SA jockey Karl Zechner and trainer Preetam Daby celebrated their first winner of the new Mauritius season on Sunday when Prince Of Thieves won the feature, the Noble Salute – Yu Lounge Race To Excellence Cuppp.
Last a winner in August 2017, the former Joey Ramsden trained Prince Of Thieves who won the 2015 Champion Jubvenile Cp here, showed great acceleration to beat Woljayrine.
Karl Zechner steers Prince Of Thieves to a good win (Pic – MTC)
Third place went to the favourite Nottinghamshire, while Yankee Captain could only find fourth.
It seems that there is some discontent in Mauritius racing circles around the government’s meddling in the sport.
In a letter published in the Express newspaper of Wednesday 3 April, and translated from french, Edouard Nairac points out that an article written by Yahia Nazroo in the same journal on 24 March is both ‘daring and accurate’.
He states that it clearly demonstrates that the Gambling Regulatory Authority (the government) wants at all costs to take control of racing in Mauritius, using the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) as a supporting actor. This he says is bluntly said ‘but alas very true’.
Nairac writes further:
We must know and let know that the MTC is globally recognized as the only organizer of horseracing in Mauritius and certainly not the Gambling Regulatory Authority.
As in any self-respecting country, there is no doubt that the best route to follow is healthy discussions leading to an agreement to advance horseracing and the organization of the sport. This would require an agreement between government and the MTC to assist progress and not to regress – as it seems to be happening today. In my humble opinion, the MTC should take the initiative and quickly!
Before closing, I would like to mention a case that was recently reported to me: The licence application for the 2019 season presented by jockey Olivier Doleuze was simply refused!
This famous jockey having ridden in several countries in Asia, Europe and Dubai and Mauritius, is denied his license without any explanation! It should be noted that his request had already been accepted by the MTC without any problem. It should also be noted that the reasons for this refusal are not available: transparency where are you? I understand that other foreign jockeys have suffered the same refusal.
What is happening in this section of the relevant department? Enough is enough! This the kind of country we live in . Who controls what ?
A word of warning.
