The Royal Turf Club (RTC) has made all arrangements to conduct the 2023 edition of the much anticipated Governor’s Cup horse racing event at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya on Saturday (15). The annual event takes place each year on the day following the New Year. RTC is set to hold its fourth race day lined up in the VisitSriLanka Horse Racing Season 2023, which consists of five race days.
After three race days conducted monthly through January and March, all eyes will be on the new sensations Mauritania and Legendary Princess – two frontline winners who had made their names in the Indian circuit before being brought to Sri Lanka. Former Governor’s Cup winner Western Wind will be another contender who could pull off an upset, but three-time Queen’s Cup winner Another Ace can emerge as the surprise package in the main race on Saturday.
Meheran is also included in the lineup, but so far has failed to impress after two runs. With the absence of the champion chestnut mare Alcazaba, who had won the Governor’s Cup thrice before being retired last season, the competition will be an open affair to all runners.
The Queen’s Cup, the second most anticipated race event of the year next to the Governor’s Cup, will be the other attraction of the race day. The final declarations are yet to be confirmed by the RTC officials, but the 2,000 m race will be of high importance to all runners and riders.
“So far RTC has successfully conducted three race days with decent fields of runners. By now, all runners and riders have been able to regain momentum before the Governor’s Cup next Saturday. RTC has put all arrangements in place to conduct a perfect day of horseracing and we look forward to providing the thrills and frills as each year,” revealed RTC Treasurer Nisitha Rupasinghe.
Similar to the last season, Indian experts in horse racing are in Nuwara Eliya to conduct the RTC VisitSriLanka Horse Racing Season 2023, including the Governor’s Cup and the RTC Magic Million Cup race days. Senior stalwart Cyrus J. Madan will continue his responsibilities as the Chairman of Stipendiary Stewards of RTC while B.J. Shyam continues as Handicapper and Steward with the able support of Senior Stipendiary Steward R. Manjunath.
Last season, RTC completed a squeezed racing calendar, with the Governor’s Cup and Magic Million Cup taking the centre stage. Sri Lanka’s most celebrated racing horse, Alcazaba, won her third RTC Governor’s Cup title in her last run before retirement, a feat earlier only achieved by Double Eagle in the early 2000s.
Alcazaba also claimed the most coveted title in 2017 and 2018, following stablemate from Edwards Stables, Roswald’s win in 2016. But Spirited Touch managed to outrun the champion runner in 2019 by a whisker before Western Wind claimed a thrilling win against the top two contenders in 2021.