With this issue of Racing World we complete our 7th year of publication, covering the exciting world of Equine sport – horse racing, polo and other equestrian events. Having moved into unchartered territory in August 2003, we are happy to have established ourselves in this niche market providing enthusiasts of the sport with comprehensive information, detailed reviews, timely previews, profile interviews, news and views, breeding and pedigree updates, racing statistics and lots of interesting racing information. Polo has been an intrinsic part of Racing World and we have tried to cover as many events as possible during the polo season. Over the past seven years we have had writers from around the globe show interest in writing for Racing World and this has added a new dimension with an international perspective. Promoting all aspects of equine sport is our objective and we hope that those connected with the sport will contribute with ideas that will invoke more interest to those already involved with the sport as well as to attract new entrants to the game. We take this opportunity to thank all our supporters, advertisers, subscribers, contributors and the racing fan in general who have supported us this far. As we commence our 8th year of publication we look forward to your continued support.
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Congratulations to A Racing Legend RASHID BYRAMJI on your 3000th winner
Little did one know that when a young man applied for a trainer’s license in 1955 that racing in India was soon to see a legend in the making. No trainer in Indian racing has achieved the astounding success that he has, and no trainer will ever impact Indian racing the way he has done.
Hard to hide his emotions when he remembers the early days of racing, Byramji recalls the grand days when the epitome of owning a horse was holding the reins of a sweat-drenched victor, an ecstatic jockey on board, taking the slow walk back to the sound of cheers and appreciation.
An incredible achievement followed over the years with Byramji setting records that probably, will never be broken.
A third generation in training, Byramji’s philosophy is simple. Good, loyal owners. Starting out as any other trainer did, it was Byramji’s character and personality and fierce passion for horses that drew the best owners in the country to him.
He has an eye for horses, he handles temperament, he brings out the absolute best in a horse.
He produced champion after champion. He travelled and conquered. He took every challenge. His owners love him and are loyal to him. He has the owner’s interest at heart. More so the horse’s.
He is selfless - and teaches those who work under him well. They too become champions. He imparts knowledge to those who need it.
Rashid Byramji is an absolute inspiration to his fraternity. To the multitude of owners he is simply ‘the best there could ever be’.
Horse sense, intuition, loads of hard work and dedication to the sport has helped him achieve the level of success that many will try to emulate, but the question is; will any one ever succeed to reach the status and outperform this legend?
Owners, trainers, professionals and friends pay tribute to the great man, the legend- Rashid Byramji, who with classic dignity has achieved a milestone in racing history by completing 3000 winners including more than 230 Classic winners. Racing World salutes the legendry trainer.
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Rashid Byramji – The Legend, truly one of a kind. In all my years of racing I have never had more success than that with Rashid Byramji. He is not only a trainer par excellence, but a super human being. Three of my Indian Derby’s have been trained by him, and he nurtured them to reach their prime when it mattered most. Elusive Pimpernal, a horse closest to my heart, was campaigned in the most extraordinary manner and he is arguably one of the greatest thoroughbreds to have graced the Indian turf. He won his races in almost every centre and through all seasons. Rashid Byramji went about his job without any fanfare. His achieving 3000 winners, is truly a remarkable feat that will be hard to match. My association with him has been the most memorable. I wish him continued success.
-Deepak Khaitan, Owner
Rashid Byramji is, by far, the greatest trainer India has ever seen and will ever see, according to me. He is an absolute genuine and fabulous human being, both he and his wife. They were like parents to me in Bangalore during my assistantship and he has always been my guide and mentor, even today. He has never said no to anything we have asked of him, and has always helped us - me and all the other assistants. I regard him with the highest esteem, and in my eyes he will always be the highest and finest human being I have ever met in my life. I always wish that he will remain on top and for me he will always be the greatest trainer, ever. His record of over 3000 winners and over 230 Classics will be an unsurpassed record by any trainer ever on the Indian turf. Congratulations, on this momentous occasion!
- Dallas Todywalla, Trainer
The one thing that I can say about Rashid Byramji is that not only is he a brilliant trainer but he is a top class human being. There are not many people who are able to reach the heights and achieve as much as he has achieved in a principled and honest manner. He stands out for having done what he has, in the manner in which he has. He has not only had success but his means to success has said a lot about the kind of person he is. I have learnt a lot from him during the many years I was riding for him and I think he is a wonderful human being. I hope that many younger generation trainers take a leaf out of Rashid Byramji’s book and train in a principled and honest manner! Congratulations on your great achievement.
