Bangalore winter meeting: Opening day's races cancelled

Bangalore, Nov 2 (UNI) The opening day's races of the Bangalore Winter meeting schedule to begin on November four, has been cancelled due to paucity of acceptors.

Problems relating to issues of payment to racehorse handlers had been affecting the start of the new racing seasons in Bangalore for the past two years.

The sychs demand include contribution towards their Provident Fund by the trainers, who employed them, and hike in allowance for handling more than one horse. The trainers in turn have sought Bangalore Turf Club's (BTC) intervention. However the BTC contends that the handlers were employed by the trainers who were in turn paid for training horses by the owners and it was their responsibility to look after them.

Speaking to UNI, BTC Secretary N Nirmal Prasad said the Trainers and Owners association had sought with the Club to form a committee to hammer out a solution to these problems. The BTC was studying the legal implications and a decision would be taken later, he added.

More than 500 handlers are working in the stables inside the Bangalore Race Course.

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