Indian horse racing will welcome 2026 with a structured and action-filled January, as Calcutta, Mumbai, and Delhi share hosting duties across the opening month of the season. With a well-spread sequence of fixtures, January promises sustained competition, evolving form lines, and steady momentum across the country’s major racing centres.
The new year gets underway at Calcutta on Thursday, 1 January, where the Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC) will stage a full eleven-race programme to mark the opening day of the season. The card will be anchored by the Deepak Khaitan Memorial Indian Produce Stakes, the feature contest of the afternoon, carrying a total prize purse of Rs. 20,25,000. As an early-season test for Indian-bred runners, the race is expected to draw strong attention from owners, trainers, and racing followers.
After the New Year opener, Mumbai hosts on Sunday, 4 January, before Delhi steps into the frame on Monday, 5 January. The action then returns to Calcutta on Tuesday, 6 January, with Mumbai closing the week on Friday, 9 January, maintaining continuity across centres.
Mid-month racing gathers pace with Calcutta staging a Sunday fixture on 11 January, while Delhi features consecutive meetings on 13 and 14 January, providing opportunities for northern stables to build momentum. Calcutta follows with a Saturday card on 17 January, often a key phase in shaping mid-season form.
The latter half of the month sees Mumbai stage a demanding run of fixtures on Sunday, 18 January, Wednesday, 21 January, and the month-ending Saturday, 31 January, a sequence likely to draw deeper fields and competitive handicaps. Delhi continues its January programme on Thursday, 22 January, and Thursday, 29 January, ensuring consistent representation from the northern circuit.
Calcutta will round off its January commitments with meetings on Friday, 23 January, and Friday, 30 January, keeping the eastern hub firmly in focus through the closing stages of the month.
With sixteen race days scheduled across January 2026, the opening month delivers a robust and balanced start to the Indian racing season. From a feature-rich New Year opener in Calcutta to sustained fixtures across Mumbai and Delhi, January sets a confident and competitive tone for the months ahead.
The January Racecards for 2026 outline a full slate of sixteen race meetings across Calcutta, Mumbai, and Delhi, setting the stage for an exciting start to the Indian horse racing season. For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to Racebuzz.