All in the family: Horse racing is Ravi Shastri's best-kept secret

Ravi Shastri, like most well-bred men, does not look a gift horse in the mouth. During his eventful career, Shastri has often found himself at the receiving end of gifts and awards, most notable being the Audi 100 he was awarded for his exploits in the 1985 World Championship of Cricket.

When Adil Gandhy, son of the late art connoisseur Kekoo Gandhy and an old friend of the Shastri household, offered the Indian cricket coach a stake in a race horse, Shastri assented.

“I called him [Shastri] up and told him that there is a two-year-old horse that I had bought in partnership. I offered him a 25 per cent stake in it and asked if he would accept in memory of his dad [Dr M Jayadratha, a racegoer]. Ravi said he would like to support the cause, and agreed to the proposed share. Hopefully, the horse will do well for us,” Gandhy told ETPanache.


Equestrian interest
Gandhy’s friendship with Shastri goes back a long way.

“Ravi’s dad was my friend. He was an avid racegoer. Every Sunday, we would meet at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, and occasionally, I would pop into his clinic in Mahim. He would treat my family, and also members of my staff, free of charge,” said Gandhy, who added that he assisted Shastri in finding a house in Alibaug.

As a senior member of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), Gandhy has been trying to revive interest in horse racing, a sport that has been hard hit by the imposition of 28 per cent tax.

“Racing is in a bad way. I asked Ravi to acquire a stake in the horse as it would raise the flagging profile of the sport in India. Hopefully, after putting it through its paces, our horse will be ready to race by the time the next season gets under way,” Gandhy said.

Racing season
The horse in question is Cabo da Roca, named after the eponymous cliff in Portugal — the westernmost point of mainland Europe, where, incidentally, Gandhy holidayed last year. When ETPanache spoke with Gandhy, it was stabled in Pune. “Cabo da Roca is going through its trotting rounds under the guidance of Adhiraj Singh Jodha, who is a very capable trainer. His father was also a trainer, and his grandfather, a jockey,” Gandhy said. The Jodhas have a formidable reputation in horse-racing circles, and Gandhy believes his (hobby) horse is in good hands.

“Ravi will not have to actively participate in getting the horse ready for the season between December and February. Everything is left in the trainer’s hands. The key is to give the horse the time it needs to get ready. Sometimes, if you preempt a young horse into competitive racing before it is ready, complications can develop,” he said.

Colts develop sore shins if the bone isn’t fully developed — a medical condition where the shins swell and then ice packs have to be applied, and further medication administered.

Shastri knows a thing or two about the intricacies of grooming talented young cricketers, and Gandhy believes that his friend will not mind waiting till Cabo da Roca is ready to race competitively. “Mahalaxmi Racecourse is a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city where you are insulated from the hustle-and-bustle all around. Ravi’s daughter recently became a member of the Amateur Riders’ Club, and hopefully, when our horse wins next year, we will have cause to celebrate, and his wife and daughter will also come to watch it run,” Gandhy said.

Shastri could not be reached for comment.