Calcutta: The winter season is barely eight days away but there is no hint of urgency in the RCTC’s official circles. Entries and handicaps for the November 9 races were supposed to have been published on Sunday but both were deferred till Wednesday on the pretext of some horses being sick — raising alarm of the kind of contagious Influenza which has virtually brought horseracing to standstill in Pune and Delhi. Official circles, however, deny it. “Yes, some horses were down with the fever and few of them were also found to be coughing on Saturday but there has been no sign of it today (Sunday);” said Lt Gen. (Retd.) J. R. Mukherjee, CEO, RCTC. It’s a normal kind of fever but we are taking no chances and the blood samples of some horses have been sent for testing;” added the CEO.

When asked why the ‘entries’ for the opening day of the season have been deferred, the CEO said: “Trainers are a little cautious because of the fever of some horses around. The picture will become clear in a day of two. Please bear with us.”