- Pesi Shroff, Trainer
An absolute and thorough gentleman. A very nice man. As a trainer his results have shown that he is an absolute master. Hearty congratulations!
– Sandeep Mangalorkar, Trainer
He is one of the best human beings I have come across. I used to know him when he was in Mumbai and I have worked for him in Madras. He is one of the most senior trainers, there is no one who can be compared with him, and he is an absolute gentleman. He has trained his assistants very well, they are all doing well, they are happy. Very rarely will anyone be in a position to train so many new professionals and send them into the racing fraternity. He is a fantastic human being.
- S S Shah, Trainer
Words are not enough to describe someone like Rashid Byramji. As a trainer he is par-excellence. Till today I have not seen a trainer groom horses, train horses the way he has done. No one will even match his class. He is a thorough gentleman in spite of all the success that he has achieved. He is very down-to-earth, very humble and never shuns away from helping anybody. There are a great number of assistants who have graduated from his yard and have been very successful. He has made sure that he has tried to help everyone possible. When I got my license he was the one who gave me a break. He was the one who put his foot down and told Vijay Mallya, “No you have to give him Delage. If he doesn’t get a good horse how is he going to prove himself?’ And that’s what happened. I feel that I am what I am today as a trainer only because of Mr Rashid Byramji. He has taught me all that there is to know. His wife, Dolly used to be like a mother to us in Bangalore, looking after us all the time, and at no stage did they make us feel that we were only assistants. We were always welcome as family. Congratulations to my mentor!
- Nirad Karanjawalla, Trainer
Congratulations to Mr Byramji on his completing 3000 winners. I have worked for him for three years. It was a privilege to work and learn under such a wonderful person and great trainer.
- Nosher Cama, Trainer
Mr Rashid Byramji is a living legend, his record speaks for itself. The 3000 mark is a tremendous achievement for any trainer in India and we are proud of him. As a jockey I have ridden a lot of winners for him. It is a pleasure to ride for him. His instructions are very simple and he gives the jockey a lot of confidence. You don’t have to worry when you ride for him as his horses are always finely tuned to perfection. Half the battle is won before you get into the race. Congratulations to a legend!
- Malesh Narredu, Jockey
More than as an owner we have had great, great success with Mr Rashid Byramji, as a breeder and as a stud farm, and I think he is by far the best trainer I have seen in my lifetime and above everything he is a gem of a human being. Congratulations on your great achievement.
– Kr Yadavendra Singh, Breeder & Owner
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More than a trainer Rashid Byramji is a very close friend of mine. We go back many, many years. He is not only a champion trainer but also a champion human being. There are not enough words to speak about him, his achievements and records are there for everyone to see.
- Suren Sanas, Friend & Owner
It’s a phenomenal achievement and is going to be very hard for anyone to get close. His ability to pick a yearling and groom it to be a champion is one of his greatest attributes and what I have tried to learn from him is how to get a horse to perform at the highest level race after race for an extended period of time.
- Darius Byramji, Son & Trainer
I don’t think any trainer will be able to match this incredible record. Rashid Byramji’s humility even after winning everything there is in racing is the most amazing thing about his personality and it is the most important lesson I have learnt from him.
- Arjun Mangalorkar, Trainer
Rashid Byramji is Rashid Byramji and no one can come close to him. He has this uncanny knack of being able to pick a future champion when looking at yearlings and this he does better than anyone else. Even after fifty years of training he maintains tremendous self discipline which is apparent by the way in which his stable functions.
– Sandeep Mangalorkar, Trainer
Not many know the amount of hard work that goes into winning a race and to win three thousand is a huge achievement. He is meticulous in his planning and respects his riders as professionals and expects them to do their best in a race. The main thing I learnt when I started riding for him was the importance of team work and the way in which he gets the best out of everybody who works for him.
- Aslam Kader, Jockey
There is no trainer like him in the world and his record will last forever. He gets complete loyalty from his staff because he looks after them like his family. Every jockey who rides for him knows that they will get his full support. He is like a god to me.
- Vasant Shinde, Jockey
It is indeed a tremendous achievement to train more than three thousand winners. He has very high regard for the people who work with him and is always ready to listen to their advice and if it convinces him he acts on it. This total team work is one of the main reasons for his success and I enjoyed the three and a half years that I worked for him.
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