Bengaluru Jockey Suraj Narredu Set to Compete at World All-Star Event in Japan

Bengaluru-based jockey Suraj Narredu is set to compete in the World All-Star Jockeys championship in Sapporo, Japan, marking the return of an Indian rider to the prestigious competition after 30 years.

Narredu, who has amassed over 2,400 career wins, will race on August 22 and 23 against top international riders, including Japanese racing icon Yutaka Take. The event comes shortly after Narredu received a rare second consecutive annual invitation to the Shergar Cup at Ascot Racecourse, where he was previously the first Indian jockey to secure a victory.

Narredu comes from a prominent racing family in the city. His father Satish Narredu was a national-level jockey, while his uncle Malesh Narredu was the first Indian to ride at the Shergar Cup and also competed in Japan alongside Take three decades ago. Inspired early on by international champions, Narredu began riding in Class 6 and maintains a strict athletic regimen focusing on weight and agility through gym work and badminton.

Despite his international milestones, Narredu voiced concern regarding the sharp decline of the equestrian racing culture in Bengaluru and across the country. The sport, which long centred around the Bangalore Turf Club at the heart of the city, has suffered under land reallocation, disruptions from the pandemic, and goods and services tax regulations that tax entire bets rather than net winnings.

According to Narredu, high taxation and the substantial cost of maintaining horses—around Rs 35,000 per day—have driven away owners and encouraged illegal betting markets. With reduced prize money, fewer horses produced domestically, and shrinking race schedules, he warned that Indian horse racing faces severe risks if financial backing continues to erode.

Narredu now turns his attention to the races in Japan, aiming to secure a victory on the competitive international circuit.