Childhood romance grows into a passion for Vaidya

Hobby Horses

It was one of the most memorable horse racing event ever, Tariq Vaidya recollects. One that is etched in the memory of the Mumbai-based head of Knight Frank India's advisory services and Asia-Pacific research. It was the summer of 1996 and England was a lovely place to be in.

Says Vaidya: "International horse racing events always interest me and I particularly remember this racing day when jockey Frankie Dettori won all the seven races on the day." It is not without reason that Vaidya will not forget this epic event. The world record set by Dettori still stands.

"I am glad, I witnessed the event. The entire stand went up in a roar of applause," he remembers.

Vaidya got his first exposure to international racing, especially European events, at a very early age. This was while he was finishing his education in England.

For Vaidya, his interest in horses started at a very tender age of six when he used to accompany his father to the Mahalaxmi race course in Mumbai on Sunday afternoons to watch races. He also took riding lessons and this pastime helped him hone his skills at controlling and guiding horses while indulging in piggyback riding.

Vaidya has not allowed his foray into the exciting world of real estate dampen his interest in horses. In fact, he has turned into an investor in horses. Unlike his childhood days, today it has become an "expensive indulgence" according to him.

"A considerable sum goes into maintaining a single horse," he mentions. It is not without reason that many aficionados, therefore, pool their resources to invest jointly in the ownership of racing colts and fillies.

Seven years ago, Vaidya bought his first horse ""Heaven Sent"" from the legendary Shapoor Mistry, a horse breeder and joint managing director of Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Today, Vaidya and Mistry jointly own Sheer Silver also.

Both of them believe this four-year colt will bring untold happiness on the racing circuit for years to come. In recent showings, Sheer Silver has notched up wins in Mumbai and Pune. Vaidya's favourite horse, though, is 'Scamster', an Irish-bred one which has been a consistent performer.

For those who might be misled by the name, Vaidya would like to explain how it came about: "One evening amid a meeting with friends, the joke doing the rounds revolved around this word so much that it was decided to name the horse 'Scamster'. Vaidya's sights are now firmly set winning a Classic Indian Derby or a Classic Indian Oaks, a feather he is certain will adorn his cap in the near future.