The Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC) will stage a seven-race meeting on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, with racing scheduled from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. The programme features contests over distances ranging from 1,200m to 2,000m, with Class II, Class III, Class IV and Class V events on the card. The meeting also includes the valuable Arktaouros Plate, which carries a total prize fund of Rs.11,00,000.
The Arktaouros Plate, scheduled for 3:00pm, is the richest race of the afternoon. The Class IV contest is exclusively for three-year-olds and will be run over 1,400m. The race carries Rs.11,00,000, with Rs.6,05,000 allocated to the winner, Rs.2,75,000 to the second, Rs.1,65,000 to the third and Rs.55,000 to the fourth.
The opening race, The Roll N Twist Handicap, will be held at 2:00pm over 2,000m. This Class V contest is for horses rated 1-26 and carries a total prize fund of Rs.3,00,000.Carnation, a four-year-old dark bay filly rated 24, will be ridden by Abhishek Mhatre for trainer Neil Darashah. Sanaya, also rated 24, has Antony Raj S. aboard and is trained by Bharath Singh.
Northbound, a seven-year-old bay gelding rated 20, will have Varun in the saddle and is trained by Vikash Jaiswal. Wonderful, another seven-year-old bay gelding rated 20, will be ridden by Vishal N. Bunde for B. Mahesh.Fortune Warrior, rated 19, will be partnered by Gourav Singh for trainer B. Rajender Reddy, while Soul Aquarian, a four-year-old bay filly rated 13, will have A Sandesh aboard and is trained by Javed Khan.
The second race, The No Regrets Handicap, will start at 2:30pm. The Class II contest is over 1,800m for horses rated 61-86, with horses rated 41-66 also eligible. The total prize money stands at Rs.5,50,000.Mindful, rated 86, will be ridden by Yash Narredu and is trained by Deepesh Narredu. Golden Glow, rated 76, will have Arman Khan in the saddle for Sabeel Shariff.Aabushan, rated 74, will be partnered by Hindu Singh for trainer Patrick Quinn, while Multiverse, rated 64, will have P Tejeshwar aboard and is trained by B. Rajender Reddy.
At 3:00pm, the meeting will reach its feature event, the Arktaouros Plate, a Class IV race exclusively for three-year-olds. The contest will be run over 1,400m and carries Rs.11,00,000.
Aura Bender, listed at a rating of 26, will be ridden by A. M. Tograllu for trainer Aashay Doctor. Imperial Black, also rated 26, has Vishal N. Bunde aboard and is trained by Aashay Doctor, giving the trainer a two-runner representation.Dreamflight, rated 23, will be partnered by Antony Raj S. for trainer Vijay Singh. Another Vijay Singh-trained runner, The Wind, will have A Sandesh in the saddle and is also rated 23.Completing the field is Voula, rated 23, who will be ridden by P Tejeshwar for Aashay Doctor.
The fourth race, The Idaho Handicap, will take place at 3:30pm over 1,600m. The Class III contest is for horses rated 41-66, with those rated 21-46 also eligible. The total prize fund is Rs.5,00,000.
Natural Grace, a five-year-old bay mare rated 65, will have Abhishek Mhatre aboard for trainer Neil Darashah. This Is Gold, also rated 65, will be ridden by Aryan Jagtap and is trained by Deepesh Narredu.Black Diamond, rated 55, will be partnered by Yash Narredu for Deepesh Narredu, giving the trainer two representatives in the field. Dardanus, rated 51, will have Antony Raj S. aboard and is trained by Bharath Singh.The field will be completed by Oh My Darling, rated 43, who will be ridden by Varun for trainer Vikash Jaiswal.
The fifth race is the Desert Shot Cup, scheduled for 4:00pm over 1,200m. The race is for horses rated 95 and above and carries a total prize fund of Rs.10,00,000.
Black Eagle, rated 117, will be ridden by Gourav Singh for trainer B. Rajender Reddy. Kalamitsi, rated 101, will have P Tejeshwar aboard and is trained by Aashay Doctor.Charismatic, rated 99, will be partnered by A Ashhad Asbar for trainer Rutherford Alford. Ruling Star, also rated 99, will have MD Azharuddin in the saddle for Sabeel Shariff.Blackstone, rated 95, will be ridden by Hindu Singh and is trained by Rutherford Alford, while King’s Retreat, also rated 95, will have V R Jagadeesh aboard for B. Rajender Reddy.
The sixth race, The Steinlen Handicap Division I, will start at 4:30pm over 1,400m. The Class IV contest is for horses rated 21-46, with those rated 1-26 also eligible. The total prize money is Rs.4,00,000.Lady Don, rated 46, will be ridden by Jayden Alford for trainer B. Mahesh. Vivaldi, rated 45, has Hindu Singh aboard and is trained by Aashay Doctor.Felix, rated 41, will be partnered by A Ashhad Asbar for Rutherford Alford. Immortal Beauty, rated 38, will have Arman Khan aboard and is trained by Ritesh E. K.
True Faith, also rated 38, will be ridden by Varun for trainer Vikash Jaiswal. Cashmere Silk, rated 35, has MD Azharuddin aboard and is trained by Sabeel Shariff.Memphis, rated 29, will be partnered by Vinay Jaiswal for Javed Khan, while Indian Jack, rated 27, has S A Amit aboard and is trained by Rutherford Alford.Completing the field is Midnight Blue, rated 27, who will be ridden by Vishal N. Bunde for trainer Rajesh Narredu.
The final race of the afternoon, The Steinlen Handicap Division II, will begin at 5:00pm. The Class IV event will be run over 1,400m and is open to horses rated 21-46, with horses rated 1-26 also eligible. The race carries Rs.4,00,000.Dubai Ruler, rated 45, will be ridden by Sah Farid Ansari for trainer Patrick Quinn. Jaisalmer, rated 42, will have Vishal N. Bunde aboard and is trained by Neil Darashah.
Sporting Trainer, rated 40, will be partnered by Varun for Vikash Jaiswal. Into The Storm, rated 38, has P Tejeshwar in the saddle and is trained by B. Mahesh.Blue God, rated 37, will be ridden by Gourav Singh for trainer B. Rajender Reddy. Sultana, rated 31, has R Vaibhav aboard and is trained by Shyam S Habbu.
No Worry, rated 28, will be partnered by Vinay Jaiswal for Rutherford Alford. Adeya, rated 27, will have A Sandesh aboard and is trained by Javed Khan.The field will be completed by Golden Glory, rated 27, who will be ridden by V R Jagadeesh for trainer Ritesh E. K.
The RCTC programme on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, will feature seven races from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. The Arktaouros Plate will be the afternoon’s most valuable contest, while the Desert Shot Cup will also carry a substantial Rs.10,00,000 prize fund.
The meeting will bring together a broad group of trainers, including Aashay Doctor, B. Rajender Reddy, B. Mahesh, Bharath Singh, Deepesh Narredu, Javed Khan, Neil Darashah, Patrick Quinn, Rutherford Alford, Sabeel Shariff, Vikash Jaiswal, Vijay Singh and Ritesh E. K, among others. With races ranging from 1,200m to 2,000m and several different rating bands, the RCTC card offers a varied afternoon of racing for Wednesday’s programme.
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