The eminent Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC), a bastion of thoroughbred racing in India, will stage an engaging seven-race programme on Thursday, 19 March. The meeting will present a blend of handicaps and maiden events, offering an arena for emerging talents and established horses alike to demonstrate speed, stamina, and strategic acumen. Races will span sprint and middle distances, and total prize money will reflect the quality of the field, promising an engaging and competitive day of racing.
The programme will commence with The Esquire Handicap, a Class V contest for horses rated one to twenty-six. The 1100-metre sprint, scheduled for 2:15 PM, will feature Kindred Spirit guided by Darshan N, Happy Morning under Gaurav Singh, and Royal King partnered with Imran Chisty, along with Blazing Black, Hermes, Schwarzenegger, and Diamond Gold. The race will offer a total purse of Rs.3,00,000.
Following this, the Sunrise Song Plate, a maiden race for three-year-olds over 1400 metres, will start at 2:45 PM. Key contenders will include As You Like It with P Tejeshwar in the saddle, Stormchaser guided by Suraj Narredu, Sultana ridden by Hindu Singh, Tetsu under P Trevor, and The Wind partnered with Sah Farid Ansari. The total prize for this event will be Rs.11,00,000.
At 3:15 PM, the Exotica Handicap, a Class III contest for horses rated forty-one to sixty-six over 1200 metres, will take place. Notable entrants will comprise Stormy Ocean ridden by Arman Khan, Contessina guided by Darshan N, Cash Your Luck partnered with MD Imran, along with Tycoonist, Lord Vader, Cortado, and Clever Hans. The race will offer Rs.5,00,000 in total stakes.
The fourth engagement, The Artwork Handicap, a Class IV race for horses rated twenty-one to forty-six, will cover 1600 metres at 3:45 PM. Principal runners will include Cascade guided by Suraj Narredu, Upper Street ridden by P Trevor, and Star Power with R S Bhati in the saddle, alongside Track Striking, Verrazzano, Wonderful, and Mrs Brando. Total prize money will be Rs.4,00,000.
Next, The Parisian Cup, a Class III contest for horses rated sixty-one to eighty-six, will unfold over 1600 metres at 4:15 PM. The field will feature Golden Glow guided by Darshan N, Golden Warrior with MD Imran in the saddle, Heart ridden by Suraj Narredu, along with Aeropoli, Booster Shot, and Multiverse. The stakes will total Rs.5,50,000.
The penultimate race, The Audubon Handicap Division I, a Class IV 1200-metre event for horses rated twenty-one to forty-six at 4:45 PM, will include Trillionaire under Gaurav Singh, Legacy guided by Darshan N, and Gimmler ridden by Antony Raj S., as well as Cashmere Silk, Bundle of Charm, Midnight Blue, and Simran’s Attitude. The total prize will be Rs.4,00,000.
The concluding event, The Audubon Handicap Division II, another Class IV 1200-metre race for horses rated twenty-one to forty-six, will take place at 5:15 PM. Notable participants will include Marcolini guided by Darshan N, Dramatic with R S Bhati in the saddle, Schoenberg ridden by Suraj Narredu, along with Rudra, Winsangel, Indian Jack, and Made in Heaven. The total purse will be Rs.4,00,000.
Thursday’s prestigious RCTC fixture will provide a refined and structured day of high-calibre racing, allowing horses across varied classes to showcase their talent and competitive prowess in both sprint and middle-distance contests. This meeting will be a definitive highlight in the Kolkata Race Cards 19 March schedule.
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