Lucknow: Indianbred horse Budweiser emerged as a star during at Race Course and Turf Club, MB Club, on Sunday, making spectators cheer and take selfies with him.The horse race drew families, young spectators and equestrian enthusiasts. Enjoying the sunny winter afternoon, people sat in the stands with snacks and drinks, watching the races. Children pressed against the iron railings, clapped and cheered for their favourite horses and excitement peaked each time announcements were made.Races were organised in two categories — Indianbred and Thoroughbred. In the Indianbred category, 12 horses participated, including Golden Boy, Rudra, Budweiser, Uncle’s Pet, and Lemon Drop. The Thoroughbred category featured Pinnacle Point, Golden Oaks, Angel In My Heart, Shan-e-Azeem, Chopin, Mariella and Buckley.In the Indianbred race, Budweiser, owned by Naisha Jaiswal and ridden by Monu, secured 1st place and won a cash prize of Rs 5,000. Rudra, owned by Vikas Pandey and ridden by Krish, finished second and received Rs 3,000. Lemon Drop, owned by Aishvarya Mathur and Aparajita Mathur and ridden by Miraj, came 3rd and won Rs 2,000. A jazz band entertained visitors between events with filmy hits and soft romantic songs.Spectator Manisha Vohra said, “I am an equestrian myself and I have been watch races since childhood.” Another spectator, teenager Raman Prakash, said, “I love horse riding as it is my favourite sport, and coming to watch horse races is a treat to my eyes.”In the Thoroughbred category, Angel In My Heart, owned by J N Mathur and ridden by Mayank, won 1st place and a prize of Rs 10,000. Pinnacle Point, owned by Amar Habibullah and ridden by Atif Khan, finished 2nd and won Rs 7,000. Buckley, owned by Mohammad Abdullah and ridden by Sohail, secured 3rd place and received Rs 4,000.Apart from races, prizes were also given for style and presentation. Raina Pandey won Best Dressed Lady award, while Col Nagar received the Best Dressed Male title. A young couple, Richa and Arjun, won the ‘Made for Each Other’ title in another category.
