Let us close racing, is the refrain one is hearing these days at the Bangalore Race Course. These sounds are coming from none other than those who are making a living out of racing. Their grouse is that authorities are not bowing to their dictate. The KROA has been at the forefront of disrupting races every season for one reason or the other. The Karnataka Trainers Association have also time and again shown their lack of commitment to their profession by treating their license to train as if it were a napkin paper by surrendering it on every other day in support of their demands. Racing is already under threat of closure and contributing to the acrimony is these people who don`t seem to mind losing racing. Otherwise how can they afford to let go of precious race days?
The cancellation of first two-days of racing of the Bangalore Summer Season is a clear example of ego getting the better of their senses. With little bit of tact, the problem could have been solved but the race horse owners association which was more keen on ensuring the cancellation of first two day`s of racing and the trainers association acted without bothering about the harm their action would cause when the authorities had climbed down considerably from their stand. Possibly the KROA and KTA want an unquestioning and servile authority which is ready to bow to its whims and fancies.

The same associations took a hostile stand against the syces when they demanded certain statutory benefits like Provident Fund. They took shelter on a technicality and denied these lowly paid laborers their rightful due. And when the syces threatened a strike, they acted in a very aggressive manner. But the same people don`t blink an eye when going on strike against the club for perceived insult. .

The cancellation of races came about not because of any earth shattering issue bothering the owners and trainers. There was a cut in the stake money to the tune of Rs 3 crores which the club said was necessitated by the need to build up revenues for any future eventuality. The stake money in Bangalore is pretty high compared to other centers in the country and a number of incentives are also being given to owners.

The KROA and KTA insisted that the stakes should be restored back to original level and it also demanded the contingency fund which had been created from cutting a portion of the stake money over a period of time principally to meet any future statutory obligation be repatriated to the association. The club on its part stated that they would return the same after an audit and added that they would not undertake future responsibility either for cutting the stakes for the contingency fund nor would it provide three month credit to owners. Later on the club modified the stand and said that they would give three month BTF credit if the owners association did not insist on immediate withdrawal of money from BTC and they gave an undertaking that if racing were to close down by September 22, they should offset the arrears of BTF from owners against the fund lying with the club. KROA did not agree for this and this led to a stalemate. KROA refused to offset any default from its members.

The contingency fund in fact has been contributed principally by leading stake earners of this centre and as such, KROA cannot lay claim to this money without the written compliance of all its members. Considering that BTC is a recognized corporate body and KROA is an association consisting of members who have not applied for membership but are forcefully deemed members by virtue of them being race horse owners. By forcing compliance of all owners, BTC has thus empowered KROA to prove a hurdle in the smooth conduct of racing.

It is strange that KROA and KTA does not have any grievance with Mysore Race Club where stake money is poorer but is accepted without any protest.. Strikes are also unheard of at any other racing centre in the country.