From the red-soiled tracks of Matheran to the lush green turf of Pune, Sandesh Akhade continues to gallop ahead as one of the shining symbols of Maharashtra’s racing renaissance. The pony handler-turned-jockey from the picturesque, automobile-free hill station near Mumbai has once again stamped his dominance, heading the jockeys’ leaderboard with just a day of racing left in the Pune season.

The Mumbai-based four-time champion jockey, who has amassed 32 wins from 87 mounts, has carried his momentum through grit, balance, and a deep understanding of the animals he once tended as a boy. “It’s been a good outing,” smiled Sandesh. “I hope to keep up the same rhythm when the Mumbai season kicks off next month.” His journey — from Matheran’s modest pony paths to the country’s premier turf clubs

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