Mauritius’s Historic Horse Racing Scene, Explained

Mauritius has a reputation as a quintessential island getaway. The island was colonized three times and has rich mix of cultures. It's the second-oldest racecourse in the world. Horse racing is the national sport of Mauritius. Its premier races have attracted royalty, including Princess Anne and Sarah, Duchess of York, and former Arsenal soccer player Robert Pires. . . The stadium saw its first contest in 1812 and was the epicenter of independence celebrations in 1968. A jockey moved from South Africa to Mauritian nine years ago to race.