The Bangalore Turf Club has proved itself to be a toothless tiger in the face of wild cat strikes by professionals led by a handful of trainers and owners who use the associations that they are connected with to serve their own agenda. The Karnataka Trainers Association is headed by B Puttanna under whose regime maximum number of strikes have happened in Bangalore for unconvincing reasons. The strikes have not achieved anything except bringing a bad name to the sport. Even as a big event as a Derby was cancelled some years back because of a strike by the trainers without justification.

Puttanna has been manipulated by others as far as the association matters are concerned. The fact that he could not spell out specific reason for their strike is known to all. After sabotaging the weekend races at the behest of somebody else, without as much as a notice and allowing the process of dialogue to take place, now the association along with the jockeys and owners body are reported to have written a letter to the authorities for discussion of their long standing grievances. The KTA, under Puttanna, has been acting like a trade union body when the articles of their association does not permit it to be so. It is a pity that Bangalore Turf Club has provided an office space for the association inside its premises. No organisation in the world provides such a space for trade union type of activities. The BTC is powerless and hence they don’t have power to control the very people who are obliged to the licenses issued by them.

The trainers association is reported to have written a letter to BTC stating that among other problems, they don’t have confidence in the way the Appeal Board is functioning. The reason for the strike is the fact that Ashok Raghavan could not succeed in getting remission of sentence of four days handed out to trainer Gregory Sandhu for his act of choosing an incompetent jockey to ride a horse which was bound to run as a favourite. The horse lost because of the nature of jockey used. The trainer may have a right to use any of the licensed jockeys, competent or incompetent but he cannot escape the repercussions of the same if by his act, the horse does not run to its potential. The responsibility is total on the part of the trainer in ensuring that the horse runs to its merit. Strangely the KTA and their fellow supporters have found fault with the Appeal Board for rejecting the appeal but have not said anything about the Stewards who handed out the sentence in the first place. Why are not they questioning the Stewards who acted in the first instance? Is there a political motive behind their action? Is it dictated by personal agenda of the Raghavan brothers who are spearheading the agitation?

Puttanna is a good man but the way he has raced his horses does not enhance his respect in the eyes of the racing public. His horses have history of maximum in and out running. The same goes for the others who have been part of the association who are spearheading the strike. In short, they want freedom for their acts and don’t want Stewards to question them.

Ashok Raghavan has shown to Bangalore Turf Club the power he derives by supporting those who are not on the right side of law. Just because the appeal was rejected, he has provoked the KTA into going for a strike. He is trying to create a parallel power body along with his twin brother Arvind Raghavan. They were the past secretaries of Karnataka Race Horse Owners Association which they still control. They had an agenda to become members of the club and the object was achieved earlier this year. Till then, there were no strikes and racing went on peacefully though there were unsuccessful attempts to stop racing at Mysore because their writ did not run there.

Now the professionals have demanded that the turf club meet them to resolve long standing grievances is what Puttanna has said. He has not spelt out those grievances but each day the list may grow. They may even demand to throw out all Stipes and have a Stipe free regime. I wish there was a punters forum where they could list their grievances against these professionals for their trade practices.

In the meanwhile, it is a surprise that the Bangalore Turf Club is taking things without taking any action. The trainers and jockeys are talking of rules but I would like to know under which rule of racing they are permitted to sabotage racing. Also which rule gives them license to become the nightmare for race goers?

President of the Jockeys Association of India P S Chouhan wants to have the cake and eat it too! He is asking his colleagues in Bangalore and Mysore to go on strike and not to accept any rides while he himself is riding at Hyderabad and Calcutta. This is tantamount to asking the jockeys to go on hunger strike when he himself is binging on quality rides elsewhere which is bringing in the moolah. This is nothing but hypocrisy. Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing goes the saying.

Chairman of Bangalore Turf Club Harimohan Naidu talked of punitive action. Does he have the courage to take action against people who are bringing a bad name to the sport by resorting to strikes when the licensing condition states otherwise?

Rules allows for no hypocrisy and no vagueness.