And just like that, another chapter of Indian racing history is shut, sealed, and buried beneath a carefully curated eco-park. Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam`s announcement in his budget speech put the final nail in the coffin, confirming that an eco-park will now sprout where champions once galloped. The government has taken back 53 acres of the Ooty Racecourse, with seven acres marked as marshland conservation while the rest will be transformed into a tourist-friendly green space.

The land was reclaimed by the Revenue Department from the Madras Race Club (MRC) on the grounds of an eye-watering Rs 822 crore in unpaid lease arrears last July. The club`s attempts to seek reprieve from the Supreme Court hit a brick wall, as the apex court refused to entertain the petition—after all, the lease had conveniently expired over three decades ago. The Finance Minister`s budget speech was just a formality, confirming what we all suspected: the MRC`s hopes of resurrecting racing in Ooty were as good as dead. The plan is in motion—Rs 70 crore set aside for a picturesque eco-park, complete with a spice garden, urban forestry, bird-watching areas, and nature trails.

And with that, the British-era legacy of horse racing in Ooty breathes its last, without so much as a whimper. No grand farewell, no nostalgia-laced ceremonies.

Guindy: The Next in Line?

As the dust settles over Ooty, the fate of the Guindy Racecourse looks increasingly grim. On paper, the lease still has 20 years left, but the government has already hinted that the land has been “taken over.” The club has remained notably quiet, seemingly more focused on negotiating for relocation options—perhaps a greenfield racecourse in Hosur, or maybe just a few extra years of racing before the inevitable eviction.

With the Madras Racing Season drawing to a close, no one is willing to make any bold statements. The silence is deafening. For a fleeting moment, there was a whisper of hope—perhaps the club could squeeze out another couple of seasons. But with no government assurance on paper, racing in Chennai is hanging by a thread, and let`s be honest, we all know how these things go. The promise of a new racecourse sounds nice, but anyone with a shred of experience in how things work knows that “soon” is a very flexible term.

Bangalore: Walking the Tightrope

As if the gloom wasn`t enough, Bangalore`s racing scene isn`t looking too bright either. The government has been pushing for sweeping structural changes in the club, but the members—ever the defiant lot—seem more willing to let the ship sink than compromise. A glimmer of hope emerges in the form of an Extraordinary General Body Meeting scheduled for March 24, where crucial amendments will be discussed. Will the resolutions pass, or will the government step in with harsher measures? The tension is palpable, and the fate of Bangalore racing teeters on the edge.

An Orphaned Sport

So, where does this leave Indian racing? Ooty is gone. Guindy is teetering on the edge. Bangalore is hanging in suspense. The MRC, stripped of its identity, may continue as an off-course betting hub—hardly the grand tradition the sport deserves. The heritage, the history, the legacy of horse racing in Tamil Nadu is being systematically erased. No grand intervention, no last-minute lifeline, just a slow, bureaucratic suffocation.