Mysuru set to host 64th Indian Turf Invitation Cup Weekend on Oct. 24-25

The Mysore Race Club on Thursday announced the programme for the 64th Indian Turf Invitation Cup Weekend in Mysuru, to be held on Saturday (Oct. 24) and Sunday (Oct. 25).

The Invitation Cup Weekend returns to Mysuru for the second time, having first been hosted in 2020. The meeting had originally been scheduled for March but was postponed following an outbreak of glanders that disrupted racing in southern India. The Mysore Derby will be included in the two-day programme for the first time.

The organisers said the weekend will feature five Group 1 races, one Group 2 contest and 10 additional Million races, offering total stakes of ₹5.65 crore. Saturday’s card is to be highlighted by the Zavaray Poonawalla Mysore Derby. Also on the Saturday programme are the Zavaray Poonawalla Sprinters’ Cup and the Zavaray Poonawalla Stayers’ Cup.

Sunday’s main attractions include the Zavaray Poonawalla Indian Turf Invitation Cup, carrying stakes of ₹1.50 crore, and the Major P.K. Mehra Memorial Super Mile Cup. The Suresh Mahindra Multi-Million, a Group 2 race, should add further interest to the programme. Zavaray Poonawalla has sponsored four of the five Group 1 races.

The club has acknowledged the support of other sponsors and turf clubs in making the weekend possible. A special ‘contest of skill’ on Sunday, organised in association with Mr. Poonawalla, will offer a Renault Kiger car as the first prize, along with two motorcycles and five smartwatches. The two-day meeting promises to be a major occasion on the Indian racing calendar, bringing together some of the country’s leading horses and professionals in this historic city.

All scheduled races and the special contest are set to be conducted across Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Mysore Race Club.