I just finished Murder at the Race Course, and I must say that the author, Berjis Desai, has done a remarkable job of peeling back the carefully curated illusion of horse racing to reveal its seedy underbelly—crooked characters, shadowy dealings, and all. While the author has politely labelled this a work of fiction, anyone remotely familiar with the sport will recognize some of the “fictional” faces lurking in these pages. Of course, a few creative liberties have been taken, but let’s not kid ourselves—reality often outdoes imagination when it comes to racing’s rogues’ gallery.

Yes, the book paints a rather gory picture of the sport, but then again, racing has always been a cocktail of brilliance and decay, somehow managing to limp forward despite the rot within. The present-day narrative isn’t much better—betting syndicates pull the strings, horses are bought for absurd sums with no hope of recouping costs, and the sport has become little more than a high-stakes gambling racket. And what do the authorities do? Absolutely nothing. They stand idly by, watching the decline with the same enthusiasm as a bored punter watching an odds-on favourite get trounced.

The book, Murder At The Racecourse serves as a brutal but necessary reminder of what happens when those in charge choose compromise over integrity. The humour woven through the narrative is the perfect counterpoint—like a wink and a nudge amid the chaos, making this exposé not just sharp but thoroughly enjoyable. It’s been ages since I devoured a book from cover to cover, and this one kept me hooked till the last page.

Berjis Desai co-owned the record-breaking wonder filly Jacqueline, who etched her name in history by winning four Indian Classics before narrowly missing out on the Indian Turf Invitation Cup. He started his career as a journalist for a Gujarati daily before rising to become the Managing Partner of one of India’s top law firms. A passionate racing enthusiast, he was also a breeder associated with the Capricorn Stud Farm.

With a keen eye for the sport and a front-row seat to its many twists and turns, Desai masterfully channels his knowledge into Murder at the Race Course. The book is a razor-sharp, darkly humorous exposé that pulls back the curtain on racing’s murky dealings, where winners aren’t always the fastest and the real games are played far from the track. Blurring the lines between fiction and reality, Desai’s storytelling is in equal parts gripping and unsettling, making this a must-read for anyone who has ever set foot on a racecourse—or dared to believe in its illusions.