PRESS CONFERENCE

Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Members of the Managing Committee of the Bangalore Turf Club Ltd., I have great pleasure in extending a warm welcome to all of you to this Press Conference.

The Bangalore Winter Meeting 2015-2016, covering 28 race days, is scheduled to commence on Friday, 6^th November 2015 and racing will be held mainly on Fridays and Saturdays. The Winter Meeting will conclude on Saturday, 19^th March 2016.

About 70 Jockeys and 37 `A’ license trainers are expected to take part in the Meeting.

I. STATISTICAL INFORMATION:

(a) The level of stakes has been increased by a minimum of 17%, as compared to the Bangalore Winter Meeting 2014-15, with stakes for individual categories being as under:

Category	Winter 2014-15	Winter 2015-16
80 & above	6,23,200	7,32,000
60 & above	5,45,315	6,40,500
40 – 65	4,67,400	5,49,000
2/3 yrs	6,23,200	7,32,000
20 – 45	3,89,515	4,57,500
00 – 25	3,11,600	3,66,000

(b) Stakes would now be distributed in the ratio 50 : 25 : 15 : 5.8 : 2.8 : 1.4 instead of the existing ratio of 50 : 25 : 15 : 6.25 : 3.12 : 1.56.

(c) Aggregate of stakes, cups, incentives, subsidy and contributions for the Winter Meeting are detailed hereunder, involving a total outlay of Rs. 20.65 crores:

(Rs. in lakhs)

Particulars	Winter Meeting 2014-15	Winter Meeting 2015-16 (estimated)
Stakes, including Cups & contribution	1512	1763
Performance linked incentive	117	134
Incentive for Karnataka bred	14	17
Oats Subsidy to Trainers	70	60
Incentive to small owners	77	91
Total outlay including divisions	1790	2065

(d) The following are the details of revised stakes, category wise:

00-25					20-45
	OWNER	TRAINER	JOCKEY			OWNER	TRAINER	JOCKEY
183000	150975	18300	13725	1^st	228750	188720	22875	17155
91500	75490	9150	6860	2^nd	114375	94360	11435	8580
54900	45290	5490	4120	3^rd	68625	56615	6865	5145
21225	17515	2120	1590	4^th	26535	21890	2655	1990
10250	8455	1025	770	5^th	12810	10570	1280	960
5125	4225	515	385	6^th	6405	5285	640	480
366000	301950	36600	27450	Total	457500	377440	45750	34310

40-65					60 & ABOVE
274500	226465	27450	20585	1^st	320250	264205	32025	24020
137250	113230	13725	10295	2^nd	160125	132105	16010	12010
82350	67940	8235	6175	3^rd	96075	79260	9610	7205
31845	26270	3185	2390	4^th	37150	30650	3715	2785
15370	12680	1535	1155	5^th	17935	14795	1795	1345
7685	6340	770	575	6^th	8965	7395	895	675
549000	452925	54900	41175	Total	640500	528410	64050	48040

80 & ABOVE					2/3 YEAR OLD
366000	301950	36600	27450	1^st	366000	301950	36600	27450
183000	150975	18300	13725	2^nd	183000	150975	18300	13725
109800	90585	10980	8235	3^rd	109800	90585	10980	8235
42455	35025	4245	3185	4^th	42455	35025	4245	3185
20495	16910	2050	1535	5^th	20495	16910	2050	1535
10250	8455	1025	770	6^th	10250	8455	1025	770
732000	603900	73200	54900	Total	732000	603900	73200	54900

(e) Details of races and number of horses are furnished below:

Particulars	Winter 2014-15	Winter 2015-16 (Expected)
Number of race days	28	28
Number of races	239	240
Number of 2-year-olds stabled	311	281
Number of horses stabled	1050	1020
Number of horses participated	802	800

II. INCENTIVES, CONCESSIONS AND SUBSIDY:

(a) Performance linked incentive in respect of local horses in ordinary races would be paid as per the following revised scale:

Winner : Rs. 30,000

Second : Rs. 15,000

Third : Rs. 9,000

Fourth : Rs. 3,750

Fifth : Rs. 1,875

Sixth : Rs. 940

(b) 10% incentive would continue to be paid on stakes earned in ordinary races by horses bred in the State of Karnataka.

