21 January,2010 07:53 AM IST | | Prakash Gosavi
Bollywood star Salman Khan, who checked in as chief guest at the Mahalaxmi races on Sunday, not only won the 'Veer' exhibition race astride a horse named Wild Rose, but also won the hearts of over 10,000 race goers by unleashing his trademark charm from the dais in the paddock.
A number of records for the on-going season tumbled as Salman spent more than two hours at the races.
Thanks to the star's presence, the Sunday attendance shot up by over 40 percent u2014 from the regular figure of 7,500-odd to a new high of 10,795. The day's betting on tote jumped 20 percent to cross the Rs 1.5-crore mark for the day.
For a change, instead ofu00a0 his acting talent, it was the star's riding skills that highlighted the afternoon. In an exhibition race to promote his forthcoming film Veer, Salman, in full riding gear, rode against leading jockeys like Malesh Narredu, B Prakash and YS Srinath among others. The race was given a flag start, and 'Veer' Salmanu00a0 wasted no time in hitting the front. But to his utter shock, Salman soon found his left foot hanging in air as the stirrup suddenly broke. In a remarkable riding display, the film hero then lived out his macho on-screen image in real life by showing exemplary courage, balancing himself despite the equipment malfunction, and riding out the horse all the way till the wire. And when his lead diminished with the winning post approaching fast, the other riders played perfect hosts by holding their horses and letting the star guest win. "I was a little scared when the stirrup broke, but then I remembered I was 'Veer', and thought how could Veer lose?" Salman said.
The actor then winked at his fellow riders, who had lined up with him on the dais in the paddock, and added, "I am being appreciated for controlling my horse despite this mishap, but imagine how these boys must have controlled their horses to let me win. Please give them a huge round of applause.
"Salman is being modest," Malesh Narredu told MiD DAY later, "only an accomplished rider can balance the way he did on that horse. Even professional jockeys can err in this life-threatening situation."
Salman's brother, actor Arbaaz Khan who was among the spectators, was shaken when he saw Salman riding without the stirrup. "That was very scary. I was frantically praying for his safety," he said,
Vivek Jain, chairman of the Royal Western India Turf Club, was also impressed by the star's riding skills. "We will have no issues granting him a riding permit if he applies for one," he said on a lighter note.
