint off their jacket. But let`s not crown anyone just yet. Behind the stable doors of trainers like Prasanna Kumar, Sulaiman Attaollahi, and Shroff himself may lurk future stars, waiting to pounce. Don`t be surprised if a “who`s that?” horse lands a knockout blow in the classics.

In a historic first, a cavalry charge of horses from Kolkata is headed south to Bangalore, joined by Chennai-based runners seeking greener pastures—literally. Racing at Chennai faces an uncertain future, though there`s hope the Madras Race Club will get a stay of execution long enough to either race for another year or start laying bricks for a new racecourse.

Back at Bangalore, punters have only one wish: that the sport be run fairly and cleanly—preferably with stewards who can actually see what`s going on. Previous seasons have suffered from `creative` riding and stiping decisions that made the X-Files look like factual reporting. If racing`s already buckling under financial stress, the last thing it needs is a credibility crisis.

So, here`s hoping the influx of outstation talent forces everyone to up their game and produce results that are less “scripted drama” and more “genuine competition.” The horses are ready. The public is hopeful. And the bookmakers? Well, they`ll come around. They always do—eventually.