Jockey Sreekanth Gowda will participate in the prestigious Indian Turf Invitation Cup 2012, which will be held in Benagluru next month.
He began racing when he was in the seventh grade, and nine years later, 22-year-old jockey, Sreekanth has some incredible wins to his credit.
“My uncle was a race horse trainer. It started as a hobby, and I took it up as a serious career option after I got my license,” says Sreekanth, who has just recovered from a bad fall. “I had fractured my hand, but I’m ready to start training.”
Sreekanth is pursuing his engineering, but manages to train for more than five hours a day.
“On my first race, I weighed 46 kg and jockeys have to weigh around 50 to 52 kg. I follow a very strict diet. We also use the Sauna heater — where we are made to sit in temperatures varying from 80 to 85 Celsius.”
That really helps us lose weight immediately,” he explains.
His first race was an experience he’ll never forget. “I was in the 12th grade. After the race, I just went blank! Everything happened so fast, I just didn’t realise. Of course, after a lot of training, today, I know what to expect. Now, I picture the race in my mind — it runs through like a true tale,” he says. His current favourite horse is Southern Bay. “She was the one who made me realise that I can become a professional jockey.”
He is currently racing for Dr Ramaswamy and has recently won all three Classics. “It has been great. I won 1000 Guineas and Oaks in Bengaluru and Oaks in Hyderabad.”
So what does this youngster really miss doing? “I can’t party out late at night. I’ve to start my morning trails at 5.30 am, so a late nighter is a strict no-no. That’s something I really miss,” he says adding, “But I try and make up for it. I meet my friends often. I love going on bike rides. I’m a huge classic bike fan. I own a Yezdi Roadking and a Vespa.”
He is currently looking forward to the Indian Turf Invitation Cup 2012. “It will happen during the first week of March. If I win this, you’ll find me on cloud nine,” he says, adding, “I’m also starting a racing brand in the next few months, I want to promote the sport and make it accessible to more youngsters.”
