The sound of thudding hooves as twelve magnificent beasts circle around the paddock, all desperately filling their lungs for that extra spurt of speed, is enough to set anyone's pulse racing. The speed at which the horses race towards the finishing line is incredible; their feet seem to be a blur. They appear to glide on the turf. The sight of the horses racing draws a wide variety of society to the racecourse, which on Saturday included Bollywood star Ameesha Patel, invited as the chief guest for the seventh race of the day, the Jaspal Enterprises September Handicap trophy.
Usually, when at the races, the race-goer's eyes are fixed either on the horses or on the tote charts. However, the attention of the race-goers was briefly, but emphatically diverted as Patel ambled down to the winners' enclosure, as a desperate crowd milled around the VIP enclosure, almost despairingly trying to get a glimpse of her. “I have a special place in my heart for Pune, because I have always associated my grandmother with this city,” she said, as she handed over the spoils of victory to the winners – trainer C D Katrak and jockey Dashrath Singh .
The actress, who is also heavily involved in humanitarian activities, says working for the oppressed gives her great satisfaction. “I am involved with the United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime, helping them fight human trafficking. But it is working for animals that has tugs at my heart strings more strongly. I love working for animals because while humans have a voice, and have the ability to speak up when exploited, animals are mute observers. That is why I joined PETA years ago, and which is why I continue to work for the prevention of cruelty to animals,” she says
