Calcutta: The group of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC) stable hands, mainly responsible for the stoppage of work, leading to the suspension of the season, refuse to take the blame for the extreme step. “We did not ask for the sky but have just asked to keep promised made to us;” said Ram Lal, one of the RCTC syces who did not want reveal his full identity. Syces’ had accepted a salary cut of 30 percent, April 2020 onwards, with a rider that the status quo will be restored January 2021 on wards.
    Even RCTC stewards were sanguine that the club’s finances will improve significantly after the sale of the Middle Road property, for about Rs 16 Crore. “The deal would have provided us the oxygen we badly needed, said a senior club official who did not want to be identified.
    But where did the things go wrong? It was only after the buyer defaulted following the paying of the first instalment. The next instalment was to follow in January/February 2021.
    RCTC licensed trainers are, too, felling harassed. Horses are no machines. “We programme to prepared horses for particular events and it takes minimum 8-10 weeks, from a scratch, to put a horse in shape for satisfactory results:” say most of the trainer. RCTC knows it all, they should have drawn up a contingency plan as the property buyer had informed the club about his dwindling financial position before the end-December, 2020.
    RCTC should have taken the union leaders of syces in confidence some of the owner. The club should asked for more time for dues to be cleared. Instead, the club is putting the entire blame on horse-owners and trainers. “Syces are paid by trainers’ employees and its their business. We just collect dues from owners on behalf of trainers:” said a club official.
    However, meeting between trainers, owners and club’s officials are going on since yesterday and some of the big horse owners are positive that the suspended season may see the re-start very soon but RCTC has to bow down a bit.

'Suleiman' fancied

Trainer Altaf Hussain's Sultan Suleiman (Trevor Patel-up) may win the Aziz H. Ahmedbhoy Trophy in Mumbai on Friday.
SELECTIONS
1.30pm: Sergio 1. Principessa 2. Cristo Boss 3.
2pm: Sultan Suleiman 1. Majestic Warrior 2.
2.30pm: Storm Trigger 1. Successor 2. 
3pm: Multistarrer 1. Maplewood 2. Socrates 3.
3.30pm: Enlightened 1. Ms Boss 2. Ame 3.
4pm: Spinoza 1. Love Warrior 2. Supreme Angel 3.
4.30pm: Spring Grove 1. Pepper 2. Aegon 3.
5pm: Gusty Girl 1. Trinket 2. Peppoli 3.
Day’s Best: Enlightened Double: Sultan Suleiman & Storm Trigger.