Pune Race Club

The Pune Race Course is one of the oldest race tracks in India. It is situated in Pune Cantonment (in western India). It is about 12-13 km away from Pune airport. Due to its proximity to the airport, horse racing enthusiasts from other regions can access it easily.

The Pune Race Course sits on an 118.5-acre land which is under the jurisdiction of the Indian army. The racecourse has a long-standing lease agreement with the government.

Compared to other racecourses, the Pune Race Course is quite long as it is 3200M long. The race track is oval and has a turf surface.

This racecourse has one main track and a monsoon track that’s used during unfavorable weather conditions. The monsoon track can be used even when there have been heavy rains.

The Pune Race Course has world-class stabling facilities. It also has a prestigious facility for its members and other visitors. And even though it is small in size, it happens to be the second-largest racecourses in Maharashtra.

History of the Pune Race Course

Horse racing is deep-rooted in the Indian culture. It is a sport that has been in India for more than two centuries. The first-ever official horse race was held in Pune. This was in 1919 after the Third Anglo Maratha war was fought between 1817 and 1818, with British emerging victorious. This left the East India Company in charge of the largest territory in the Indian subcontinent. During the 1919 race, a 1000 Guinea cup was offered by the then Governor of Bombay, Hon. Monstaurt Elphinestone.

The Pune Race Course is among the race tracks that have a rich history in India. Built-in 1830, this race track has hosted thousands of horse racing events. Initially, it was used by the British during the colonization era. During this time the British owned the best horses. This can be attributed to the fact that they knew how to breed horses and could also bring in horses from other parts of the world.

The first native owners of the best horse breeds in India were the Maharajas of Burdwan, Morvi, Mysore, Idar, Baroda, Kolhapur, Cooch-Behar and Rajpipla. They were the first Indians to participate in racing activities in the Pune Race Course.

Pune Race Course association with RWITC

When the Pune Race Course was built in 1830, all the racing events were controlled by the Bombay Turf Club. In 1964, its name would be changed to Western India Turf Club. And in 1935 when the great HRH King George V visited this club for a second time, the prefix “Royal” was added to the club’s title. This is how the Royal Western India Turf Club was born. The club didn’t just decide to adopt the new title, the permission to adopt it was given by the then Emperor of India.

Since then, the Royal Western India Turf Club has earned massive respect as one of the best race clubs in the country. It remains in charge of the races held at both the Pune Race Course and the Mumbai Mahalaxmi Racecourse. The Pune Race Course has since become one of the most sought after racecourse in India.

This racecourse is estimated to be about a 3 hours’ drive away from Bombay. Over the years, it has become a valued training ground. The track is characterized by varying underfoot conditions and shorter run-ins. And for this reason, it draws out horses from Calcutta. The jockeys and their horses view it as the best summer spelling racecourse to train for bigger winter events.

The races held at the Pune Race Course

The Pune Racing season begins in July and ends in October. It only has one monsoon season as the RWITC prefers to host its winter season at the Mumbai Mahalaxmi racecourse.

The most popular races held at the Pune Race Course include The Pune Derby, The Independence Cup, The RWITC Gold Cup, and The Command Cup.

Some of the other races held at the Pune Race Course are;

  • The FD Wadia Trophy (GR.II)
  • The Nanoli Stud Pune Derby (GR.I)
  • The Sanjay Kakade Group Turf Club Trophy (GR.III)
  • The S.A Poonawalla Multi-million (GR.II)
  • The Eve Champion Trophy (GR III)
  • The McDowell Signature Premier Indian St Leger (GR.I)

At the Pune Race Course, races are only held during the weekends. The only exception is one special race that takes place on Friday.

Betting at the Pune Race Course

Since the RWITC is the authority that controls all the races in Pune, it also oversees the betting operations. Horse racing history in Pune dates back to the colonial era. And even though most forms of gambling are illegal in India, horse race betting has enjoyed protection by the courts. With most states now allowed to ban or legalese various forms of betting, horse race punters in India can bet freely.

Betting on horse races held at the Pune Race Course doesn’t have a different set up from other racecourses. The RWITC has set up some counters at the racecourse where punters can buy their betting tickets. Apart from that, there are other off-site betting kiosks in Pune and Mumbai, where those who don’t wish to bet at the club’s premises can still buy their tickets.

The Pune Race Course enjoys having a modern computerized betting system. This allows punters who sometimes turn up in large crowds to bet with the utmost ease. The live screening of the races is provided by the RWITC. Bettors can follow up on live races from the racecourse or TV from the comfort of their homes.

Indian law forbids online gambling activities. However, the regulations are somewhat vague. Hence some loopholes allow gamblers to bet online. Those who wish to bet on these races online have to choose reputable sites. The best part is that no one has faced any legal ramifications for betting on horse races online.

As you embark on online horse race betting ensure that you register with the best horse race betting sites in India such as Bet365, Betway and Royal Panda. Besides offering promotional bonuses, these sites also accept INR, which saves punters the hassle associated with currency conversion.

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