(c) 20% incentive would continue to be paid on stake money earned by small owners of local horses in ordinary races.

(d) Fodder Subsidy @ Rs. 1000 per horse per month will be paid for two/three years old and over, provided the horse runs twice during the period 1^st November 2015 to 31^st March 2016 or earns stakes for any place at least once during the said period.

(e) Horses who have not run since 1^st November 2014 and horses who have not placed first, second, third or fourth in their last ten starts as on 1^st November 2015 are not eligible for subsidy and incentives.

III. CLASSIC RACES:

(a) Added Money for the Classic Races during Bangalore Winter Meeting 2015-2016 has been enhanced as under:

Particulars	2014-15 Rs.	2015-16 Rs.
Bangalore Derby (Grade I)	60,00,000	70,00,000
Bangalore Oaks (Grade II)	20,00,000	25,00,000
Bangalore 1000 Guineas (Grade II)	20,00,000	25,00,000
Bangalore 2000 Guineas (Grade II)	20,00,000	25,00,000

(b) THE BANGALORE DERBY (GRADE I) is being sponsored by THE GARUDA GROUP, with a contribution of Rs. 36.00 lakhs each by the sponsor and the Club.

(c) In view that the 36^th Asian Racing Conference is scheduled between 24^th and 29^th January 2016 at Mumbai THE BANGALORE DERBY (GRADE I) during the Winter Meeting is scheduled on Saturday, 23^rd January 2016 in lieu of the traditional date of 26^th January.

(d) The prospectus of the Classis Races to be run during 2016-17 has been published.

IV. SALIENT FEATURES:

(a) To commemorate the existence of the Bangalore Racecourse for more than 150 years at the present location, THE BANGALORE RACECOURSE 153^rd YEAR COMMEMORATION TROPHY has been framed on the Derby Day for four years old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 metres, carrying added money of Rs. 15.00 lakhs plus Trophy valued at Rs. 1.00 lakh.

(b) Maximum number of acceptors in respect of races framed over all distances will continue to be 12 except in Sweepstake, Classic and Graded Races.

(c) Two races have been framed exclusively in respect of horses which have run and not won during the meeting and these races are confined to Jockeys who have not ridden any winner during the Meeting.

(d) Six races prohibiting the use of whip have been reserved.

(e) With timely rainfall, the track is in good condition.

(f) The following procedures would be adopted while eliminating acceptors beyond the maximum stipulated in a race:

(1) Preference of elimination submitted by the Owner/Trainer.

(2) Descending order of the age of horses.

(3) Descending order of the number of runs of the horses during the meeting.

(4) In case of a tie, lots will be drawn.

(g) Starting Declarations will be held on the same day, when races are programmed on two consecutive days.

(h) A maximum of 15 stables would be allotted on a permanent basis to the following category of outstation horses to participate in Bangalore Races:

(1) Horses aged 3 years.

(2) Horses aged 4 to 6 years rated 50 and above under B.T.C. Rules of racing.

(i) Revised procedures governing the conduct of enquiries are being published, so as to be effective from the commencement of Bangalore Winter Meeting 2015-2016.

(j) Presentation of Bangalore Races on the CCTV is being improved, with the existing system on composite video format being upgraded to serial digital interface format.

