India's 247-year-old horse racing club in Chennai stare at closure threat

The heartbeats of hundreds of horse racing lovers in India were on a fast track since Monday morning after the Revenue Department in Tamil Nadu sealed India's oldest horse racing club, the Madras Race Club in Guindy. Had there been no temporary relief from the Madras High Court later in the day, the pounding sound of hooves hitting the track and the roaring cheers of viewers would have paused for the fourth time in the 247-year history of the Guindy Race Course.

The only three reported occasions when the club's operations were halted were way back in the 1770s, when Hyder Ali's invasion was inching closer to Chennai, in 1875, and later during World War I. However, the relief granted by the Madras High Court is only for two days, citing that taking possession of the premises without giving any notice was an illegal act. The current action was taken as part of a dispute regarding the non-payment of arrears of revised rent of Rs 730.86 crore claimed by the government in 2017.

According to a member, who is in charge of one of the activities in the club, on Monday early morning, revenue authorities and police sealed its gates, posting a lease termination notice by the district collector on the gates. Trainers and jockeys, who were performing their morning track work, were asked to move out. As the action came without any prior notice, around 500 horses were locked inside the stables.

Later in the day, a division bench of justices S S Sundar and K Rajasekar gave temporary relief to Madras Race Club, asking the government to follow a proper process before taking any such actions.

"This comes two months after the Revenue Department took over the Ooty Race Course in Udhagamandalam town from the Madras Race Club, citing arrears in lease rent," said a member of the club. It was reportedly to the tune of around Rs 822 crore pending since 2001. Advocate Vaibhav R Venkatesh, who appeared for the club on Monday, argued that the land lease is valid till 2045 and the club should not be deprived of the property, especially when an appeal related to rental arrears is still pending before the court.

The existing registered lease contract is dated March 8, 1946, and is legally valid till April 1, 2045, for a period of 99 years. According to the administration, there is no scope for revision in lease rentals during the defined contractual period of tenure, particularly in the absence of any clause permitting such a revision. The lease rentals for the entire tenure of the lease had been paid in full by the Madras Race Club, the club's annual report said.

In FY23, a total of 192 races happened in Chennai, in which a total of 504 horses participated. In Udhagamandalam, it was 99 races with 374 horses. The club saw its revenue increasing by 23 per cent from Rs 61.06 crore in FY22 to Rs 75.28 crore in FY23. Its expenses also increased from Rs 60.88 crore in FY22 to Rs 66.64 crore in FY23. In Chennai, the racing season begins in November and goes on till March.

Canter through time
 

1777: Guindy Race Course starts operations

1837: Madras Race Club officially constituted
 

192: Number of races held in FY23

504: Number of horses participating in races

Rs 43.14 cr: Revenue from racing activity in FY23

Rs 75.28 cr: Total revenue in FY23, up from Rs 61.06 cr the previous year