Praful Thakkar Collection
Madras Race Club
Madras Race Club
Records show that racing has existed in this area since 1777 and the venue was in Zamin Adyar. The Guindy Racecourse, located in Chennai, lays claim to being the oldest racecourse in the country, and was built on 107 acres of land granted by the Indian Government. Although racing was almost halted by invasions in the area, the course remained intact, and some years later the was extended by a further 46 acres to improve the racecourse and add a training track. It was to be a further 60 years, in 1837, that a Madras Race Club was formed to look after the administrative matters of the racecourse. After a further 59 years the new, present day Madras Race Club was formed in 1896 and 70 years after this time that it gained its independence.
Although the racecourse was closed during World War I hostilities, it was on 13th January 1922 that the Prince of Wales visited the course. This visit was later to be followed by a visit in 1932 by Lord Derby, from the famous English racing family which is responsible for the naming of the Epsom Derby. He attended a 3-day meeting which coincided with his visit, and presented the Lord Derby Cup for Grade IV horses. A year later, in 1933, the ex-King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, attended a meeting. One of the famous Classics of India, the Indian Turf Invitation Cup, was held at the course in 1965, and a year later the Madras Turf Club became an independent Turf Authority. Such was the importance of the track that in 1976 the 5th President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, attended races at Madras. The course continues to go from strength to strength, boasting a stable strength of 625 horses, and racing from November until March. Racing then resumes at Ooty between April and June. The principal races at the track are the Grade III Madras Gold Vase and Guindy Grand Prix, and the Guindy Gold Cup.
2016 Madras Gold Vase EMPRESS OF ROME ridden by S Kabdhar and trained by R Foley
2017 Madras Gold Vase CHIEF OF COMMAND ridden by P S Chouhan and trained by R Foley
2018 Madras Gold Vase MR HANDSOM ridden by Suraj Narredu and trained by S Narredu
2019 Madras Gold Vase VACHAN ridden by V R Jagadeesh and trained by Rakesh
2020 Madras Gold Vase KING T'CHALA ridden by Yash and trained by Fazal-Ul-Rehman
2018 Guindy Grand Prix CHER AMIE ridden by M D Hesnain and trained by R Foley
2019 Guindy Grand Prix BREAKING BOUNDS ridden by Suraj Narredu and trained by B Suresh
2018 Guindy Grand Prix JOHNNY BRAVO ridden by Trevor Patel and trained by Neil Darashah