V. SPECIAL RACE DAYS:

Details of special race days are as under:

First Day, Friday - THE RAJYOTSAVA TROPHY (Grade III)

6^th November 2015

Fifth Day, Saturday - THE ASHOKA CHAKRA CUP

21^st November 2015

Sixth Day, Saturday, - THE BANGALORE 1000 GUINEAS (Grade II)

28^th November 2015

Eighth Day, Saturday, - THE BANGALORE TURF CLUB TROPHY (Grade III)

5^th December 2015

Ninth Day, Saturday - THE BANGALORE 2000 GUINEAS (Grade II)

12^th December 2015

Thirteenth Day, Friday - THE CHIEF MINISTER’S TROPHY

1^st January 2016

Fourteenth Day, Saturday - THE BANGALORE OAKS (Grade II)

2^nd January 2016 and THE NEW YEAR CUP (Grade III)

Sixteenth Day, Saturday - THE KARNATAKA RACEHORSE OWNERS’

16^th January 2016 ASSOCIATION MILLION

Seventeenth Day, Saturday - THE BANGALORE DERBY (Grade I) and

23^rd January 2016 BANGALORE RACECOURSE 153^rd YEAR

COMMEMORATION TROPHY

Eighteenth Day, Friday - THE SPRINTERS TRIAL STAKES (Grade III)

29^th January 2016

Nineteenth Day, Friday - THE STAYERS TRIAL STAKES

5^th February 2016

Twenty-first Day, Saturday - THE BANGALORE WINTER MILLION (Grade III)

13^th February 2016

Twenty-fourth Day, Saturday - THE GOVERNOR’S TROPHY

27^th February 2016

Twenty-eighth Day, Saturday - THE BANGALORE JUVENILE MILLION (Grade III)

19^th March 2016

(a) The Rating Book containing the rating of all horses before the commencement of Bangalore Winter Meeting 2015-16 has been published.

(b) Jockeys will continue to be subjected to a breath analyzer test on every race day for detecting the presence of alcohol.

(c) 19 Bookmakers in the first enclosure and three Bookmakers in the second enclosure are expected to operate during Bangalore Winter Meeting 2015-16.

(d) 630 betting terminals will be in operation, including 120 betting terminals at off-course betting centres located outside the racecourse.

(e) Installation of an additional number of 42 betting terminals is under progress and would be operational by 15^th November 2015.

(f) An imported cherrington horse track cleaner would be in operation at the Club by 1^st December 2015, which would help to maintain the levels of sand track, apart from removing stones and other extraneous material.

Mr. Wayne Wood will continue to officiate as Director of Racing, while Mr. Pradyumna Singh recently appointed by the Club will officiate as Chief Stipendiary Steward towards strengthening the Racing Department.

With the objective of professionalizing the conduct of racing, the Stipendiary Stewards are being empowered to impose fines up to a maximum of Rs. 25,000/- and/or to impose suspensions up to a maximum of four race days in respect of infringements under the Rules of Racing. Accordingly, Rule 61 (f) of the BTC Rules of Racing has been amended as under:

``The Stipendiary Stewards, in any case of a breach or contravention of the Rules or Regulations, shall have the power to impose anyone or more of the following penalties:

Any punishment imposed under (b) & (c) are subject to appeal to the Board of Appeal.

Notwithstanding the above, the Stipendiary Stewards shall refer any matter to the Stewards of the Club which in their opinion is beyond their purview of imposing punishments’’.

(a) Rules pertaining to the constitution of the Board of Appeal have been amended, wherein no elected Steward shall serve on the Board of Appeal during his tenure.

(b) Apart from two Government Nominees, four Club Members, who have served as Stewards of any Race Club in the country for a minimum period of two years, subject to the provisions of Article 32 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Club shall be nominated to the Board of Appeal.

(c) In accordance with these Rules, the Board of Appeal has been reconstituted as under for the period 1^st November 2015 to 1^st May 2016:

(a) The 36^th Asian Racing Conference will be hosted by the Turf Authorities of India at Mumbai from 24^th to 29^th January 2016.

(b) A discount of 30% on the stipulated registration fee of Rs. 90,000/- has been notified in respect of Indian Nationals to encourage larger participation at the Conference.

(c) Mr. B.Shivaprasad, Chief Handicapper will be presenting a paper on Handicapping in India at the Conference.

I thank you all for the help extended to the Bangalore Turf Club in the past. I also seek, on behalf of the Managing Committee, your support in promoting wide coverage for the Winter Races.

While seeking your cooperation and the support of racing patrons, I wish you and the racing patrons a successful Meeting.