bengaluru bangalore turf club chairman harimohan naidu on thursday said their legal experts were in the process of preparing a petition for writ of mandamus after the members gave the approval to proceed legally against the government which hasnt renewed the racing licence since august 31 we will submit the petition in the court in a couple of days naidu said even as the btc prepared for a legal showdown a few racehorse owners approached the karnataka high court seeking directions to the government to grant racing licence the matter is likely to come up for hearing on friday racing came to halt in the city after the government decided not to renew the licence until its demand for an increase of 50 membership slots was metmeanwhile concerned about the racehorses which are prone to health issues in the absence of racing the animal welfare board of india has written to additional chief secretary isn prasad and bangalore turf club to ensure safety and welfare of the animals in a letter to prasad dated november 14 the board wrote it has come to our notice that 950 horses stabled at btc are at imminent risk of abandonment it is requested that the licencing authority for the activity of horse racing government of karnataka kindly look into the matter and take a proactive role in ensuring the safety and welfare of these horses the board has warned the btc that any negligence to protect the horses will be tantamount to cruelty please note that the btc has registered these horses with the animal welfare board of india under the performing animals registration rules it is incumbent on the club and owners of the horses to ensure that adequate food and shelter is provided for them failure to do so amounts to cruelty under section 3 of pca act 1960it has also sought the clubs reply on the measures taken to protect the horses however naidu said btc will not respond to the letter as the horses welfare is the responsibility of the trainer btc just provides them the stabling area he said