Beachcomber Magazine 05

that way for thirty-seven years! The lads and I live, eat and work together. Training starts at 4:30 and goes on until 9 in the morning. It’s a difficult profession. You can’t do it if you’re not passionate about it and if you don’t love horses. Racing here is not a money- laundering operation. We don’t bet behind-the-scenes, but the boss gives us a small bonus if we win. He is an honest man, as are his two sons. The stables belong to them of course but it is in all of our hearts. ” AN EXHILARATING INDUSTRY The racing season is the Mauri- tians’ favourite entertainment. And for the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC), the race organiser, the bookmakers and the online bet- ting firms, it is a major industry that handles billions of rupees. It is also an increasingly perilous challenge for the big stables (es- pecially the Gujadhur, who are the only ones to directly own their stables) which invest each year in the purchase and upkeep of horses, often making a loss. “ One thing is sure: we have to find a good balance between family tra- dition and financial risk, ” says Dr Hemant Kumar Gujadhur who, as well as being a trainer also runs the betting firm Global Sports Ltd (Totelepep). For now, the season is open and, from March to December the capital will be living at the heartbeat of the racecourse, as if it were a living and breathing organ.  A soothing shower as temperatures rise throughout the day. Douche apaisante alors que les températures commencent à grimper avec le jour.  The Guy Desmarais centre in Floréal is exclusively used for training with one track for trotting and another for galloping. Le centre Guy Desmarais à Floréal est réservé aux entraînements avec une piste de trot et une de galop.