Hyderabad: One of India's most cherished and well-liked sports hobbies is horse racing. In India, the fan base for horse racing is among the biggest and fastest-growing. Horse racing has drawn a lot of ardent followers and seasoned bettors in the past few years who like seeing their favorite thoroughbreds compete in historical races on the turf. Aside from its long history in India, horse racing's great appeal is partly due to the fact that it is one of the few sports on which betting is . India is celebrating 82nd Indian Derby Day today at Mahalaxmi race track. It is known as the "HPSL Indian Derby" and sponsored by the Horse Power Sports League (HPSL).
History- In ancient India, horses were not a common animal. However, all of this changed when Persian ships carrying large quantities of horses arrived in India. This incident occurred because the Indian kingdom needed horses and horse riders to protect its territory from strong enemy forces. Horse racing has been a part of Indian culture for two centuries. Like football and cricket, horse racing in India has its origins in the British colonial period. The first instance of this sport in India dates back to 1777 and was played at Guindy, Madras (now Chennai). The race has the name of Edward Smith-Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby, who started it in 1780.
Indian’s first Derby- The Indian Derby was first held in 1943 at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Bombay. Princess Beautiful emerged victorious. The Australian rider Edgar Britt was mounted on this colt, which belonged to the Indian Maharaja of Baroda. The lengthy winning streak that started in 1943 with just foreign jockeys came to an end when Kheem Singh became the first Indian jockey to win the Indian Derby. He was riding a horse named Balaam.
Modern Indian horse racing betting- As one of the few games where wagering is allowed, this game has grown even more in popularity in India these days, serving as a place to place bets in addition to being an enjoyable diversion. Indian horse racing betting has evolved as a result of the proliferation of online bookmakers. Thanks to high-speed internet and cutting-edge technology like phones and other smart gadgets, thousands of Indians may now bet on this form of sport without physically being at the racetrack from the comfort of their homes.
India’s top equestrian clubs for horse riding- Indian history accords special significance to polo in particular. When the British introduced the game to the Indian nobles and monarchy during the colonial era, they immediately took to it. In India, where there are several clubs and annual competitions, this game is today quite well-liked.
Other clubs and tournaments held on this day includes:
- Royal Western India Turf Club, Mumbai
- Calcutta Polo Club, Kolkata
- Madras Riding School, Chennai
- Embassy International Riding School, Bangalore
- Rajasthan's Rambagh Polo Club, Jaipur
- Indian Polo Association, New Delhi
- Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club
- The Delhi Horse Show Society, Gurugram
Horse racing may not be the most popular sport in India, but it has a rich history and great historical significance. According to data, India's traditional horse racing scene is likely to continue producing the majority of the country's gambling earnings, similar to the British horse races.
