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Destination Dubai: for a few horses more
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The Australian horse-racing veteran Fin Powrie is doing his best to get the best Indian horses to Dubai
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Trainer Padmanabhan with racing veteran Fin Powrie
MR. FIN Powrie is an Australian who is causing ripples in Dubai ever since he relocated himself to the Emirates from Perth as the Chief Steward and Director of Racing at the Emirates Racing Association.
He has carried with him loads of racing experience and his dynamism has already endeared him to the racing world. He is an important member of the think tank, which is out to make Dubai a high quality, racing stop. More than that Dubai wants to showcase its World Cup as a convivial occasion, a social compulsion for the rest of the world to go with some high-class racing.
Mr. Powrie has already contributed a great deal in bringing nearly five to six weeks of top-end racing to Dubai ahead of the famed World Cup, which is the world's richest race. Out of the $21 million that the Emirates Royal Treasure ploughed into this Mega event, $15.25 million was up for grabs during the World Cup night alone. The rest went into the carnival. This year, Mr. Powrie says it would be even bigger. While the World Cup night gets its share of the money, $4 million more will be spent on the Carnival in an effort to reach it to more people, more countries. So, the Emirates Royal Family for which racing is a passion, is ready to fling as much as $25 million next year. There is nothing in return. The Royals expect no rewards. All they want the World to know and acknowledge is that Dubai is a compelling, racing and social destination no one ought to miss.
Powrie exquisitely puts it in a nutshell: "In pure racing terms, Dubai wants to offer an attractive off-season alternative to Europe."
Last week, Mr. Powrie landed in India and made it a point to be in Bangalore around the Derby time. His Indian Mission is to take "one good look" at Indian racing and to study the logistics of getting more Indian horses to race in Dubai.
Mr. Powrie finds significant improvement in the quality of bloodstock and racing in India. "I had a totally different perception of Indian horses and racing. I must confess that I am impressed by what I have seen", Mr. Powrie said at an informal get-together in Bangalore. "Paddy (Trainer Padmanabhan) brought two horses to Dubai — Zurbaran and Classical Act. They may not have performed as well as one expected them to. But I feel a start has been made. I hope more Indian horses cross over in the years to come."
Interestingly, Powrie is the first racing official of this stature from Dubai to visit India. It has special significance. He has already taken one hard look at the quarantine regulations and marks them as the stumbling block for free movement of horses between India and Dubai. Either a horse has to take the Malaysian route or go through the more grinding American circus to get over to Dubai. The long travel and strict regulations do impose severe strains on the horses.
Mr. Powrie says at the Government level, there has been considerable progress in discussions over how best these Quarantine regulations could be simplified. He said a UAE ministerial Vet is in constant touch with Indian authorities. Mr. Powrie is optimistic that a much simpler Quarantine procedure would soon be in place facilitating greater mobility for Indian horses.
"I want to tell you this. I am really impressed by the way horse welfare measures are being pursued in India. There is a point of view outside your country that not much concern is shown for animal welfare here. I must say this is far from the truth. You have a good Whip regulation. There is significant improvement in the way the horses are looked after."
Mr. Powrie says infusion of European and North American blood has propped up the Indian breeding industry. He has a word of praise for the scientific approach that many of the breeding establishments in India adopt. Mr. Powrie visited the Poonawalla stud farm and also paid a visit to the Kunigal Stud farm near Bangalore.
But of greater significance was his detailed discussion with Bangalore Turf Club Secretary Nirmal Prasad and Chief Veterinary Officer Syed Navheed Ahmed over the status of horse diseases in Bangalore. Mr. Powrie says he is reasonably happy with what he has seen in Bangalore. In his estimation, Bangalore could be an ideal site for a quarantine base.
In just nine years of its existence the Dubai World Cup has already attained a unique place in the world of racing just as Melbourne Cup's oddity and Ascot's 300 years of mystique and history.
As many as 89 top horses from 17 countries took part during the last Dubai World Cup extravaganza. Having endeared himself to the racing fraternity in India, all Mr. Powrie is praying for will be for a few more Indian horses to reach Destination Dubai in 2005.
H.S. MANJUNATH
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